Tompkins County Administrator Delivers Recommended 2025 Budget
Tompkins County Administrator Lisa Holmes delivered her recommended 2025 Budget to the Legislature. The $252.3M recommended budget includes a 4.34% property tax levy increase, which would result in a $138 increase in the property tax bill for the owner of a median-priced ($300,000) home.
The proposed total property tax levy is $55.7M, which is $2.3M or 4.34% higher than 2024. Remaining major sources of revenue in the County budget comes from State and federal funding and sales tax.
The levy increase was recommended by Holmes to address increased expenses and to account for sales tax revenues that appear to be stagnating. Labor costs are increasing following the recent ratification of all four County staff collective bargaining agreements, state mandated costs are slated to increase, and there are several ongoing capital program expenses needed to meet the County’s facility and infrastructure needs.
Sales tax revenue, which totaled $43.2M in 2023, has lagged in 2024 by $2.5M year-to-date in June. The proposed budget anticipates $43.2M in 2025 sales tax revenue, mirroring the actual amount raised in 2023 but $200,000 lower than what was budgeted in 2024.
Holmes described 2025 as a “transitional year” detailing the consequences of the lack of available fund balance for one-time use (detailed in the August 20, 2024 Legislature Highlights). Holmes stated that the County’s practice of funding one-time expenses and capital projects with its fund balance “cannot continue” if the County is to stay within its Fund Balance Policy. Funding a portion of several capital projects using a debt service reserve will also free up funds to support one-time requests deemed necessary for 2025.
Fully supporting the operations of the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport was cited as a challenge, the Airport requested $642,000 in the budget as a third and final year of support to finance debt and balance its operating budget. Several positive developments for the Airport are slated to improve its operating revenue in 2025.
Holmes cited other challenges to budgeting, including staff positions funded by one-time funding that won’t be available in future years, additional capacity needed to support capital projects, growing emergency shelter needs, and the need to increase capacity to pay for mandated expenses.
Holmes also drafted a budget reflecting the Legislature’s previously requested 2% tax levy increase. Because of increased expenses to maintain current operations, the 2% levy increase budget actually reflects a 5% cut from each department to make room for the higher costs. The 2% levy increase version of the budget is provided for the Legislature to see where each department targeted potential cuts. The 4.34% levy increase budget restores several cuts in key areas.
An “Expanded Budget Committee” consisting of the whole Legislature will discuss departmental and not-for-profit agency budgets that make up the overall budget over the coming months.
For more detail, read the County Administrator’s 2025 Budget Message.
Among Other Business
Proclamations were read and given to the winners of the “I Voted” and “Future Voter” sticker contests. Ahava Sapp designed a “Future Voter” sticker featuring the “S.S. Ballot Vote Boat” and Ruby LeCroy’s “I Voted” design features a frog on a flower.
By a unanimous vote (14-0) the Legislature adopted the “Mobility Vision” Plan, which identifies steps to break down transportation barriers for Tompkins County residents. According to the Tompkins County Chief Transportation Officer, the vision will result in a new mobility management provider and a future one-stop/one-click center for transportation resources.
A resolution passed unanimously (14-0) Urging Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature to expand emergency housing for Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) eligible residents and urging “greater innovation and collaboration among State-level agencies to better serve and protect vulnerable residents and alleviate burden on local governments and agencies.” The resolution cites the temporary closure of residential group homes in Tompkins County, which has displaced those residents while providing no emergency housing services to clients who experience homelessness or lack other supports.