The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Friday, November 15, 2024 to approve a 2025 county budget of $207.1 million that will bring a countywide tax rate decrease for the fifth straight year while investing more money in county infrastructure, including road work, and funds to retain members of the county workforce.
The budget will increase 7.4%, and the tax levy will increase 6.1%. Much of the increase stems from higher costs for state-mandated services, retirement and inflation-related expenditures, with revenue increases and efforts by county agencies to reduce their spending helping to offset a significant portion of it.
But because of a $1.1 billion countywide increase in property values, the countywide property tax rate will decrease by 2 cents to $3.262 per $1,000 in assessed value in 2025. (Rates per municipality will vary based on equalization rate).
Highlights from the 2025 budget:
- A significant portion of the spending increase stems from infrastructure repairs for 2023-24 storm damage, increased costs for criminal justice psychiatric exams, juvenile offender detention and employee pension/health insurance.
- Recently signed labor contracts invest in workforce retention by adding $1.7 million in employee wages for 2025.
- No new positions were created, and four vacant full-time positions were deleted.
- The budget appropriates $1.1 million more for road repairs and maintenance in 2025 than in 2024’s budget, and adds expenditures for the Department of Public Works to consolidate waste hauling to save towns in the county money.
Said Frank Thomas, Stony Creek Town Supervisor and Warren County Budget Officer: “Putting together a budget for 2025 was challenging as we continue to confront increased costs coupled with reductions in state funding and reimbursement for state mandates. We asked each county department to cut 5% from their expenditure requests, and a number of them were able to work with us to do it. We appreciate the efforts of our staff to be fiscally prudent.”
A complete breakdown of the proposed budget can be found here.