CATSKILL – The tentative 2023 Greene County budget of $122.2 million includes no increase in the property tax levy.
Legislative Budget Director Charles Martinez said the county’s “success at maintaining a consistent tax levy level is based on both our sales tax collections and our healthy fund balances.”
He said over the last three years, sales tax growth has also resulted in the fund balances being maintained, and in special cases, used as the sole funding source for large capital projects that would have otherwise required bonding. He pointed to the Hunter Solid Waste Transfer Station as an example of it being built using some $2 million from fund balances with the same approach being taken for the reconstruction of the Coxsackie Station.
Martinez said as inflation continues to hurt Americans, “we must plan for upcoming fiscal years and anticipate challenges.” As sales tax reaches its apex, he said new sources of revenue must be gathered.
“To get that new revenue will take time but due to our past fiscally responsible choices, we can now to into the Sales Tax Stabilization Fund we created and address sales tax collection decreases in the near term.”
Martinez also said the county should begin moving to a hotel occupancy fee “built into our strong tourism market and will be paid by guests of hotels and short-term rentals to preserve a flat property tax levy in the upcoming years.”
