Multiplying Taxpayer Benefits
Kingston, NY – Today, County Executive Mike Hein announced that the New York State Division of Budget has approved Ulster County’s Government Efficiency Plan, thereby securing property tax rebates for Ulster County taxpayers. This plan outlined the County’s commitment to achieving recurring savings totaling over $47.4 million, $45.0 million over the required savings target, through consolidations, shared services, mergers and efficiency actions.
“Our Government Efficiency Plan reflects the actions that my administration has taken to reinvent County government and achieve operational efficiencies through innovative and targeted reforms while still ensuring more services are available to our residents than ever before,” said County Executive Mike Hein. “It is important to note, that while some have only been able to qualify local taxpayers for State rebates checks, we have gone one step further and also delivered real property tax cuts for our residents too.”
Ulster County Commissioner of Finance and Budget Director Burt Gulnick stated that “the actions outlined in the County Executive’s Government Efficiency Plan, including the reorganization of program offices, entering into shared service agreements for road maintenance and the implementation of the County’s new financial management system will achieve long-term recurring savings for the residents of Ulster County and have improved the County’s financial standing.”
Established in 2014, the Property Tax Freeze Credit Program encourages local governments and school districts to achieve recurring, long-term savings through shared services, functional consolidations and operational efficiencies. As noted in the State Comptroller’s “County Tax Cap Recap”, Ulster County is the only county in the surrounding area to remain under the Tax Cap limit for all four years. In addition, not only has the Ulster County Property Tax Levy remained below the Tax Cap, Ulster County has actually reduced the County Property Tax Levy and the County Executive’s 2016 proposed budget reduces the County Property Tax Levy in 2016 by almost $1 Million.
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Attachment: Photograph of County Executive Mike Hein delivering his 2016 Executive Budget
