The last two years have brought challenges unlike any we have faced before. The 2022 budget offers historic property and sales tax relief to residents while investing in vital programs to support seniors, youth, veterans, and those struggling with their health, both mental and physical. May the coming year be a brighter and better tomorrow.

DUTCHESS
COUNTY

ADOPTED BUDGET

Marcus Molinaro

MARCUS J. MOLINARO
Dutchess County Executive




2022

DUTCHESS COUNTY ADOPTED BUDGET

The last two years have brought challenges unlike any we have faced before. The 2022 budget offers historic property and sales tax relief to residents while investing in vital programs to support seniors, youth, veterans, and those struggling with their health, both mental and physical. May the coming year be a brighter and better tomorrow.

Marcus Molinaro

MARCUS J. MOLINARO
Dutchess County Executive

$20 MILLION
ANNUAL TAX RELIEF

10% TAX RATE DECREASE

LARGEST TAX CUT
IN HISTORY


WHAT’S NEW IN THE BUDGET?

New Sales Tax
Exemption on Clothing

 

$24M invested in
Roads and Bridges

 

New Youth Center and Programs

 


ThinkDIFFERENTLY Programs

 

2022 Adopted Budget Includes:

EIGHTH

Consecutive Tax Cut





Property Tax Levy Data

Tax Levy History

Tax Levy:

(NOUN)

A property tax levy is the total amount of money to be raised by property taxes to cover the cost of public services.



The 2022 adopted budget provides the eighth consecutive property tax levy decrease, the largest in County government history. Coupled with an increase in true value assessments, the average tax rate will also be reduced by over 10% in 2022. The County’s tax base has increased over the last six years to over $35 Billion in 2022 as we have focused on economic development and growing jobs post-pandemic.






True Value Assessment Data

Percentage Change in True Value Assessments

True Value Assessments
(billions $)

Tax Base:

(NOUN)

A tax base, or the County’s full value assessments, is equal to the total of the assessed valuation for all residential and commercial property throughout the county.

True Value Assessment Data

Percentage Change in True Value Assessments

True Value Assessments
(billions $)

Previous Next

Tax Base:

(NOUN)

A tax base, or the County’s full value assessments, is equal to the total of the assessed valuation for all residential and commercial property throughout the county.


Average Tax Bill:

For the eighth consecutive year, the 2022 budget reduces the County property tax rate and levy, providing a more than 10% average tax rate reduction for residents. County property taxes only make up 11% of the average homeowner’s tax bill with local municipal, fire, school, and special districts accounting for the other 89%.

Average Tax Bill

Tax Rate History

Tax Rate:

(NOUN)

The Property tax levy divided by full value assessment, displayed on a per $1,000 basis.





Years of conservative fiscal management have allowed Dutchess County to weather the economic turbulence of the past 20+ months successfully. The 2022 budget returns to taxpayers over $20 million in annual tax relief thanks to economic growth and strong fiscal leadership. The 2022 tax rate decrease 10.1% from $3.17 per 1,000 of full value assessment, down to $2.85 per 1,000 of full value assessment.

Spending By Category

Spending by Category
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The 2022 spending plan includes a reduction in spending of .6% compared to the 2021 modified budget. The budget restores county operations to pre-pandemic levels which includes restoration of many of the positions that were temporarily eliminated in the prior year due to budget constraints. The 2021 modified budget includes elevated spending resulting from American Rescue Plan Federal Funding and other COVID-19 funding streams.

Spending by Budget Area


Spending by Budget Area

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The 2022 budget increases personnel expenses 7% restoring many positions that were temporarily eliminated in the 2021 budget. Many positions have been restructured with a net addition of 14 positions.
Dutchess County partners with many community agencies for services, such as Mental Health America, Dutchess Tourism, Family Services, and many others. Other professional services include Dutchess County Public Transit operations and our support for Dutchess Community College totaling $21.3M in 2022.
The majority of Dutchess County’s budget funds mandated programs and services. A portion of these mandated programs include specific payments where Dutchess County has little to no control over the program and simply pays the bill. Medicaid is the largest expense in this area at almost $37.9M in 2022.
Operating costs includes computer and telephone services, janitorial contracts, workers compensation insurance, and other maintenance service contracts.
When Dutchess County borrows money to fund capital projects, the annual interest and principal are funded through debt service in the operating budget. The total county debt of $198M in 2022 is only 8.8% of the constitutional debt limit based on the County’s full value assessments.





