2020 Budget

Like you, I’m a taxpayer. I live here in Endwell and pay taxes to a wide range of local governing bodies, including town, county, fire, library, and more.

As your county legislator, I believe you should know where your taxes are being spent. So, I digested Broome Couny's 563 page budget and produced this summary for you.

I hope you'll read this article and then tell me what your budget priorities are because your input will help shape my actions.

$411 in Expenses

Here's where BC government spends its money:

# 1   Public Assistance       $ 125.0m
State & Federal law mandates benefits. BC administers it as efficiently and as effectively as possible
# 2   General Government   $ 107.0m
Everything from office supplies to salaries
# 3   Public Safety           $    56.0m
Road patrols, investigations, prosecutions, etc.
# 4   Other               $    45.0m
Large number of diverse functions & programs spread across 67 government departments
# 5   Health               $    38.0m
Public health programs ranging from lead remediation to municipal water testing
# 6   Transportation       $    30.0m
BC Transit, BGM Airport, and other programs

BC's 2020 Expenses by Percentage

$411m in Revenue

Here's where BC government's money comes from:

# 1   Departmental Income   $ 119.0m
Sales of services, such as landfill tipping fees, civil service exams, nursing home residents, and much more
# 2   Sales Tax           $    90.5m
BC’s portion of the 8% NYS sales tax you pay locally
# 3   Property Tax           $    72.5m
BC’s portion of your annual Town & County local tax bill
# 4   Federal Aid           $    54.0m
Federal grants
# 5   State Aid           $    40.5m
State grants
# 6   Other               $    34.5m
Interest income and many other things

BC's 2020 Revenues by Percentage

1% Property Tax Decrease

This is the second year in a row that we've been able to work with the County Executive to produce a budget that both improves vital services while simultaneously decreasing taxes.

A+ Bond Rating

Our external auditors have given Broome County high marks and our bond rating shows it. S&P recently reaffirmed our A+ status, which makes issuing capital improvement bonds less expensive.

Reduced Short-Term Borrowing

At the end of every year, most municipalities are forced to borrow short-term money in order to cover expenses until tax revenue begins to arrive in January. Eight years ago, Broome County was borrowing well over $20m and paying interest on it. This expensive practice must be minimized. This year’s short-term borrowing is down 65% to just $7m, and we’ll keep working to bring that down further.

Public Safety Increases

For the first time in six years, BC is adding new deputies to road patrol. This is extremely important in Endwell & Endicott because we depend on the Sheriff to be our primary law enforcement. Meanwhile, this budget also helps our 911 call center, which handles over 500,000 calls per year. The technicians there have been working grueling 12-hour shifts. This budget finally puts them back on regular, 8-hour shifts, which will improve results and help retain our best people.

Infrastructure Improvements

In our district, the 2020 budget brought a large culvert repair project to Twist Run Road and a long-overdue sidewalk upgrade & expansion between the ME Middle School and High School. Other districts had their own improvements.

Economic Development

I work hard to make businesses to flourish in Broome County! BC encourages economic development by funding scores of promising, small businesses through the IDA. BC was instrumental in the creation of both the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator and BCC’s Culinary School, in the former Binghamton library building. And, let’s not forget, the thousands of tourists that come to the Spiedie Fest, Dick’s Open, LUMA and other great events, each year.

2020 County Budget - Article & Survey

PLEASE TELL ME YOUR OPINION

Budget Priorities

Taxes

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