Members of the County Board of Legislators were on hand this morning at the Westchester County Executive’s Office to to accept from County Executive George Latimer for review by the Board the 2025 proposed operating budget. The budget comes to $2.5 billion and holds property taxes steady. The budget needs to be in place by Jan. 1 in order to be considered “on-time.” Negotiations between the legislators and the administration on various items in the budget are a normal part of the process prior to a vote on the budget by the Board.
Latimer said that the proposed budget prioritizes vital services and upholds fiscal responsibility.
“This proposed budget maintains the same tax levy as in 2024 for the county general fund, marking the sixth consecutive year that we have presented a Westchester County budget without a property tax increase,” Latimer said.
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins pointed out that Fitch Ratings has recognized the county with a triple-A financial rating. He said that S&P was revising its rating of the county’s fiscal condition from stable to positive and that Moody’s also gave the county a good rating.
Jenkins said that the proposed budget is the fourth consecutive budget that provides record funding of $303 million for public safety.
“That funding consists of $78 million for the County Police, $161 million for the Department of Correction, $46 million for the Department of Probation and $18 million for emergency services,” Jenkins said. He said that there is funding included to add new corrections and police officers and that it continues funding the county’s efforts to deal with domestic violence.
Latimer said that the budget places an emphasis on the need for fair and affordable housing.
“The county will be launching this year the Office of Housing Counsel to provide grants for legal services and eviction diversion,” Latimer said. “This was part of a law that was passed by the Board of Legislators, signed into law, now to be full implemented in 2025.”
Latimer said that social programs and health programs are covered in the budget, including a telehealth program for seniors.
Latimer said that the budget provides funding to replace the remaining 21 diesel-powered buses in the county’s bus fleet with hybrid or all-electric vehicles. More than 300 hybrid or all-electric buses already are in service. Latimer said that more than 600 new electric vehicle charging stations are in the process of being installed throughout the county for public use.
Jenkins said that the 2025 budget provides funding to continue help to small businesses and startups in the county as well as support for expanding the biosciences sector in the county, workforce development and clean energy.
“The Office of Tourism and Film will continue to support Westchester’s hotels, restaurants, attractions and the continued support is expected to drive increased revenue, job expansion and expanded opportunities for the county’s tourism partners,” Jenkins said.
