OWEGO, NY (607NewsNow) – Tioga County has approved its 2025 budget.

With just a couple weeks left in 2024, legislators adopted a $103.27 million spending plan Tuesday, about a $686,000 increase over last year. County Administrator Jackson Bailey says the county has “proposed” using $6,273,469 of unrestricted general fund balance to close the budgetary gap. Bailey also notes this is the 13th straight year Tioga County has managed to stay under New York State’s imposed property tax cap.

Major costs affecting the county’s 2025 budget are $3 million in annual community college chargebacks, a $1 million increase in county pension costs from the NYS and Local Retirement System, $2 million in contractual salary and benefit costs, and increases to state-mandated child welfare programs through D.S.S.

All services and programs currently provided to residents will be maintained next year.