MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Legislature will soon be voting on the 2016 budget, which as proposed would come with a tax increase of about 0.93%. The revenue picture for the county has improved a bit, and the budget proposes spending of about “$8.9 million in county-supported road and bridge infrastructure improvements. This includes $1.5 million of new funds for a road-surface treating program. Twenty percent of all county roads would have work performed on them under this plan in 2016.”

Sullivan’s roads and bridges have been badly neglected since at least 2008. While this budget would begin to address that issue, Kathy LaBuda, who has been the chair of the Public Works Committee for many years, said at a meeting on December 3 at the government center that the spending was not sufficient to address the problems.

She noted that the proposed spending plan would mean that the county budget comes in under the Albany-imposed real estate property tax cap for the third year in a row. That means that county taxpayers will be eligible for rebates for the county portion of their real estate tax bills. But, she said, “It’s wonderful to live within the tax cap, but all we’re doing is making a bad situation worse... because all our infrastructure is years behind [in terms of maintenance] because we’re trying to live within the tax cap, and that’s a real issue. The taxpayers will eventually be paying more—double—because we had to live within the tax cap. So it may make Albany look great, but eventually it’s going to make the county taxpayers foot the bill.”

Another detail of the plan that gained some attention was $100,000 for a D&H Canal re-watering feasibility study. A county document explains, “ Ultimately, the intention of this project is to provide a consistently watered segment of the former canal for recreational boating, fishing, and nature activities.” Legislator Cindy Gieger said that a constituent had asked how this could be a priority for the county given all the other needs. The response was that it fits in with the plans for an expanded, county-wide rails to trails program and is a good recreational opportunity.

Some of the other initiatives highlighted in the budget include:

€ $125,000 to support future public transportation improvements

€ $55,000 to support local farmers by contracting for agriculture business retention and expansion services

€ $150,000 to update the Sullivan County 2020 Strategic Plan.

€ $100,000 for a parks master plan

€ The addition of eight positions in the Department of Family Services to ensure it is appropriately and cost effectively servicing the most vulnerable citizens

€ $100,000 for the continuation of the Plans and Progress Small Grants Program

€ $150,000 investment for upgrades at the Emergency Training Center

€ $130,000 for a comprehensive salary study