Ulster County Executive Michael Hein’s proposed 2016 county budget carries a 1.1 percent property tax cut, cuts county spending by $4.5 million over last year and includes no reduction in services or layoffs.
The spending plan stays within the state tax cap.
“The state tax cap still allows taxes to go up and I was much more concerned with delivering tax cuts for hard working families who desperately needed property taxes to go down,” Hein said. “So unlike typical governments, my administration took on the difficult and sometimes controversial choices and reinvented county government and as a result, our property taxes are actually lower today than they were all the way back in 2012 when the tax cap first took effect.”
Hein’s proposed budget also includes a continuation of his “Building a Better Ulster County” infrastructure program with an additional $15 million, for a two-year investment of $30 million.
It includes a county-wide fire training center and 911 emergency technology upgrade; funding to fight heroin addiction; continue funding for the “Career Ladder” job creation program; and expand the Meals on Wheels program.
“Last year I made a promise to the hardworking men and women of Ulster County to lower their property taxes; and so, for 2016, Ulster County property taxes are going down – again, and by almost $1 million,” Hein said. “This budget continues my administration’s commitment to being both fiscally responsible as well as socially responsible and we have accomplished this in an era of complex fiscal stressors that have severely challenged all local governments.”
County Legislature Chairman John Parete thanked Hein “for supporting the work of the legislature’s Ulster Coalition Against Narcotics by recognizing and funding the coalition’s recommendation for an ombudsman. We will continue the coalition’s good work with legislation coming before the legislature this month and with this budgetary partnership with the executive, we will continue to make progress on this very serious health issue affecting Ulster County families.”
