Warren County Board of Supervisors releases tentative 2022 budget
Budget would decrease countywide tax rate
WARREN COUNTY, N.Y. – The Warren County Board of Supervisors on Friday set a public hearing on a $173.3 million tentative budget for 2022.
The tentative budget includes a tax rate that will decrease for the second year in a row, while also bringing significant new investments in road improvements, public safety and environmental protection.
“The reduced tax rate and effort to stay well below the tax cap reflect sensitivity to the economic toll of COVID-19 on our taxpayers,” noted Stony Creek Supervisor Frank Thomas, the Board of Supervisors Budget Officer. “This budget calls for effective planning to maintain major county public works infrastructure and keep these large costs predictable and affordable long into the future.”
The countywide property tax rate will decrease by two cents to $3.899 per $1,000 in assessed value. (Rates per municipality will vary based on equalization rate).
The overall tax levy will increase $678,000, which is well below the New York State tax cap that allowed an increase of up to $1.76 million.
Highlights from the tentative budget:
- Four new road patrol officer positions are added for the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
- $10.5 million for road paving and improvements, compared to $3.25 million in 2021.
- New resources to improve county cybersecurity.
- Additional funding for senior meals program.
- Additional personnel for the District Attorney’s Office, Veterans Services and Planning Department.
- New funding for recycling programs.
“This budget strikes a good balance between funding important programs for our residents, including major investments in roads and public safety, while also never forgetting that this is YOUR money. As your elected officials we must be good stewards of each and every hard-earned dollar,” said Rachel Seeber, Chairwoman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors. “I would like to especially express my deepest gratitude to our Budget Officer Frank Thomas for his leadership as well as thank our budget team for all of their hard work in creating such a solid budget during incredibly trying times.”
No funding from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act was earmarked into the 2022 budget. The Board of Supervisors will decide how to use this funding later this year.
The Board of Supervisors will consider adopting the tentative budget following a public hearing at the regularly scheduled November 19th Board of Supervisors meeting.
A copy of the full budget presentation is attached at the beginning of this news article.
The presentation of the tentative budget can be watched in an archived video posted on Warren County’s YouTube page here. The November 19th meeting will be livestreamed on this page as well.
###