See the expenses by category for the 2026 county budget
From Steuben County NY,
Over the next five days, Steuben County will be sharing a series of financial highlights designed to help residents better understand how the County budget works and how taxpayer dollars are managed.
County finances can be complex, and individual numbers don’t always tell the full story on their own. Each day in this series will focus on a different aspect of County finances—from property taxes and sales tax revenue to debt levels, workforce challenges, and overall financial management.
It’s also important to understand that over 80% of Steuben County’s annual budget is dedicated to delivering state-mandated programs and services, including social services, public health, and corrections. These obligations limit local flexibility and make disciplined financial management especially important.
Together, these posts provide important context around how Steuben County has kept taxes low, limited debt, and maintained strong financial reserves while continuing to deliver essential services to residents.
Low Tax Increases & Declining Average Tax Rate:
Over the past five years, Steuben County has consistently kept property tax increases well below the New York State property tax cap, even during years when allowable increases ranged from 3.40% to 4.37%.
From 2020 through 2024, the County’s property tax levy increases ranged from just 0.97% to 1.50% annually. At the same time, the average county tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value declined steadily from $8.07 in 2020 to $6.80 in 2024.
This means that while costs have increased statewide, Steuben County taxpayers have seen stable—and in many cases lower—effective county tax rates. This outcome was not achieved by reducing services. Instead, it reflects careful budgeting, conservative financial assumptions, and a long-term commitment to limiting the burden on property owners.
These results are especially notable given that just nine state-mandated programs consume the entire property tax levy, as shown in the attached chart. Strong non-property tax revenues, particularly sales tax, have helped fund these required programs while keeping property tax increases modest and predictable.
