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Tompkins County Administrator Steve Whicher has delivered to the County Legislature his final recommended budget, a 2009 Tentative County Budget that meets the Legislature’s goal of a tax levy increase of no more than 3 percent.

“This goal was accomplished through the hard work and responsible budgeting by all departments and agencies,” notes Mr. Whicher in a cover letter to the budget document.  “Many departments and agencies agreed to absorb initial State funding reductions as part of their submitted budgets.  Their good work is to be commended.”

The recommended budget results in a projected levy increase of 2.77 percent, which the administrator says will assist the County in meeting the challenge of additional State funding reductions.  Late in the budget preparation process, Administration was abruptly informed that anticipated State Wireless Network (SWN) funding of $400,000 to nearly $900,000 could not immediately be assured and that other State funding would be further reduced. 

The recommended budget increases local spending by only about 1.25 percent, to approximately $73.4 million, a net spending increase of just over $900,000.  The budget is supported by a projected $1 million increase in sales tax revenue and maintains the fund balance at more than $1 million over the County’s target level.  Again this year, $1 million is allocated from the surplus fund balance to reduce the tax levy.

Since total assessed property value in the county increased in 2008, the recommended 2.77 percent increase in the tax levy (the total amount of property tax revenue collected to balance the budget) would be accompanied by a significant decrease in the tax rate (the amount of tax property owners pay per thousand dollars assessed value.)  The projected tax rate of $5.92 per thousand represents a 13.7 percent decrease from 2008.

To accommodate removal of the SWN funding, Mr. Whicher recommends that capital funding for the new Health Department building be shifted out by one year, which has no immediate effect on the County’s financial position, but is contrary to the Legislature’s past practice of fully funding capital programs in the budget year for which they are approved.  Budgets for the Probation and Social Services departments may be adjusted before legislative review, since those budgets could not yet be finalized because of key staff vacations.

Concluding his budget letter, Mr. Whicher tells Legislators, “Since this is my last budget process, let me take the opportunity to thank you for the privilege of serving you and the taxpayers of Tompkins County.”  He also thanks county departments and Administration staff for their support, with special recognition to Information Technology staff and to Norma Jayne from Administration for their technical transformation of the budget process.

Administrator Whicher will formally present the Tentative Budget to Legislators at the first meeting of the County’s the Expanded Budget Committee today, September 8, beginning at 3:15 p.m. in Legislature Chambers at the Tompkins County Courthouse, 320 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca.  The recommended budget will be reviewed by the Expanded Budget Committee (any Legislator may participate) during a series of meetings that will continue throughout September and October.  At these meetings, departments and agencies will have the opportunity to explain their budget requests and how programs will be affected if requests are not funded.  The Expanded Budget Committee will accept or alter the Tentative Budget and, at the end of its deliberations, will present to the Legislature the Tentative Budget with its recommended changes.  The Legislature then will vote on whether to accept the changes, and the amended Tentative Budget will be presented to the public for comment.

To gather public input while the Expanded Budget Committee’s deliberations are in process, the County will sponsor a public information meeting on the Tentative Budget on Monday, September 22, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at the Tompkins County Public Library, Borg Warner Room, 101 E. Green Street, Ithaca.  The formal public hearing to accept comment on the amended Tentative Budget is expected to take place on November 10, with a vote on the final budget November 17.

Public copies of the 2009 Tentative Budget are available at the County Administration office, 125 East Court Street, and at the Office of the County Legislature, 320 North Tioga Street.  The document also is posted on the County website at www.tompkins-co.org, where the public also is invited to comment on the budget.
 

2008 - 2009 County Budget Comparison

LOCAL SPENDING
2008 Adopted            2009 Requested            2009 Tentative         Percent change
$72,485,255             $75,940,633                  $73,393,462            1.25%


PROPERTY TAX LEVY
2008 Adopted            2009 Requested            2009 Tentative         Percent change
$35,768,597            $39,428,167                   $36,759,195            2.77%


PROPERTY TAX RATE
2008 Adopted            2009 Requested            2009 Tentative         Percent change
$6.86                        $6.26                                $5.92                     -13.7%

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