KINGSTON – As households and small businesses continue to feel the pinch of rising costs, Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan has proposed an Inflation Relief Plan including a proposed three percent reduction in county property taxes, $3.5 million to provide direct food assistance for up to 27,000 households, and eliminating UCAT bus fares for all residents.
Small business relief would include an additional $1 million in grants for small businesses, $2 million to reinforce main street corridors and business districts, $2 million to small farmers, and $5 million to acquire land and build infrastructure to support more housing units.
County Comptroller March Gallagher said the proposed 2023 initiatives would provide relief to county taxpayers in line with the findings of her fund balance report issued in early July.
“As the fiscal watchdog for taxpayers, I will be observing legislative deliberations and final budget adoption closely o ensure that, in addition to these programs, we are putting funds into reserves, paying down and avoiding debt, and not taking on new recurring operating costs that will burden taxpayers in the future.”
