Monticello, NY – By an 8-1 vote today, legislators approved the 2021 Sullivan County Budget. District 7 Legislator Joe Perrello cast the dissenting vote.
“It’s been a tough year, and this was a tough budget to put together,” said Legislature Chairman Robert A. Doherty. “But we agreed this is fair – and more importantly, a realistic budget that will not leave gaps for taxpayers to close.”
The $235 million budget features a tax increase that stays under the State-mandated property tax cap.
Highlights include:
- More than $3 million for road and bridgework throughout the County
- $410,000 to continue the expanded and popular Move Sullivan public transportation service
- $200,000 to fund the Discretionary Contracts Program, which allocates money for vital and worthwhile community organizations
- $100,000 for local towns and villages to demolish unsafe structures via the RUSt (Removing Unsafe Structures) Program
- $80,000 to complete a tower in Monticello in anticipation of expanding the broadband wireless pilot program, and $50,000 for a new tower in Liberty, to be augmented by grant funding
- $25,000 for the proposed Callicoon Riverside Park
“We’ve been told to anticipate up to 20% cuts across all State aid revenue sources, so we need to be cautious,” Legislature Vice Chair Michael Brooks explained. “Taxpayers can’t afford ever-increasing burdens, and this budget – which drops the Solid Waste Access Fee for both residents and business owners – keeps them foremost in mind.”
Full details of the adopted budget will shortly be made available at www.sullivanny.us (click on “Sullivan County 2020 Adopted Budget Executive Summary” and “Sullivan County 2020 Adopted Budget Detail” under the “Helpful Links” tab in the lefthand margin).