Otsego County board approves overriding tax cap
Nov. 6—The Otsego County Board of Representatives voted unanimously to allow the 2025 county budget to exceed the tax cap at its meeting Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Under state law, the annual growth of property taxes levied by local governments and school districts is capped at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.
The tax cap can be overridden by passing a local law allow the tax cap to be exceeded, which the county board did Wednesday.
County Administrator Steve Wilson said he was unsure by how much the tax cap may be exceeded, but added that it may not be exceeded at all.
"We we do that a precautionary measure as things start to get tighter," Wilson said.
The property tax levy in the tentative budget is $13.4 million — up about $240,000, but under the tax cap, Wilson said during the meeting.
The draft 2025 county budget is slated to be published on the county website late Friday. A public hearing on the draft budget is scheduled for Nov. 26, and the board is expected to vote on the budget at its regular meeting Dec. 4.
The tentative 2025 appropriates $5.4 million from the fund balance, "significantly less than what we appropriated last year at almost $9 million," Wilson said.
In other business, the board approved resolutions authorizing the purchase of an additional county ambulance and equipment, including a stretcher and power load system, totaling $238,872.
The county decided to buy the additional ambulance due to an increase in demand for services, the resolution stated. The cost of the new ambulance is $156,500, to be purchased from North Eastern Rescue Vehicles, Inc., and the equipment from Stryker Sales for $82,372.
The board also voted to transfer $1,239,650 generated from the county ambulance service in 2023 to the account for uses specific to the ambulance program.
The board voted to purchase two 16-passenger buses for use with Otsego Express from Coach and Equipment Bus Sales, Inc. for a total cost of $286,266, using 80% federal funds, 10% state funds and 10% local funds, according to the resolution.
The board voted to extend an agreement with the city of Oneonta coordinating bus transportation on state Route 28 through December 31, 2025. The partnership was originally designed to improve transit accessibility and efficiency for residents in the county and city, the resolution stated.
Under the agreement, Oneonta Public Transportation will continue to operate the Route #28 corridor on a weekday and Saturday schedule.
The cost-sharing framework for the service reflects a 55% contribution from the county and a 45% share from the city, based on ridership data gathered in a June 2023 survey indicating the distribution of city and county residents who use the service. The total annual operational costs was estimated at $125,000.
