BINGHAMTON — County funding for not-for-profit organizations again drove the discussion Thursday at the last of two public hearings on Broome County’s 2014 budget
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The majority of the 11 speakers at the 25-minute hearing spoke about county support for community agencies, which would have experienced across-the-board funding cuts of 18 percent under the 2014 budget proposal Broome County Executive Debbie Preston introduced in September.
The Broome County Legislature voted to reverse $139,064 worth of proposed cuts to the community agencies last week before approving the $376 million spending plan, which increases the property tax levy about 1.8 percent. The owner of an average residential property will pay about $16.80 more in 2014 than in 2013.
“A 6 percent cut — while still a decline from last year — is far, far better than the 18 percent originally proposed,” said Sharon Ball, executive director of the Broome County Arts Council.
The county’s support for community groups is tied to a 5 percent tax on hotel and motel occupancy — a revenue stream that is projected to decrease next year.
and motel occupancy — a revenue stream that is projected to decrease next year.
Some speakers, including Town of Nanticoke dairy farmer Judi Whittaker, urged county officials to find ways to support groups like Cornell Cooperative Extension with a more stable funding source.
“The needs of the agriculture community should not be dependent upon the (number of) people who stay at hotels and motels in the county,” she said.
and motels in the county,” she said.
Preston has until Nov. 19 to veto any of the small handful of changes the legislature made to the budget. Other changes by the legislature include the elimination of merit pay for attorneys, and the rejection of proposed salary increases for more than 100 non-union, administrative workers.
The legislature can meet to consider any vetoes until Nov. 25, and the budget is deemed adopted Nov. 27 if the legislature fails to override any vetoes. Deputy Broome County Executive Bijoy Datta, in a written statement following Thursday’s hearing, did not rule out potential vetoes.
“Everything will be under consideration until November 19,” he said.
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