Binghamton City Council Approves $97.7-million Budget

The City of Binghamton has a new budget.

Council has approved a $97.7 million plan that holds the line on spending and property taxes.

Mayor Richard David says the City is faring better than some areas in the face of the financial hit from the COVID-19 pandemic due to a combination of its response to the health crisis and the financial planning from previous years.

The budget plan called for a decrease in residential property taxes of .012%, keeping the residential rate essentially flat at $21.92 per thousand of assessed property value.  Similarly, commercial property taxes were to go down a fraction to stay pretty much the same at $40.75 per thousand of assessed value.

The plan did not grant the demands of some activist groups to “defund” the police department.  The Mayor said the City is working with Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order to develop plans to modernize police strategies and programs based on community input.

Groups like PLOT (Progressive Leaders of Tomorrow) have called for money to be taken away from traditional law enforcement and put into community housing, youth and education programs.