WHITE PLAINS, NY (November 7, 2025) — Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins unveiled his first proposed 2026 operating budget Friday, a $2.5 billion plan that slashes nearly every department by 8 percent, eliminates 180 positions and raises property taxes by 5.27 percent while blaming “Trump turmoil” for a $197 million budget hole.
“This has been an extraordinarily difficult year, and the budget process reflected that,” Jenkins said. “We are operating in a moment of unprecedented uncertainty driven by the Trump administration’s decisions beyond our control. Federal cuts, shifting aid formulas, and tariffs have created instability in local planning in a way that we just haven’t seen ever.”
The Democrat, delivering the late-Friday announcement days after Election Day, said there is “no hidden money to fill gaps” and labeled the property tax increase a “Trump tax increase.”
Key cuts include:
• Hard hiring freeze and elimination of 180 positions, saving $28 million
• Reductions in contracts, technical services and expenses, saving $34.5 million
• Overtime and hourly employee cuts, saving $11.6 million
• Social services relief adjustments, saving $5.2 million
• Equipment acquisition reductions, saving $4.5 million
• Materials and supplies cuts, saving $2.6 million
Unavoidable cost increases total $126 million, led by $65 million in rising health care costs, $22 million in pension growth and $21 million in social services relief.
Sales tax revenue, a major county lifeline, remains flat. The 2025 forecast was revised downward to $943.5 million — $26.3 million below budget — while 2026 projections sit at $970.4 million, essentially unchanged from original 2025 expectations.
The county also lost an estimated $17 million annually after MGM failed to secure a full casino license in Yonkers.
“People just aren’t spending money because of all that chaos and uncertainty coming out of Washington,” Jenkins said. “The instability created under Trump has seeped into Westchester County and is wreaking havoc on our local finances.”
Despite the cuts, Jenkins pledged to protect core services including food security programs, domestic violence resources, free vaccine clinics, recycling, workforce development, senior nutrition, mobile crisis teams and youth mental health initiatives.
Specific allocations include $16.6 million for low-income child care, $3.7 million for eviction prevention, $2 million in child care scholarships and $1.5 million for mental health clinics.
The 5.27 percent property tax levy increase — the maximum allowed under state law — adds roughly $60 annually for every $500,000 in assessed value. Jenkins said $4.5 million of the hike will fund sewer district infrastructure.
“This budget reflects tough but necessary decisions,” Jenkins said. “Every department is facing an 8% reduction and we’re implementing a hard hiring freeze that will eliminate 180 positions, avoiding layoffs while still maintaining those critical services.”
Legislators immediately received the budget book and vowed an exhaustive review. Board Chairman Vedat Gashi (D–New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown) declared: “Passing the budget is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a Board. The people of Westchester trust us to allocate this budget wisely, and we take that responsibility seriously, especially in these challenging economic times. We will carefully review every aspect of this plan in the coming weeks. I look forward to working together to pass a budget that is fiscally responsible and best serves the people of this County.”
Majority Leader David T. Imamura (D–Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington) added: “We look forward to reviewing the proposed budget and ensuring that Westchester County continues to deliver for Westchester’s neediest families.”
Public hearings are set for Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 6:00 PM at Peekskill City School District Ford Administration Building Auditorium, 1031 Elm Street, Peekskill, and Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM at Daronco Town House, 20 Fifth Avenue, Pelham. A third hearing will be held December 3 at county offices. Final vote is scheduled for Monday, December 8.
The Board received the proposed Capital Budget on October 15 and must adopt the full county budget by year’s end.
FY2026 Budget Meeting Calendar
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This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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