October 5, 2018

Picente Delivers 2019 Budget Address

News Photo

Proposed Budget Calls for No Increase to Property Tax Levy

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. unveiled his 2019 proposed county budget and capital plan on Friday in an address to the County Board of Legislators.

The $419.6 million budget proposal included a balanced budget with no increase in the property tax levy for the sixth year in a row.

“Keeping taxes as low as possible and making strategic investments in our places and people has proven to be an effective approach in expanding our county tax base,” Picente said. “Last year, our taxable assessed value was $7.3 billion dollars and. In 2019, that will increase by over $35 million. That growth is a shining example that we are on a prosperous path for the future.”

The County Executive’s budget included initiatives to create a Community Services Corps that would plug county youth into jobs in the community services sector and prepare them for careers in the field; a Homelessness Prevention Services Unit to handle the county’s overload of homeless-related social services cases and a Stabilization Center for those dealing with mental health, substance abuse or other life issues that would provide all-day, year-round care and wraparound services to multiple disadvantaged populations.

“The need for human services in Oneida County cannot be understated,” Picente said. “The greatest portion of our budget each and every year is dedicated to helping those in need. While our Departments of Social Services, Health, Mental Health, Office for the Aging & Continuing Care, Workforce Development and Veterans Services do an admirable job servicing our disadvantaged populations, the challenge can be daunting. We need new weapons in the war against all of the social issues that face our community and today I am proposing several ways to fortify our frontline.”

Within the capital budget, Picente proposed repurposing Building 100 at Griffiss International Airport to feature a new façade, elevator three floors of Class A office and conference space, clean labs and an auditorium. Skydome, a one-of-a-kind, year-round indoor instrumented UAS experimentation environment that will support the development of technologies for connected and unmanned systems, would be built in the building’s east hangar bay.

 

A copy of the speech can be viewed here: http://ocgov.net/sites/default/files/exec/budget/2019BudgetAddressFINAL.pdf

A copy of the budget proposal can be viewed here: http://ocgov.net/sites/default/files/budget/2019%20Proposed%20Budget%20Report.pdf

Oneida County Partners