Neuhaus proposes budget
of $735 million
MONTGOMERY – The 2017 Orange County budget as proposed by County
Executive Steven Neuhaus spends $26 million less than when he took office
three years ago.
The spending plan comes in at $735 million, down from $762 million when
he took over. The 2016 county budget was $725 million.
The good news is the county property tax rate is expected to decrease
and is lower than the 2014 rate.
Going into 2017, Neuhaus said the county has funded all seven county
employee union contracts and has added new money for programs including
a crime analyst.
“We want to increase our intake of information that is coming into
the 911 center and the district attorney’s office. A crime analyst
is one that will help us. We are also putting more money into fighting
heroin and opioid addiction,” he said. He is also putting more money
into tourism promotion.
County Legislator Michel Anagnostakis was pleased with what he heard.
“Obviously we have a turnaround in the country and that helps us
in the county and we have had some good, prudent, fiscal management of
the budget by the legislature and the executive. We are heading in the
right direction. We are seeing positive outcomes,” he said.
The spending plan comes in under the state’s two percent tax cap
and its unassigned fund balance has doubled in two years to $42 million.
Orange County will be faced, though, with an increase in the cost of health
insurance benefits for its employees, which will eat into the budget.
