Revised Broome Budget Raises Tax Levy 1.77%

Broome County residents will have one final chance to weigh in on next year's spending in county government before a final budget goes into place at the end of the month.

The legislature yesterday unanimously approved a close to $375 million budget that increases the tax levy 1.77% percent after trimming about 800-thousand dollars from executive Debra Preston’s original proposal. Preston’s original plan called for a close to 3% in the tax levy.

The revised ledger also includes maintaining funding for operating Willow Point Nursing Home and the BC Transit bus service. The county had considered entertaining bids from private contractors to run both of those service, an idea that had sparked heated debate on both sides of the privatization issue.

The legislature ditched proposed raises for two administrative positions and county attorney.

Revised numbers for Medicaid reimbursement and the costs of running the county's vehicle fleet helped to bring down the projected spending for next year.

The executive will review the plan and a public hearing will be held November 14^th.

The final budget must be in place by November 27th.