BATH -- Steuben County legislators took the first step Monday in setting up a new traffic diversion law and approved important dates for the county’s 2020 budget. If adopted in late October, the law would allow the county District Attorney’s office to give drivers charged with traffic violations and related misdemeanors the option of taking a driver education program approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Supporters say the diversion program will allow drivers to improve their skills and increase road safety in the county. Legislators also approved 10 p.m. Nov. 14 for the annual budget presentation by county Manager Jack Wheeler, with 11:30 a.m. Nov. 25 set for the public hearing on the proposed 2020 budget. That budget will be worked on by the county Legislature’s Finance at their special budget workshop set to follow the committee’s regular 9:30 a.m. meeting on Oct. 8 in the legislative committee room. The committee members face the annual challenge of providing services to county residents and developing a solid economic base while state-mandated costs add significant charges onto property owners.
Anticipated expenses in 2020 include soaring costs for the county District Attorney’s office and Sheriff’s Department due reforms in the state’s Criminal Justice Reform Act and the new centralized arraignment system imposed by the state two months ago. While county legislators approved Monday additional personnel in the district attorney and sheriff’s offices, costs are expected to continue to rise, with more changes to the state’s criminal procedure law expected to take effect Jan. 1. Steuben’s current budget is $191 million with a property tax levy of $50 million. The current average tax rate is $8.25 per $1,000 assessed value, slightly less than the rate in 2018. Actual property taxes will depend on the equalization rate of the town in which property owners reside. In other action Monday, Steuben legislators accepted the 2019 State Homeland Security Program Grant of nearly $130,000.
The grant will provide $32,500 to the Sheriff’s Office for terrorism prevention activities, with the remaining $97,500 used by the county Office of Emergency Services for emergency notification programs such as Ready Steuben and the volunteer responders’ service, "IamResponding."
