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Tompkins County Legislature adopts $56.9 million 2026 budget; adds targeted nonprofit funding
Summary
After hours of debate and several amendments, the Tompkins County Legislature adopted a $56,871,746 2026 budget. Members added $191,550 for OAR, REACH and CCE programs and recorded a roll-call adoption after administration said the plan stays at or below the state tax cap.
The Tompkins County Legislature adopted a $56,871,746 2026 budget on Nov. 18, approving a package of last‑minute amendments that direct an additional $191,550 toward locally targeted social‑service programs.
After months of hearings, the full legislature debated the budget and amendments at length before the clerk recorded the roll‑call vote. County administration and the director of finance presented numbers and answered members’ questions about the tax levy and contingency funds. County Administrator Corso said administration’s calculations indicated the proposed levy increase would sit at or below the state‑calculated tax cap and walked legislators through projected household impacts. Director of Finance Darryl Tuttle reviewed revenue and levy projections before the vote.
The largest late amendment, introduced by Legislator Rich John, added $58,590 for Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources (OAR) to support College Initiative Upstate and the Endeavor House—programs that serve people transitioning from incarceration. Two additional amendments restored $37,960 for Cornell Cooperative Extension and added $95,000 for REACH to support mammography access. Together those changes totaled $191,550.
Budget proponents and skeptics sparred over funding priorities and whether to earmark contingency dollars for transit (TCAT). The body also discussed a technical $1,000 reduction to a contingency line to ensure arithmetic alignment with the tax‑cap calculation. After final amendments were resolved, the clerk conducted a roll‑call vote; the budget passed and the clerk announced the final adoption.
Legislator Mike Lane, who led the budget process, told colleagues the year’s discussions were extensive and that the adopted budget reflected months of public hearings and internal review. “We’ve had lots of meetings, we’ve talked about this over and over again,” Lane said during deliberations.
The county will publish the adopted budget documents and staff said they will circulate the official numbers and calculations used to demonstrate compliance with the tax‑cap rules. The administration said the Code Blue shelter and other operational programs are included in the final plan and that a number of year‑end bond and housekeeping resolutions will be forwarded to appropriate committees.
