In his just-released 2026 State of the County message, Rockland County Executive Ed Day has highlighted the uncertainties of what the future might hold for the county’s fiscal situation due to what he described as “a challenging fiscal environment” that has the county facing “the very real possibility of unexpected costs being passed down by state and federal programs some of which border on draconian measures.”
Day delivered the message in the form of a video recording that also included visuals to highlight various county programs and activities.
Day emphasized that right now the county is in good shape and said, “Together, we’ve built a foundation that positions Rockland for its strongest year yet.”
Day said, “The state of our county is strong and getting stronger because we remain focused on what matters, delivering results, protecting taxpayers, and improving life for each and every resident. Even in a challenging economic environment, Rockland refused to scale back services. Instead, we found smarter ways to stretch dollars and protect programs residents rely on.”
Day’s message pointed out that the Office of Consumer Protection recovered over $114,000 in refunds for victimized homeowners in 2025, a 75% increase compared with past years, in addition to collecting $720,000 in fines and penalties against contractors who were either unlicensed, uninsured, or otherwise not in compliance with county regulations. Day noted that the Veterans Service Agency (VSA) secured $1.1 million in additional benefits for veterans. VSA also doubled the size of its Veteran Food Pantry, serving 242 veterans and surviving spouses.
Day said that the county’s Information & Technology Services department has upgraded countywide cybersecurity systems including firewalls, web filtering software, and advanced monitoring tools.
He noted that the county’s Division of Environmental Resources facilitated the largest Open Space Acquisition in Rockland’s history, which was the the 236-acre Eagle Valley property in Sloatsburg.
Day said that the county’s Department of Mental Health expanded its response to the opioid crisis by opening a second facility with an additional 10 beds for women and women with children who are recovering from opioid addiction. Drug-related deaths declined in the county by 6.5% during the past year. The county’s Department of Social Services helped 49 individuals experiencing homelessness move into stable housing.
The county’s Office for the Aging has expanded the county’s Portable Meal Program from just three sites to 11. OFA also added six volunteer drivers to the Independence Project, providing nearly 1,000 rides to medical appointments.
Rockland’s Youth Bureau through its Youth Employment Program trained and employed a record 595 young people across the county and secured nearly $700,000 in state funding to help support 29 programs to serve an estimated 6,000 young people with sports, mentorship, and enrichment opportunities.
Day reported that Rockland has begun upgrading its bus fleet with the planned replacement of 14 buses and that in 2026 the county is expected to finalize and adopt a new Comprehensive Plan.
