The Livingston County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last Wednesday to approve a proposed $226 million budget for 2025.

According to county officials, the budget, proposed earlier this month by County Administrator Ian Coyle, includes an increase in the county’s tax rate to $6.93 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The county’s tax levy will also increase to about $33.85 million, which officials say is due to growing operational costs in the county’s long-term care services, including the Livingston County Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

“It’s important to note that the county remains in a strong financial position,” Coyle said in a statement. “Our reserves continue to exceed the median of similarly rated counties. The county’s non-reliance on debt and our pay-as-you-go approach to capital improvements has allowed us to avoid the need for large-scale borrowing, providing us with the flexibility to meet both short-term and long-term obligations without jeopardizing financial stability."

Officials touted the county’s Light Up Livingston initiative as one of the main benefactors of the budget. The project aims to provide high-speed internet access to every property in the county by the end of 2026. Officials say it is nearly cost-neutral due to funding secured from federal and state infrastructure grants. 

Other highlights of the budget include $950,000 for the county’s Capital Improvement Plan, which officials say will help infrastructure upgrades and long-term planning efforts. This includes the construction of a Veteran’s Memorial Trail at Al Lorenz Park, a new Code Blue warming shelter and improvements to the county’s worker’s compensation program.

Funding for community partners like the OWWL Library System, Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, Chances and Changes, the Humane Society, the Hemlock Fair and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County is also included.

“I want to thank the board and our department leaders who helped to create this fiscal blueprint for the county’s success,” Coyle said in a statement. “The 2025 budget reflects our steadfast commitment to the residents of Livingston County. We’ve prioritized essential services and innovative programs that enhance quality of life while encouraging growth. This budget is sound, balanced, and aligned with the policies and goals of the county’s strategic plan.”

Click here to read to full budget.