KINGSTON – With fall just around the corner, counties have begun to work in earnest on their budgets for next year.
Ulster County Executive Michael Hein said the year-round process is challenging given the conditions placed on it from the state.
“Property taxes in New York State are simply too high, so Ulster County is the only county in the entire Mid-Hudson Valley that over the course of the last three years has lowered property taxes,” Hein said. “We are looking to be able to identify mechanisms to do that again. We understand people always have a difficult time making ends meet and trying to make sure that we are respectful for that while we still deliver more services than ever before is really what the job of county government in this day and age.”
All counties continue to operate in a financial belt-tightening mode with an eye toward reducing expenses wherever possible, but at the same time, not reducing essential services.
