WHITE PLAINS, NY (December 8, 2025) — The Westchester County Board of Legislators overwhelmingly passed a $2.5 billion 2026 county budget Monday, cutting the county executive’s proposed property tax increase from 5.27% to 3.7% while slashing nearly all department budgets by 8% and eliminating 180 positions.
The trimmed tax hike adds roughly $3 a month to the average homeowner’s county bill and keeps the levy under the state cap.
Lawmakers said the spending plan preserves critical services including childcare assistance, enhanced health programs, support for domestic violence survivors and resources to fight food insecurity despite sharp drops in sales tax revenue tied to federal policies.
The Westchester County Board of Legislators had added $16,125,600 to the 2026 Capital Budget for the Quaker Ridge Road Improvement Project but it was deleted from the Final Approved Budget.
Board Chairman Vedat Gashi, D-New Castle, Ossining, Somers, Yorktown, called the budget a response to “unprecedented instability created by the Trump Administration.”
“This balanced budget would not be possible without the input of residents from every corner of the County,” Gashi said. “The Board has done everything possible to protect essential services, provide for our most vulnerable neighbors, and keep Westchester on stable financial footing.”
Budget & Appropriations Chair Jewel Williams Johnson, D-Elmsford, Greenburgh, Tarrytown, White Plains, described it as “one of the most difficult budget seasons we’ve faced, driven by federal decisions that slowed the economy and sharply reduced our sales tax revenues.”
She said nonprofit partners initially faced cuts of about 70% but lawmakers restored funding to bring reductions closer to 40% while adding money for child care and maternal health.
“The final budget includes a 3.7% increase in the County property tax levy, which equates to about $3 more per month on the County portion of the bill for a home assessed at $500K,” Williams Johnson said.
Majority Leader David T. Imamura, D-Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, praised the plan for prioritizing working families.
“At a time when the federal government uses human suffering as a weapon, we have been able to mitigate at least some of the harm imposed by this administration on Westchester residents,” Imamura said.
The 2026 operating, special districts and capital budgets now head to County Executive Ken Jenkins for signature.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins issued a statement Monday thanking the Board of Legislators for passing the $2.5 billion 2026 county budget, calling it a response to “unprecedented instability” caused by Trump Administration policies in Washington.
“I thank the Westchester County Board of Legislators for their diligent work and leadership in revising and passing the 2026 budget,” Jenkins said. “The difficulties of 2025 will carry into 2026 and likely beyond, and this budget reflects the hard, necessary choices before us.”
Jenkins echoed lawmakers in pointing to federal cuts, new requirements and tariff policies for creating financial turmoil that forced the county to cut nearly all department budgets by 8% and eliminate 180 positions, shrinking the workforce by almost 5%.
Despite the reductions, Jenkins said the plan remains tax-cap compliant, protects essential services and adds roughly $3 a month to the average homeowner’s county bill.
“We are operating in a moment of unprecedented instability created by decisions made in Washington by the Trump Administration – decisions far beyond the County’s control,” he said. “This budget is a direct response to that Trump turmoil.”
Jenkins thanked the board for its partnership and is expected to sign the spending plan.
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.
Wow, our county Democrats are admitting that they have heavily depended on federal largesse.