UTICA, N.Y. — The proposed Oneida County budget includes a 2.9 percent increase in the property-tax levy, the first such increase in a county budget proposal in 13 years.
Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. called the proposed property-tax increase a “necessary adjustment” to maintain essential services and prepare for the “growing financial pressures being pushed onto counties by New York State and the federal government.”
“This modest increase is not a setback, it’s a step forward,” Picente argued in the Oneida County announcement. “For more than a decade we have held the line on taxes while strengthening services, improving efficiency and investing in our community. But with mandated costs from Albany and Washington continuing to rise, and sales tax revenue flattening, this adjustment is necessary to preserve our fiscal health and position Oneida County for the future.”
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The proposed $560.9 million budget represents a $12 million, or 2.2 percent, increase over the current year despite numerous cost-saving measures and programmatic reductions, the county executive’s office said. The Oneida County executive emphasized that more than 90 percent of the county’s spending is state mandated, leaving “limited flexibility” to absorb increasing costs in programs such as Medicaid, foster care, and SNAP without local action.
The county’s annual Medicaid obligation alone stands at $57.3 million and represents about 86 percent of the entire property tax levy, Picente’s office said. It could “grow substantially” if the state eliminates its Medicaid cap or adds new service mandates such as countywide ambulance coverage.
Despite these challenges, the county executive used his remarks to underscore that his administration continues to take a “conservative and disciplined” approach to budgeting, retiring more debt than it takes on and reducing expenditures wherever possible. The 2026 capital plan retires $17.6 million in debt while taking on just $13 million in new borrowing for critical projects.
In addition, Oneida County is implementing cost-saving measures such as bringing the administration of the foster-care program in-house to reduce contract expenses, unfunding long-vacant positions, and maximizing the vacancy rate.
“We have made every adjustment possible to keep this increase minimal,” Picente said. “We are doing what every responsible household must do, making hard choices to ensure we can meet our obligations today while protecting our ability to respond to tomorrow’s challenges.”
Over the past year, Oneida County has faced multiple tornadoes, expanded broadband to rural areas, upgraded emergency communications systems and strengthened public safety infrastructure, all without additional state or federal assistance. Picente highlighted these investments as examples of the county’s leadership and resilience.
“No other local government takes on as much responsibility as Oneida County,” Picente said. “When disaster strikes, when critical services are needed, when others turn away, we step forward. That is who we are, and that’s what this budget ensures we can continue to do.”
The Oneida County Board of Legislators will vote on the county executive’s 2026 budget proposal at its meeting on Nov. 12.
