MONTICELLO – With no discussion
and on a unanimous vote, the Sullivan County Legislature adopted the 2019
county budget.
Because of the improved economy, taxes will drop next year, a point noted
by legislator Ira Steingart.
“I’d like to thank the staff on a wonderful job in doing the
budget this year,” Steingart said. “This is the seventh year
that I am up and the first that our taxes are going down and I think it
was done realizing things are getting better and trying to correct some
things that needed fixing yet being frugal so the taxpayers can handle
the burden.”
As proposed by County Manager Josh Potosek, the $235 million budget would
reduce the tax levy by about 1.6 percent even with 4.5 percent increase
in proposed spending.
“Our Division of Management and Budget, which has worked for months
to develop a responsible and efficient budget, was able to lower the appropriations
for 2019 by $42,947, bringing the total appropriations in the 2019 Budget
to $235,286,181,” said Potosek. “The reduction was the result
of a savings in our health insurance rates.”
The Solid Waste Access Fee, charged on every County tax bill to pay for
debt on the now-closed Landfill, will also decline. Commercial payers
will see their rate drop from $300 to $200 a year, while residential payers
will have their $120 rate fall to $80 a year.
During a final monthly business meeting for the year, the legislature
also approved three bond resolutions:
• $2 million for reconstruction of roads throughout the county
• $1.86 million for improvements to various county buildings including
the government center.
• $950,000 to purchase a parcel of land and the Stoloff Building,
adjacent to the current county jail and courthouse, for use by the district
attorney.
Potosek said approval of the bonds is an authorization only, not a commitment
to spend the full amount if not needed.
The two employee contracts approved by the executive committee earlier
this week – Laborers Local 17 and Teamsters – were approved.
