Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger on Oct. 1 proposed a $519.7 million budget for 2027 that would raise the property tax levy by 1.5%, citing federal cuts and rising energy, technology and employee benefit costs.

The proposed levy would total $75.1 million. According to the county’s budget summary, the increase would amount to approximately $20 for many homeowners, though property valuations vary widely and county taxes make up only part of a tax bill.

Metzger delivered her budget address in the Legislative Chambers before county legislators, department heads, local elected officials, union leaders and community partners.

“Ulster County is navigating through a sea of rising costs, driven by major federal cuts and global economic pressures,” Metzger said. “In this difficult fiscal environment, we remain committed to protecting and supporting the people of Ulster County. The Executive Budget reflects that commitment, seeking to meet new and growing needs in the most cost-effective way possible.”

The summary says the county has kept property taxes flat for many years despite rising costs and that approach is no longer sustainable. Beyond the levy, the plan relies on $414.2 million in anticipated revenue and $30.4 million from fund balance across all funds. The county had an unrestricted general fund balance of $73 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.

SNAP changes
Among the county’s biggest concerns is the effect of federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The county projects a $1.4 million loss in SNAP administrative revenue in 2027, along with $1.7 million in program obligations that begin accruing in the fourth quarter.

The county is also preparing for the likelihood that it will be required to directly finance a portion of residents’ SNAP benefits, a shift the summary describes as unprecedented.

“This budget arrives on the very day Washington begins shifting the administrative cost of SNAP onto New York’s counties, and SNAP, like Medicaid, is a service we are required to provide,” said Peter Criswell, chair of the Ulster County Legislature. “I thank County Executive Metzger for building this budget with that reality in mind, and the Legislature looks forward to doing the careful work of reviewing it on behalf of every Ulster County resident.”

Spending drivers

The summary identifies $23.7 million in increased spending. The largest items are:
• Regular pay: $6.8 million
• Sales tax distributions: $3.5 million
• Health insurance: $3.2 million
• Department of Social Services programs: $2.7 million
• Emergency medical services: $1.9 million
• Retirement: $1.7 million
• Software: $1.4 million
• Equipment rental: $1.0 million
• Other: $1.5 million

The county said several non-discretionary costs are climbing. Its payment to the state retirement system is up nearly $1.7 million, or 8.5% from 2026 and 23% from 2025. Mandated safety net costs are up $1.4 million, or more than 10%, and employee health care is up $3.2 million, or nearly 10%.

The county also pointed to the war in Iran as pushing up fuel costs, projecting a $170,000 increase for diesel-powered vehicles alone. It said global demand tied to artificial intelligence has caused some computer parts and equipment to triple in price, and that tariffs and the trade war with Canada have made bridge repairs and other capital projects more expensive. Capital reserves set up in 2024 and 2025 are helping cushion the effect on debt service, the summary said.

Staffing
The Legislature enacted a freeze on new positions under Resolution 457. The proposed budget goes further, eliminating 13 vacant positions and adding six for a net reduction of seven. The six new positions are state- or federally funded or meet needs consistent with the resolution, according to the summary. Budgeted overtime would drop by nearly 4%, saving $250,000.

Programs

The budget includes:
• Domestic violence: $250,000 to continue Lethality Assessment Protocol training for law enforcement, plus a new Domestic Violence Task Force. The summary says domestic violence accounts for more than 80% of people served by the county’s Crime Victims Assistance Program.

• Public education: $25,000 in opioid settlement money for a kratom campaign through the Department of Mental Health, and $15,000 in traffic safety funding for an e-bike safety campaign.

• Food: $250,000 in emergency food grants to local pantries, plus a new category supporting Victory Gardens at community centers.

• Housing: $2 million in Housing Action Fund-supported family shelters developed by HONOR and Community Housing Innovations, a new emergency housing coordinator at $62,000 to oversee motel placements, and the fund’s annual $2 million allocation for affordable, supportive and workforce housing.

• Child care: $130,000 for a home-based child care start-up pilot, and a $5.25 million Children’s Center at SUNY Ulster, split evenly between the state and county. The county says licensed providers have declined 45% since 2007.

• SUNY Ulster: A $475,000 increase in operating support for the 2026-27 academic year. The county says its funding has risen 18.5% since 2023.

• Youth and workforce: A grant-funded, 24-week Ulster YouthWorks Academy with NoVo in Kingston, at no county cost, and an Economic Futures Summit in spring 2027.

• DMV: A full-service office at the Trudy Farber Center in Ellenville opening in mid-2027, with the mobile DMV bus retired and services moved into municipal buildings. A full-time DMV supervisor would cost $77,410.

• Accessibility: $300,000 added annually in the capital program.

The Legislature will review the proposal.