Sullivan County Manager Joshua Potosek has sent to the Sullivan County Legislature a tentative budget for 2024 that calls for $288,585,351 in spending. The new budget keeps the tax levy where it is, does not propose incurring new debt and does not draw down the general fund to pay for ongoing operations. The 2023 adopted budget had $268,364,511 in spending with a property tax levy of $69,399,722, the same tax levy that is in the 2024 proposed budget.
“While the 2024 Budget proposes no tax levy increase, a key goal remains attainable: building a solid foundation for growth and to weather any potential economic downturn,” Potosek said. “My office’s approach to the budget adhered to time-honored planning and processes intended to ensure we are prepared to face whatever financial storms may loom.”
Potosek said that he is pleased with the economic growth that Sullivan County has been experiencing but recognizes that more needs to be done.
“If the 2020s are to be as transformative as we desire, it is incumbent upon county government to aggressively pursue growth and development without overburdening taxpayers. In short, there is more work to be done. In the meantime, I am confident this 2024 Budget, as proposed, positions Sullivan County for innovative progress in a fiscally sound and responsible manner.”
The budget allocates $23.6 million for road and bridge work throughout the county, to be paid for without going into debt by bonding. It provides $2 million for a Housing Trust Fund to address the housing crisis in the county. There is a $2 million appropriation to pay for the design and renovation of county office spaces. The budget includes $700,000 for the Sullivan Promise Scholarship Program for Sullivan high school graduates that pays for up to two years of tuition at SUNY Sullivan.
Other items in the budget include:
- $424,000 for the next Legislature to offer to eligible community nonprofits via the Discretionary Funding Program;
- $360,000 to replace patrol vehicles in the Sheriff’s Office;
- $165,000 to hire new dispatchers in the Sheriff’s Office, thus allowing two more deputies to be placed on road patrol;
- $300,000 (an increase of $100,000 over last year) for the Youth Bureau to fund local organizations serving youth and their families;
- $300,000 to demolish blighted properties via the Sullivan County Land Bank and the Remove Unsafe Structures (RUSt) Program;
- $150,000 for a Water Resource Study;
- $100,000 for improvements to Lake Superior State Park in Bethel, which is managed by the county;
- $90,000 minimum salaries for assistant district attorneys in order to attract new talent.
The 2024 Budget maintains pre-existing increases to help pay for various upgrades at the Sullivan County Airport, including hangars and a new terminal, while noting that the majority of the funding will come from the state and federal governments. The intent is to position the facility to serve as a business jetport that would be attractive to aviation companies and plane owners who are seeking lower costs and more room than can be found at other airports such as Westchester and Teterboro.
In describing the planned $2 million that’s been allocated for a Housing Trust Fund, the budget said, “With a vigorous real estate market and the impacts of inflation and short-term rentals, it’s difficult enough for middle- and high-income-earners to find permanent housing in Sullivan County. It’s become virtually impossible for our low-income-earners, even if all they want to do is rent.” The budget suggested that the Legislature can use the Housing Trust Fund is as seed money while they determine a recurring funding stream to address local housing issues.
The budget presentation described Sullivan as having a full-time population of 78,230, according to the U.S. Census.
“This number is estimated to triple during the summer season, when the county experiences an influx of second homeowners and vacationers,” the budget said. “The median household income was $63,393 from 2017-2021, and 19% of the population was estimated to live below the poverty level for the same period. There were a total of 49,960 housing units in the county, and the homeownership rate was 69.2%.”
The budget presentation reported that the 2021 Census estimated the county had a civilian labor force of 59.6% of the total population or 47,476 people. Retail sales per capita were $11,629. It cited State Department of Labor statistics indicating that Sullivan County has a lower rate of unemployment at 3.1% than did the state overall at up to 4% depending on the month. The 2023 assessed values for property in Sullivan County totaled $5.6 billion
“I am confident this 2024 Budget, as proposed, positions Sullivan County for innovative progress in a fiscally sound and responsible manner,” Potosek said. The County Legislature has until Dec. 20 to review the proposed budget, make any changes and adopt a final budget.
