OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Legislature reduced the generic property tax rate to $4.87 per $1,000 of assessed value, a 5.4% decrease from last year, with the adoption of the 2026 budget tonight, Dec. 11. The $277 million budget includes a real property tax levy of $48,505,860 with a full valuation of the county at $9,967,095,037.
“For the seventh straight year, we’ve lowered the county property tax rate while continuing to provide residents with the high level of service they’ve come to expect from us,” said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, District 9. “Despite the challenges of unfunded mandates and rising costs, we’ve complied with the New York State property tax cap.
“It’s important for citizens to know that state and federal mandates continue to be the most significant factor affecting our finances every year,” he continued. “For example, Medicaid alone – at $25,251,590 – is 52% of the general fund tax levy.”
Other mandated costs include community college at $5,034,134; health insurance at $2,192,143; state retirements at $1,994,533 and workers’ compensation at $1,892,430. Higher costs associated with utilities and liability insurance, pre-school education and senior meal services, and contractual labor expenses also affected this year’s budget.
“We worked hard to reduce the impact of these higher costs on our budget,” said Oswego County Legislator John J. Martino, chairman of the Legislature’s Finance and Personnel Committee. “We raised estimated sales tax revenues closer to what we have actually earned in the past and also changed how we budget revenues and expenses in the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) to be more fiscally effective.”
Both legislators expressed gratitude for the dedication and commitment of their fellow legislators, county administration and department heads in pulling the budget together. They also recognized the Department of Social Services for eliminating $1.6 million in costs.
Oswego County Administrator Philip R. Church added, “I want to acknowledge the tireless work of Budget Director Veronica Turner, who worked through a number of my budget drafts and identified several cost-saving actions. Together with Administrative Secretary Jennifer Bray, we initiated new features such as color coding and a project identifier glossary to make the budget more user-friendly.”
The 2026 budget continues to provide essential services such as law enforcement, snow removal and road maintenance; as well as human services for older adults, veterans and young people across the county. It also invests in the County’s future through economic projects, workforce development programs and infrastructure improvements, including broadband service and an enhanced water system.
Chairman Weatherup reminds residents that the actual tax rate paid by property owners varies depending on the state’s equalization rate for their municipality, and local costs for state-mandated workers’ compensation and community college chargeback rates.
For more information on the county’s budget and finances, visit www.oswegocounty.com.
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