Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Greene County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
23 issues in taxes budget
2027 food and supplies procurement for senior services and Sheriff's Department
The county needs to buy food, paper goods and disposables for the Aging unit and the Sheriff's Department during 2027, which starts with a public bid advertisement. Bids will be opened and read publicly under state law.
Commissioner of Social Services contract-signing authority for 2027
The Legislature is asked to renew the Social Services Commissioner's standing authority to sign court-ordered and mandated contracts and MOUs without a separate vote on each one. It's a yearly formality that keeps the county in compliance with federal and state obligations.
Public Health and Mental Health service agreements
The county's addiction treatment contractor is merging with the Addictions Care Center of Albany. Services continue unchanged under the Twin County name, and the committee advanced the contract transfer unanimously.
2027 County Budget Hearing Set
The county will hold its public hearing on the tentative 2027 budget October 28 at Catskill High School — your chance to weigh in before the budget is finalized.
Calls for property tax levy reduction
Resident Joe Izzo argued the county's $102 million fund balance, $150 million in cumulative surpluses and growing sales tax mean the county should cut the levy, not just hold it flat — especially for seniors and fixed-income residents.
Proposed Hudson Valley Power Authority and Central Hudson electricity costs
Central Hudson is offering to fund utility feasibility studies for development sites like Cementon, saving the county those costs — though Legislator Hobart questioned whether letting the utility do the study is a conflict of interest. A formal MOU could come next month.
2026 Equalization Rates for County Towns
The committee advanced resolution 356-26 setting the state-mandated equalization rates for all 14 towns — these rates let the state compare property values across towns and factor into school aid and tax calculations.
Senior & Disability Property Tax Exemption Income Limits
The county is weighing an increase to the income cap for senior and disabled property tax exemptions — from $37,000 to $38,500 for a full 50% exemption, sliding up to $46,899.99. It's tied to the 3.6% Social Security cost-of-living bump so existing recipients don't lose their break. A public hearing is planned for December.
Delinquent Property Taxes Rising
Collections on $10.5 million in delinquent taxes are running about $2 million behind last year, which the Treasurer attributes to economic stress — a warning sign for county and town finances.
Capital OTB Revenue Legislation Support
The county wants the state to hand unclaimed OTB winnings and pari-mutuel taxes back to local counties instead of letting them sit with the Comptroller — worth an estimated $20,000-$40,000 a year to Greene County.
Countywide HVAC procurement
The county is starting the process to buy HVAC products competitively — equipment, components, and related materials. Bids haven't been received yet; this vote just authorizes advertising for them.
2024 In Rem Tax Foreclosure Sales
The county is moving ahead with the 2024 tax foreclosure: owners get one last chance to redeem or repurchase their properties before the November 17 deadline, then the rest go to public auction.
Chargebacks Assessed to Towns
Towns are being billed their shares of printing and mailing 2026 tax bills ($25,639) and exemption notices ($10,624). Chairman Linger voted no on both, the lone dissent both times.
Cornell Cooperative Extension funding increase request
Extension wants its county appropriation raised from $244,090 to $309,900 — the first real bump in years. The money would mostly lift wages for educators earning $23–25 an hour who run 4-H, horticulture, and ag programs. Cut it and state matching funds shrink too; raise it and the state match stays flat.
Columbia-Greene Community College 2026-2027 operating budget
The college's $18.5 million budget is nearly break-even, with a small surplus and no use of fund balance — a turnaround after cumulative deficits of about $1.8 million since 2018. Greene County's sponsorship share drops by roughly $36,000 thanks to enrollment shifts, and the public can weigh in at an August 19 hearing before final adoption.
Federal SNAP Cost Shifts Under H.R. 1
Federal law will cut the federal share of SNAP administrative costs and add benefit cost-sharing starting in 2026-2027, potentially costing Greene County about $243,582 a year and forcing higher property taxes or service cuts. The Legislature voted 9-5 to demand a two-year delay and to ask New York State to make counties whole if Washington doesn't act.
Full tax exemption for seriously disabled veterans
The county is considering adopting a state-law option that wipes out county taxes and special district charges for seriously disabled veterans' primary homes. It would apply starting with the March 2027 assessment roll. Few veterans qualify — they must be rated permanently and totally disabled by the VA — so the fiscal impact is limited but real for other taxpayers.
County chargeback obligations for out-of-county students
When Greene County residents attend other community colleges, the county pays chargebacks of roughly $650,000 to $700,000 a year — a cost not shown in the college's budget. Committee members and the County Administrator noted the college must keep offering programs residents want, or the county pays other counties instead.
Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Fallen Police Officers
Local Law 1 of 2026 exempts up to 50% of the assessed value of a fallen officer's surviving spouse's primary residence from county property taxes. It's a cost of sympathy for fallen officers' families, but since the state provides no reimbursement, the lost county revenue is absorbed by other taxpayers. Lawmakers also flagged plans to extend similar benefits to corrections officers once pending state bills are signed.
Three-year contract agreement with UPSEU for county nurses
The county ratified its 2026-2028 agreement with the nurses union (UPSEU), which passed 12-2 with Bulich and Hobart opposed.
Surviving spouse tax exemption for fallen police officers
Greene County enacted Local Law 1 of 2026, cutting county property taxes by up to 50% for surviving spouses of officers killed in the line of duty who live in the county and haven't remarried.
County Administrator term extension
A resolution was on the agenda to extend County Administrator Shaun Groden's current term.
Contractor accountability on construction projects
Legislator Mike Bulich criticized paying architects and engineers in full before major projects like the Justice Center are finished, and asked the county to consider holding back more money until work is completed.