ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) – Your chance to weigh in on next year’s Tompkins County budget is coming.

A 2025 recommended budget is headed for a public hearing. After several last-minute amendments on Tuesday night, lawmakers narrowly passed a draft spending plan, 8-6. It included taking $155,000 from the county’s fund balance to lower the tax levy to 3%. Legislator Mike Lane reminded his colleagues and the public the vote was not on a final budget.

Some legislators expressed a desire to continue working on bringing down the tax levy. Legislator Lee Shurtleff noted that even at 3% it could be particularly challenging in his district, where the average medium income is slightly under $60,000, and nearly 1/5 of his constituents are senior citizens who own or rent.

The public hearing is set for Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers in Ithaca. Legislator Mike Lane says a vote is scheduled for their first meeting next month on Thursday, November 7.