Yates adopts 2021 budget

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Legislature recently passed the 2021 budget with no changes. Included in the budget, which was designed with the needed adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shows a zero increase from the 2020 levy and a slight reduction in the property tax rate.
"This will be the sixth continuous year of reduced tax rates and the lowest tax rate since 2012," said County Administrator Nonie Flynn. "The use of $507,208 in reserves is also the lowest use of reserve balances since 1982."

With no increase in the tax levy, which stands at $16,519,672, the property tax rate for 2021 will decrease $0.10 to $5.89 per thousand of the value of a property.
When discussing the budget prior to it being passed, Flynn said that while COVID has affected revenue streams for Yates, the county was not as hard hit as other areas and had a strong summer financially.
"We have been very lucky when you see the financial issues some other counties are facing right now," Flynn said previously.
While revenue streams, specifically state funding, have been reduced by 20 percent, Flynn said decreases in spending for the 2021 budget more than make up for the loss in revenue. Specifically, the budget for 2021 calls for decreases to expenditures compared to 2020 by $3,130,536 while revenue only decreased $2,667,412 over the same time period resulting in a net change of roughly $463,000.
Flynn said previously she intentionally cut more than what was needed to create a bit of a buffer in anticipation of COVID's effects in 2021. Despite the cuts, Flynn mentioned it was key to her that the budget include no layoffs and no reduction of services.
"We are very proud that we, even during the shutdown, we continued to offer services to the residents of Yates County and that is what we will continue to do," Flynn stated.
A big reason for the budget including no layoffs was a combination of closer money management and improved revenue streams, specifically from internet sales tax according to Flynn. She said that revenue was especially strong during the shutdown earlier this year.