KINGSTON, N. Y. Members of the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee on Monday put their stamp of approval on a series of amendments that would add roughly $3 million to the proposed 2026 county budget. The most significant increase to the budget was the inclusion of $2. 2 million from the county occupancy tax to be put toward housing initiatives. Committee members also voted to add $800,000 to the proposed spending plan to expand advanced life support services coverage in the county, $40,0000 to address food insecurity among immigrant populations, $20, 000 to provide additional monies for professional services for the county clerk, and $8,410 to increase funding for the Probation Department. Those measures, along with a handful of others either not taken up or defeated by the committee, will be considered by the full Legislature ahead of the body’s vote next month on a final 2026 county spending plan. As proposed, the increased funding would come from the county’s $36. 4 million fund balance. County Executive Jen Metzger has proposed drawing $34. 2 million from the county’s fund balance to help close the spending gap in her $491. 5 million budget. That budget increases spending by 3. 5% and adds 10 new positions, but holds the tax levy that is, the amount to be raised through property taxes at $74 million, the same amount raised in 2025. Committee members declined to consider, or opposed several other proposed amendments to the county budget. They included adding funding to create a deputy commissioner within the Department of Public Works to focus on the county’s parks and to increase funding to the county Department of Economic Development to provide for ongoing research and development into the industrial hemp movement. They additionally rejected or declined to consider adding $250, 000 for the implementation of traffic-calming measures throughout the county and another $250, 000 to increase funding in the county Planning Department to fund the architectural design of an intermodal transit connection center with connections for pedestrians, bicycles, ebikes, pedicabs, and other “emerging transit and micro-transit solutions.” The Legislature will meet at 7 p. m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to consider amendments and vote on a final 2026 county budget.
https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2025/11/24/ulster-county-legislature-committee-proposes-adding-3-million-to-2026-budget/