November 14th, 2023
The $1.4 billion proposal continues funding for key county initiatives, holds the tax levy flat and reduces the tax rate by $.91 per $1,000 of assessed value
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Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today submitted his 2024 budget proposal to the County Legislature. The $1.4 billion proposal supports the Bello administration’s priorities in public safety, public health and wellness, economic and workforce development and infrastructure, and holds the tax levy flat for the first time in more than two decades while also reducing the tax rate by more than 12%.
“My proposed spending plan for 2024 is responsible. It is forward-thinking and it is a continuation of the commonsense blueprint that keeps us on the path to Bring Monroe Back even better than before,” said County Executive Bello. “This budget reflects our core values: funding public safety initiatives, making wise investments in public health and wellness, training the workforce of today and tomorrow and ensuring that essential community infrastructure remains reliable — all while protecting taxpayers by keeping the tax levy flat and providing the single largest property tax rate decrease residents of this county have seen in more than three decades.”
Financial highlights:
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No increase in the tax levy.
- Full value tax rate falls by $.91 to $6.65 per $1,000 of assessed value – a historic low. Including this budget, the Bello administration has reduced the tax rate by nearly 25% over the past four years. (2020 rate was $8.79 per $1,000)
Public Safety — This Budget:
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Invests more in public safety with a $20.5M increase in the Sheriff’s Office budget that will provide additional deputies in all three Road Patrol Zones, the Traffic Enforcement Unit and the Community Engagement Unit.
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Increases funding for the Office of Probation by $1.5 million to support the Juvenile Enhanced Diversion Stabilization program, which has so far resulted in a 50% drop in the recidivism rate among enrolled youth.
Public Health — This Budget:
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Continues to combat the opioid crisis by funding the IMPACT team as well as the 24/7 Opioid Crisis hotline, along with our continuing push to provide Naloxone distribution boxes throughout the community to help prevent overdose deaths.
- Absorbs the loss of grant funding by providing $140,000 of additional local dollars to support the Veterans’ Services Agency, add a Case Manager to the diversionary Veterans Court and provide staff to manage and deliver VSA’s nature-based therapy program, resulting in an 11.6% increase in local support.
Economic Development — This Budget:
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Funds four additional eligibility evaluators within the Department of Human Services to assist families access childcare assistance, as well as additional appropriations including: childcare services ($13.6M): child and family services ($2.6M); and pre-school special education services ($7.6M).
- Continues support for workforce training programs, including Monroe Community College’s Certified Nursing Assistant training program, which gives eligible Monroe Community Hospital employees training as CNA’s.
Community Infrastructure — This Budget:
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Continues ongoing renovations to accommodate MLB-mandated upgrades and improve fan experiences at Innovative Field.
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Continues ongoing work of the Go Outside Monroe initiative, including renovations to the historic Dentzel Carousel, ADA-compliant upgrades to lodges and restrooms, an accessible canoe/kayak launch in Churchville Park and the county’s first spraypark.
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Funds a county initiative to provide incentives to towns for sidewalk installations.
- Provides $530,000 for the County’s Sustainability Office to install more electric vehicle charging stations at County-owned facilities and adds $209,000 to the Weights and Measures division to enable inspections of more than 800 vehicle charging stations across the county.
The Monroe County Legislature will consider the spending plan for adoption at its meeting on December 12.
