Rockland County budget includes 2% property tax cut

Rockland County Executive Ed Day has unveiled his proposed 2025 county budget that amounts to $876 million..

“I am proposing a consecutive 2% county property tax cut in our 2025 budget,” Day said during a speech at the Robert Yeager Health Complex in Pomona. “This is our way returning money back to the people, while remaining cautious.”

Day reminds people that when he took office, the county was running a $138 million deficit.

“While most governments raise taxes to cover any expenses the County of Rockland is different,” Day said. “We are operating efficiently by always finding ways to offset costs. I urge all my partners in government and our Legislature to stand with me in safeguarding the money of our residents and refrain from engaging in careless spending happening in other localities, agencies, and the state and federal government.”

In addition to the 2% property tax cut, the mew proposed budget proposes spending $1.3 billion in funding for the HERRES College Tuition Reimbursement Program for volunteer emergency responders in the county. Salaries account for $194,031,925 of expenses in the budget while employee benefits come to $132,342,055.

On the revenue side, sales tax produces $287,000,000 for the county, mortgage taxes amount to  $6,500,000, and real property taxes bring in $125,500,000. The county is planning to receive federal aid of $53,091,800 and state aid of $117,456,110.

“We are operating this administration the way government should operate… by keeping spending low, alleviating costs, and re-investing in our residents. I pledge to continue the prudent and protective practices that have gotten us this far,” Day said.

The County Legislature is reviewing the proposed budget, can offer changes, and is expected to take a vote on it. If the Legislature takes no action by Dec. 7, the budget is deemed adopted. If the Legislature amends the proposed budget; it goes to the county executive for review; he has five working days after receipt of the amended version to veto the entire budget or exercise line-item vetoes. The County Legislature is given until Dec. 20 to override any veto by the county executive or the amended version with any vetoes becomes the budget. It takes a two-thirds vote per veto item to override that veto.

County Legislature Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Aron Wieder said, “We plan a rigorous review of the proposed budget that will include meeting with each department head and our independent financial consultant, discussion about the implications of the changing retail sector on sales tax revenues along with all other revenue streams and expenditures.”