Dutchess approves 2023 budget after adding several last-minute expenditures

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Dutchess County Office Building
Democratic Minority Leader Yvette Valdes-Smith.

POUGHKEEPSIE – Seven of the eight Democrats in the Dutchess County Legislature voted against the county’s $588 million 2023 budget after the Republicans approved a $25 million addition for improvements at the county-owned Dutchess Stadium before voting on the amended budget.  The amendment added 4.5 percent to the 2023 spending plan.

Democratic Minority Leader Yvette Valdes-Smith called the stadium amendment an “outrageous grab of taxpayer dollars.” Democratic lawmakers attempted to add money for free public transportation, affordable housing, funds for early intervention for childhood education, DCC tuition funds, a Climate Smart Coordinator, and youth mental health beds.  All were dismissed by the GOP majority as being “too expensive”. which were all considered “too expensive” by the Republicans.

The legislature approved several substantial amendments to the budget before the final vote on Thursday night.

  • $25,000,000 in funding added to the Capital Project Fund, to finance improvements to the Dutchess Stadium Park.
  • $60,000 funding increase to create an additional bus shelter in Pleasant Valley, and another $60,000 in an ET Fund contribution to support the bus shelter project.
  • $50,000 funding increase to the DCFS Youth Services Division to fund the Path to Promise grant program to help struggling Dutchess County youth.
  • $50,000 funding increase to the Sheriff’s Office budget, for the Sheriff Law Enforcement Academy.
  • $200,000 funding increase to the Planning & Development Department, to support a competitive grant program for youth programming to help at-risk youth aged 14-18, and parents of special needs children.
  • $1,000,000 funding increase to the Planning & Development Department, for the APG not-for-profit infrastructure grant.

After the final budget for next year was approved, Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver told Mid-Hudson News, “The 2023 Budget lowers taxpayer burden while increasing services to our much-needed services including mental health services and public safety.”  Noting that the budget process requires the work of many, Pulver added “We are proud to bring nine consecutive years of property tax levy decreases, thanks to the hard work of the County Executive and his team as well as the legislature’s work in reviewing and fine-tuning the budget.”

 




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