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In a brief special session, the Tompkins County Legislature formally adopted amendments to the County Administrator’s 2013 Tentative Budget and 2013-2017 Capital and 2013-2017 Capital Program, as recommended by its Expanded Budget Committee.  With eight Legislators present, the vote was unanimous.  (Legislators Nate Shinagawa, Kathy Luz Herrera, Carol Chock, Pam Mackesey, Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Frank Proto, and Pat Pryor were excused.)

The amended budget would increase the County tax levy by 3.77% and the countywide average tax rate by 1.95%.  The recommended tax rate of $6.80 per thousand is 2 cents higher than in the Administrator’s budget, and an increase of 13 cents compared to 2012, representing an increase of $20.83 for the average $160,000 home.  The amended budget is $124,480 higher than the Administrator’s budget.

The amended package, now known as the Legislative Tentative Budget, replaces Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended budget as the basis of budget deliberations and will be sent on to public hearing.  The Legislature will hold the public budget hearing on Tuesday, November 13, beginning at 7 p.m. at Legislature Chambers.  The final budget adoption vote is scheduled for the Legislature’s meeting of Tuesday, November 20.

The amended budget will be available for review online at the County website (click on “County Budget”) with paper copies available at the County Legislature office at the County Courthouse and at County Administration, 125 E. Court Street, Ithaca.

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