Salaries and benefits account for almost 39% of the total 2022 proposed expenses as County employees provide countless services and programs directly to residents. Additionally, State and Federal Mandates dominate the budget with net to county costs for programs like Medicaid, Institution and Foster Care placements for children, Safety Net, Preschool Special Education, Early Intervention Programs, and more.




change in spending by area (millions $)

Budget Area 2021 Modified Budget 2022 Adopted Budget $ Change
Personnel $202.1 $205.5 $3.4
Contracted Services $89.6 $89.0 (-$0.6)
Mandated Payments $134.6 $133.9 (-$0.7)
Operations Cost $21.9 $22.6 $0.7
Debt Service $25.4 $19.9 (-$5.5)
Other $62.4 $61.8 (-$0.6)
Total $536.0 $532.7 ($-3.30)




2022 Adopted Budget

HIGHLIGHTS
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Our veterans have earned our respect and deserve the support they need for housing, transportation, overcoming mental health struggles and more. The 2022 budget includes programs to meet these needs and honor those who have sacrificed for us. Learn more in the budget.

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Investing in our children and families, the 2022 budget expands the Youth Advocate Program, prepares for the Youth Opportunity Union in the City of Poughkeepsie, funds day care training for providers and continues the Learn, Play Create grant program to help our kids thrive. Learn more in the budget.

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We continue to invest in community based health and behavioral health services to meet people where they are including through a new mobile health team. The new Empowerment Center for substance abuse builds on the successful recovery coach model while adding cutting edge technologies. Learn more in the budget. Learn more in the budget.

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  • 14 New Positions

    core services

    New positions expand core county services such as: 24/7 helpline support, criminal justice and law enforcement, domestic violence advocacy, park staff and more.

  • $24
    million

    roads and bridges

    As part of the 2022-2026 capital plan and operating budget, the County will invest over $24M in our roads and bridges, including 9,000 miles of snow removal.

  • 5
    Parks

    county parks

    Dutchess County’s park network continues to expand with a Lake Walton Connection Trail, completion of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, a new Urban Rail Trail in Poughkeepsie and many new features and attractions at Wilcox, Quiet Cove, Bowdoin and Dutchess Stadium.

  • $1
    MILLION

    fire and rescue

    A new grant opportunity for fire and rescue is included in the 2022 budget. Building on our municipal innovation grant program, $1 million will be allocated for fire and rescue agencies to support training and equipment.

  • $100 THOUSAND

    care for seniors

    Availability of quality affordable home care for seniors and families is a challenge that has grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a roundtable event and $100K in allocated funds, Office for the Aging will identify and implement straggles to build home care system capacity.

2022 Adopted Budget Includes:

NO INCREASE

in taxes or fees




Revenue by Type

The 2022 budget provides the 8th consecutive tax levy cut and the 7th consecutive property tax rate cut. The tax rate will decrease from $3.17 per $1,000 of full value assessment to $2.85 per $1,000 of full value assessment, a decrease of 10.3%.
Dutchess County receives a 4% hotel tax surcharge from hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and others including a contract for collection of revenue from short-term rental entities such as Airbnb. The 2022 budget projects an 9% increase in hotel tax revenue compared to 2019.
Dutchess County expects to receive over $49M in federal revenue in 2022. This funding helps partially offset the cost of mandated programs and services and includes $4.3 million in American Rescue Plan revenue and other COVID related funding streams.
County departments receive many types of revenues, such as fees for service, including bus fares, park fees, private grants, rent, or payments from businesses for services. The 2022 budget includes no increase in fees for any programs or services.
Sales tax is Dutchess County’s largest revenue source, with a tax rate of 8.125%, of which 3.75% goes to the County, while 4% goes to the State, and .375% goes to the MTA. The 2022 budget assumes sales tax receipts will grow 2.8% in the coming year.
Revenue from New York State represents more than $85M in the 2022 County budget. This funding helps partially offset the cost of mandated programs and services. State aid is largely expense-driven and includes regular state aid reimbursement, as well as grant funds.
Fund balance refers to the difference between a fund’s assets and liabilities as of a point in time. The County’s fund balance acts as a rainy day fund and can be used to balance the budget instead of raising taxes or reducing programs and services. The 2022 budget uses $4.24M of general fund balance.



The 2022 Adopted Budget includes $1.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds which will support many of the positions that have been restored for the next 3 years. The budget includes no appropriation of fund balance while also providing the largest property tax cut in the history of county government and millions of dollars in sales tax savings for residents through the elimination of sales tax on clothing and footwear under $110 set to begin in the new year.




change in revenue by type (millions $)

Revenue Type 2021 Modified Budget 2022 Adopted Budget $ Change
Property Tax (Net)* $104.3 $98.8 (-$5.5)
Sales Tax $212.1 $240.3 $28.2
State & Federal Aid $142.6 $134.6 ($-8.0)
Departmental Revenue $53.7 $54.8 $1.1
Use of Fund Balance $23.3 $4.2 ($-19.1)
Total $536.0 $532.7 ($-3.3)

See the full 2022 Adopted Budget