KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger 2027 budget proposal calls for $519.7 million in spending and a 1.5% increase in the property tax levy as the county faces rising health care, employee compensation, retirement, and other costs.
The proposed budget represents a $23.7 million increase. Metzger said that major cost drivers include $6.8 million in additional regular pay, $3.2 million for employee health insurance, $3.5 million in sales tax distributions, $2.7 million for Department of Social Services programs and $1.7 million in retirement costs.
Metzger delivered her budget address on Thursday in the Legislative Chambers, before County Legislators, department heads, local elected officials, union leaders, and community partners.
“Ulster County is navigating through a sea of rising costs, driven by major federal cuts and global economic pressures,” Metzger said. “In this difficult fiscal environment, we remain committed to protecting and supporting the people of Ulster County. The Executive Budget reflects that commitment, seeking to meet new and growing needs in the most cost-effective way possible.”
The estimated 1.5% tax-levy increase would amount to about $20 for many homeowners, depending on property value, Metzger said. The county had $73 million in unrestricted general fund balance as of Dec. 31, 2025.
The budget also anticipates financial impacts from federal changes to SNAP, including a $1.4 million loss in administrative revenue and $1.7 million in new program obligations beginning in the fourth quarter.
To control costs, the proposal eliminates 13 vacant positions while adding six, resulting in a net reduction of seven funded positions. Budgeted overtime would also decline by nearly 4%, saving about $250,000 from 2026 levels.
The spending plan includes $2 million for family shelters and continues a $2 million annual allocation to the county’s Housing Action Fund. It also includes $250,000 in emergency food grants and proposes $130,000 for a home-based childcare startup program.
“This budget arrives on the very day Washington begins shifting the administrative cost of SNAP onto New York’s counties, and SNAP, like Medicaid, is a service we are required to provide,” said Peter Criswell, Chair of the Ulster County Legislature. “I thank County Executive Metzger for building this budget with that reality in mind, and the Legislature looks forward to doing the careful work of reviewing it on behalf of every Ulster County resident.”
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