Member News

The $1.5 billion proposal reduces the County tax rate to a historic low and continues funding for key county initiatives

ROCHESTER, NY — Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today submitted his 2025 budget proposal to the County Legislature. The $1.5 billion proposal supports the Bello administration priorities in public safety, public health and wellness, and quality of life improvements, while setting the lowest property tax rate in this county’s recorded history.

“My proposed spending plan for 2025 is fiscally responsible, continues our work to Bring Monroe Back, and makes key investments in public safety, public health and wellness, and other key initiatives that bolster our quality of life. At the same time, this common-sense budget provides for the lowest property tax rate in Monroe County’s recorded history,” said County Executive Bello. “With this proposed budget, we continue to lay the foundation for a future that uplifts every resident in every part of Monroe County, ensures equal opportunities for our residents, and solidifies Monroe County as the premier place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Financial highlights:

• Full value tax rate falls by 9.3%, or $0.62, to $6.03 per $1,000 of assessed value – a historic low. Including this budget, the Bello administration has reduced the tax rate by 31% over the past five years. (2020 rate was $8.79 per $1,000)
• Continues to build on the sound financial practices that have resulted in the county’s sixth credit rating upgrade since 2021. Moody’s Ratings noting that their most recent bond rating upgrade (from A1 to Aa3) can be attributed to the county’s strong financial performance, conservative budgeting, and strong fiscal controls.

Public Safety — This Budget:

• Establishes the Centralized Arraignment Court Part (CAP), which improves fairness by establishing morning and evening arraignments each day, ensuring individuals are guaranteed a quicker arraignment. CAP will also get our police and law enforcement officers back on the road more quickly following an arrest, because officers will transport individuals to a centralized booking location and promptly be back on the road serving their community.
• Provides a $280,000 increase in the Office of Probation and Community Corrections to fund the addition of four new Probation Officers, which will bolster the Juvenile Enhanced Diversion Stabilization program. So far, JEDS resulted in a 3% re-offense rate for youth actively enrolled in the program.

Public Health — This Budget:

• Continues supporting efforts to combat the opioid crisis by funding the IMPACT team, the 24/7 Opioid Crisis hotline, and additional Naloxone distribution boxes throughout the community to help prevent overdose deaths. It also proposes a new investment of opioid settlement funds into a public education campaign designed to reduce stigma, combat addiction misinformation, prevent accidental overdoses, and continue to improve awareness of Naloxone availability.
• Invests nearly $2M in new agency contracts to support a wide variety of services including: re-entry programs, crisis transportation, financial assistance for Substance Use Disorder medication, grief counseling, and the continuation of our BIPOC Peer Advocate Certification program.
• Strengthens our commitment to supporting our veterans by expanding the popular Nature Therapy program. Two part time positions will transition to full time positions, allowing the Veterans Service Agency to double the amount of cohorts and access, and reduce the waitlist. VSA will also open two new offices, one in Greece and one in Webster, increasing access to veterans who live on either side of the county.

Quality of Life — This Budget:

• Increases daycare funding to account for a projected increase in enrollment and need, ensuring families have access to childcare services they count on every day. Also maintains the 1% parent fee and the presumptions certificate program.
• Continues this administration’s commitment to supporting small- and mid-sized arts groups, and increases support for Visit Rochester, the Seneca Park Zoo, Innovative Field, and other directly-funded agencies while also adding support for the Lilac Festival, the Veterans’ Day Parade, and the Tim Horton’s Iceplex.
• Features additional upgrades and renovations to Monroe County Parks, including drainage improvements to Durand Eastman Golf Course, remodeling of Kanatota Lodge in Webster Park, rehabilitation of the Lehigh Valley Trail in the town of Rush, and installation and recognition of new trails in Northampton Park, Greece Canal Park, and Abraham Lincoln Park.
• Creates a pilot program to provide matching funds of up to $5,000 for local school districts wishing to implement new initiatives to divert food waste from landfills. This program will not only improve our environment, but will also engage our youngest residents on the importance of protecting our future.

The Monroe County Legislature will consider the spending plan for adoption at its meeting on December 10.