PRESS RELEASE: Tioga County Legislature Adopts 2024 Budget

Last Updated: 12/12/2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 12, 2023

Contact: Tioga County Legislative Office

TIOGA COUNTY LEGISLATURE ADOPTS 2024 BUDGET

 Owego, NY - This week at the December Legislative Meeting, the Tioga County Legislature passed their Budget for 2024. Chair of the Legislature, Martha Sauerbrey thanks all County Departments for their work on the budget preparation and especially the Budget Officer for his tireless work creating a valid and concise budget.

The following is a brief report of revenue and expenditures, including the rate for the year 2024 provided by Tioga County Budget Officer, Jackson D. Bailey II.

The NYS Tax Cap calculation for 2024 allows for a 1.17% increase in County Tax Levy, and this will mark the 12^th consecutive budget year that Tioga County has been able to stay under the New York State imposed property Tax Cap. The 12-year average increase in the Tax Levy has been approximately 1.72%.

Total adopted expenditures for 2024 are $102,603,603. An increase from 2023 of approximately $3,131,360 or 3.1%. Total estimated revenues for 2024 are 68,411,426, an increase from 2023 of $7,781,106 or 11.4%. The total deficit before the tax levy is applied is $34,192,177. After the application of the proposed tax levy of $26,296,389, the County has proposed using $7,875,788 in Unrestricted General Fund Balance to close the budgetary gap for 2024. The proposed Budget will maintain all programs and services currently provided to Tioga County residents for 2024.

It’s important that the public understands that Tioga County pays nearly $2.5 million annually in college chargebacks, this amount has continually grown and is anticipated to be nearly $3 million in 2024.

Approximately 98% of Tioga County’s proposed Tax Levy makes up the expenditures of State Mandated Services including Medicaid Management Information Systems “MMIS”, Jail Facilities, Community College Chargebacks & Safety Net/Child Welfare Services.  

The largest funding streams for the County are Real Property Taxes, Sales Tax, and State Aid. Sales Tax amounts received have been well over what has been anticipated, but the amounts are forecasted to decrease in the near future.  We greatly appreciate the Tioga Downs Casino Revenue however it is an especially unstable source of revenue as it not only depends on the performance of the Casino itself, but the amount awarded is considered to be State Aid.  This amount as such is formulated by the State of New York and can be re-formulated and ultimately reduced at any time.

In 2021 the County was awarded $9,362,868 in American Recovery Plan Act “ARPA” funds by the US Treasury in response to the global COVID pandemic to aid Municipalities in the continuation and betterment of Governmental services. The Tioga County Legislature has designated the entirety of funds awarded to the following initiatives:

$4,000,000 – Public Safety Communications Upgrade (Emergency Response Radio Upgrade Project)

$1,613,500 – Capital Infrastructure (Truck Wash Facility, DPW Equipment, HVAC Upgrades)

$1,600,000 – Outside Agency Support (Tioga ASAP Organization, Affordable/Transitional Housing Initiatives)

$100,000 – Aid to County Tourism

$750,000 – County Wide Broadband Upgrades

$298,368 – Provision of Governmental Services (Veterans Suicide Prevention, Ortho Imaging, Records Study)

$974,384 – County Building and IT Security Upgrades (Cyber Security, Data Encryption, Building Security)

$26,616 – ARPA Administrative Expenses (Administrator & Consultant)

To date, the County has spent $4,058,279 towards those initiatives. Per the Final Rule issued by the US Department of Treasury, funding must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and jurisdictions have until December 31, 2026 to fully expend their funds.

The only remaining Bond for the County is the 2010 Bridge Rehabilitation/Build America Bond which is expected to mature in 2030.###