Monticello, NY – County Manager Joshua A. Potosek today presented a 2027 Tentative Sullivan County Budget to the Legislature that avoids cuts to programs but also squarely faces the reality of significantly increased costs and declining sales tax revenues.
“The 2027 Tentative Sullivan County Budget represents months of effort to navigate serious revenue declines while maintaining the County’s fiscal stability and providing the services taxpayers need and demand,” Potosek said. “Originally, budget estimates indicated a tax increase of 35% might be necessary. We have brought that down to 27.67%, but as a taxpayer myself, I recognize this remains a sizeable increase.”
The $299,886,220 budget, as currently proposed, is lower than 2026’s Adopted Budget and does not include utilization of fund balance (surplus) in the General Fund.
“The proposed tax increase is due to steeply rising, inflation-fueled costs and an anticipated $6.5 million decline in sales tax revenue versus what was budgeted in 2026,” explained Potosek. “The reduction in that revenue – plus the fiscally responsible decision to not endanger the County further by continually dipping into the fund balance – constitutes 15.5% of the 27.67% property tax increase.”
Full details of the budget are available via a digital budget book at https://county-sullivan-ny-cleardoc.cleargov.com/28777 (also accessible through www.sullivanny.gov).
“This is more than an online budget viewing tool,” noted Potosek. “It allows users to easily search for information, quickly find what they’re most interested in, and generate their own charts and graphs. It is an interactive way of understanding our most complex fiscal document.”
Highlights of the Tentative 2027 County Budget include:
- $21 million for road and bridgework throughout the County, approximately two-thirds of which will come from State and Federal sources
- $1 million (bonded) to demolish the aging Division of Public Works station near Callicoon, and design a replacement
- $500,000 to complete a water storage tower at the Airport, making it more attractive for revenue-generating businesses
- $300,000 (half of which will come from State aid) to continue designing a composting facility near the Monticello Transfer Station
- $250,000 to continue the highly successful and life-changing Sullivan Promise scholarship program, paying two years of tuition at SUNY Sullivan for local high school graduates
- $100,000 for the Sullivan County Land Bank to continue rehabbing dilapidated properties
- $75,000 to update the Permit Exam Room at the Monticello office of the Department of Motor Vehicles, completing a two-year-long renovation of one of the County’s most-visited offices
“This proposed budget also retains funding for the services and programs that impact residents’ lives every day, from Public Health to Public Safety, from the Sheriff’s Office to the EMS fly cars,” Potosek explained. “But due to the significant proposed tax increase, we are avoiding taking on large projects or adding staff for the year ahead, which is why I continue to tell legislators and our economic development partners that it’s absolutely critical we aggressively work on attracting more taxpaying industries to the County – to help spread these costs across a wider tax base.”
Legislators now have until December 20 to review, discuss and adopt the budget, and they may make changes to the proposed version before it is adopted.
The public can weigh in as well. Formal public hearings about the proposed 2027 County Budget have yet to be announced but will be set for early December. In the meantime, written comment is being accepted by Clerk of the Legislature AnnMarie Martin at annmarie.martin@sullivanny.gov or 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701.
