Budget Highlights November 18 , 2006

The Ways & Means Committee, the Administrator and the rest of the legislature have given Ulster County citizens an excellent budget that puts the breaks on runaway spending.  Here are the highlights of the preliminary budget.

Highlights of 2007 Budget

• Spending is 3% under rate of inflation
• First time spending is down in the history of the legislature, Done in spite of:
Jail Bonds
Cost of labor increases
Sheriff union contract not budgeted
$4.75 million less in state and federal aid
Pension cost increases
Medicaid cost increases
Rising health insurance costs
• Layoffs - first in history of legislature
Painful but necessary
Rightsizing of work force
• No Gimmicks
No money from fund balance
Realistic estimate of sales tax revenue
• Consolidation of Departments
Probation
Office For Aging
• Continuation of Reform
Auditor
Fleet Manager
• Puts county on solid financial footing for following years
Rebuilds fund balance