- On Oct. 29, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino presented her 2026 Executive Budget of $651 million.
- The proposed budget for next year plans to decrease the property tax rate, as well as heavily invest in public safety.
Situated in the Dutchess County Legislature Chambers, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino presented her 2026 Executive Budget to county officials and community leaders on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
This $651 million county budget, Serino said, is about “protecting people, with purpose,” by safeguarding taxpayers as well as the services and programs county residents utilize, to keep “neighborhoods safe” and the “community strong.”
The budget plans to prioritize investments in public safety and health, as well as youth and senior programming, while including a property tax decrease.
Compared to 2025’s $627 million budget, there has been a 1.8% increase, but Serino stressed this is due to 70% of budget costs being mandated by the state and federal government.
Otherwise, the “total spending increase for 2026 would have been less than 1%,” she continued.
There was a $64 million budget gap between estimated expenses and projected revenue, which was closed, but led to cuts in vacant positions and the elimination of the county sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear under $110 per item, which will be eliminated starting March 1, 2026.
Ten vacant positions are being eliminated, and the county is holding another 17 positions vacant, creating a budgeted vacancy target of $4 million.
“Every dollar in this budget is spent with purpose, and every purpose comes back to people,” Serino said. “Because behind every policy, every program, and every dollar — there is a person — a family, a neighbor, an employee — whose life we touch and we try to make better.”
Regarding the removal of the county sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear, Serino said this will “generate an additional $5.4 million” to cover programs and services.
“This rash decision will disproportionately hurt working families in Dutchess County, and Democratic legislators will challenge it,” Dutchess County Legislature Minority Leader Yvette Valdés Smith said in a statement after Serino’s address.
2026 budget drops property tax rate 3.2%
If the 2026 budget is approved, this will be the 11th year in a row property owners will see a reduction in the county tax rate.
Dutchess County’s budget for 2026 will decrease the property tax rate by 3.2%, while the property tax levy of $106 million — the total amount Dutchess plans to collect from property owners to fund the budget — will stay below the tax cap, or the threshold on the total amount of property tax revenue the county can collect.
In 2024, the county property tax rate was $2.23, and in 2025, it was $2.17. For 2026, the proposed budget lowers the county property tax rate by 3.2% to $2.10 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The Dutchess County sales tax, maintaining a 3.75% tax rate, will support 42% of the budget, equating to a $273.42 million sales tax revenue.
Dutchess 2026 budget key takeaways: Spending plan, housing
$23.5 million of the county’s general fund balance will be utilized in the 2026 budget, with the goal to limit taxpayer impact, while still maintaining a “reliable” fund balance reserve, Serino said.
The amount left in the fund balance reserve was not stated during the address.
There will also be revenue changes in the 2026 budget, including a $9.5 million increase in state aid, a $1.6 million decrease in federal aid, a $1.5 million decrease in interest, a full year of the 5% hotel tax, originally enacted March 1, 2025, as well as the utilization of $3.2 million from Serino’s 2024 Community Benefit Fund.
Housing will see a $13.2 million allotment from the budget, with $1 million going to sustain the county’s Housing Trust Fund.
The $1 million will come from two $500,000 allotments, with $500,000 coming from a portion of the occupancy tax revenue that is collected from short-term rental revenue and the other $500,000 from Serino’s 2024 Community Benefit Fund.
Otherwise, the remaining housing funds will go toward eviction prevention support, Code Blue shelters and services, the rental assistance hotline and coordinated street outreach.
“Our conservative fiscal management has been the key to our long-term stability,” Serino said, pointing to the county’s AA+ bond rating from Standard & Poor’s, as well as an annual fiscal stress score of “0” from the New York State Comptroller, the top rating achievable.
Dutchess 2026 budget: Public safety at the forefront
$127 million or 20% of Dutchess County’s 2026 budget will heavily prioritize spending on public safety.
Serino said this is to “create a strong, safe foundation for the future,” and ensure “residents are safe and feel secure.”
The Real Time Crime Center — a collaboration with Dutchess County Sheriff’s Special Operations Bureau and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office — is a “critical investment in technology,” Serino said, pointing to a new integrated “Drone as First Responder” program, dispatching drones to emergency calls for intelligence prior to police and emergency responder arrival. This will be funded through the Community Benefit Fund.
Plus, a portion of the Community Benefit will be allocated for the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Task Force for “covert equipment, drug buy money and support communications,” Serino said.
The specific funding amounts for both were undisclosed at the budget address.
The plan also allocates budget funds to expand the Threat Assessment Group, or TAG, for crime prevention, two new School Resource Officers in the Wappingers Central School District, active threat training for first responder readiness, and new 911 communication towers.
The county will allocate $2 million in funding for supplemental EMS units, but Serino emphasized the county can only do so much.
“It is important to remember that our support is supplemental and does not replace the primary coverage that cities, towns and villages should already have in place,” Serino said.
However, the county is also working to collect and analyze EMS response data and meet with municipal leaders and first responder agencies to push for collaboration and cost-sharing models for “improved patient outcomes,” Serino noted.
Lastly, looking at public safety from an infrastructure viewpoint, roads and bridges will be getting $31 million for paving, culvert and bridge repairs and replacements, as well as line striping.
Dutchess 2026 budget: Youth, senior and veteran funding plans
Regarding youth services and programming, $103 million in funding will be allocated to facilitate the continuation of the Youth Opportunity Union mini grants, Youth Employment Programs, Youth and Police Initiative, Dutchess Community College support, summer camp experiences for income-eligible children, preschool special education, as well as foster care and child protective services.
$2.5 million specifically will go to supporting new and ongoing programs for young people, and youth organizations may take advantage of $75,000 set aside for the YOU mini grants.
Additionally, Dutchess County is moving forward with a plan for the Youth Opportunity Union facility in the City of Poughkeepsie.
The latest plan involves construction of a $26.1 million, 19,000-square-foot building, which could begin in 2027, depending on whether Dutchess County is awarded the New York Bricks Grant in November or December.
With many older adults falling victim to scams, funding will also be allotted for an Elder Justice Task Force to investigate cases of abuse, neglect and financial fraud against older adults.
Also, in early 2025, the Office for the Aging Ambassador was introduced to navigate the system with seniors and their families. Now, in 2026, the Ambassador will partner with a case manager to help seniors with discharge planning from the hospital who may not have family to help.
$1.5 million of the budget was allocated to veteran services and programs, and “our Veterans Microgrant program continues with $100,000 for local veteran recognition and activities,” Serino said.
What happens next with Dutchess County’s 2026 Executive Budget?
Now that Serino has presented the Dutchess County 2026 Executive Budget, it will be turned over to the Dutchess County Legislature for approval over the next several weeks.
To the legislators in attendance, Serino said, “You know the uncertainty we face from the state and federal government, and I know you will be careful with any changes that would jeopardize our fiscal stability.”
“Together with my legislative colleagues, I look forward to reviewing the plan, as well as delving into it deeper in the coming weeks with the support of the Budget Office, to adopt a final budget that serves our residents in the most cost-efficient way possible,” Legislator and Chair of the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee, Stephen Caswell, said in a statement.
For more details on where funding will be allocated, 2026 budget documents will be available to view at dutchessny.gov/2026budget.
