Local government watch
A plain-language monthly read on what's being decided at Government Plaza — and where to push. Curated by Indivisible Binghamton from Legislator Tim Ames's monthly updates.
Latest update
Next general session: Thu, Oct 22 · 5 PM
Budget season. The one date to put in your calendar is the annual public hearing on the 2027 county budget — that is the meeting where residents get to speak on the record. Alongside it: a $61M capital bond, tax relief for disabled veterans and low-income seniors, and some Office for Aging grants heading the wrong way.
Watching
The annual public hearing on the 2027 Broome County Tentative Budget is part of the regular session on Thursday, October 22 at 5:00 PM, in the Legislative Chamber on the 6th floor of the Edwin L. Crawford County Office Building at Government Plaza. Can’t make it in person? It streams at broome.zoom.us/j/86034412406. Taxes, services, housing, roads — this is the meeting where you get to say it on the record.
Watching
The 2027–2032 Capital Improvements Program came in as a bond resolution for $61,147,518 covering various capital projects. Legislator Ames: “That’s a lot of your money, and it deserves a hard look line by line.” The Finance Committee’s budget review schedule is posted on the county website.
Win to protect
Two measures on the agenda: a local law granting a full property tax exemption to certain 100% permanently and totally service-disabled veterans, and an update to the partial property tax exemption for lower-income seniors 65 and over.
Win to protect
$880,000 in state funding renews Code Blue for October 2026 through June 2027 — identifying people experiencing homelessness, getting them sheltered, and providing services. Separately, $222,870 through SEAF helps eligible households catch up on back rent so they can keep their housing.
Cut / concern
Some Office for Aging grants are coming up for renewal smaller than before. Supportive Services — transportation, legal help, case management — drops from $1,154,799 to $1,054,584 for 2027, with staffing down from 19 positions to 17. Congregate Meals goes from $1,262,534 to $1,117,785. Ames says he’ll be asking what that means for the seniors who rely on these services.
Win to protect
2027 renewals for partner agencies include $4,673,560 for Catholic Charities’ community mental health programs and $2,072,752 for Helio Health’s 50-bed withdrawal and inpatient rehab facility.
Win to protect
The county is accepting $426,723 in additional state funding for bus maintenance and new buses, including hybrid electric ones, as it moves slowly toward an all-EV fleet. Ames calls it a win on every axis: maintenance down, operating costs down, downtime down, and a real environmental commitment.
Where this comes from
Most of what's above is summarized from the October 2026 monthly update published by Tim Ames, Broome County Legislator for District 15 (Southside Binghamton). Tim writes a plain-language read of the legislative agenda every month — we curate the highlights here and link to the full thing.
About the source
Tim represents the Southside of Binghamton on the Broome County Legislature and writes a candid monthly read on the legislative agenda — what's coming up, what to watch, and where the cuts are quiet. He's running for re-election in November 2026.
You can reach him directly at timothy.ames@broomecountyny.gov, and he encourages neighbors to attend the South Side Neighborhood Assembly, which meets the third Tuesday of each month during the school year at MacArthur Elementary.
Looking ahead
All 15 Broome County Legislature seats are on the ballot this November — the majority currently holds 10, and flipping just three would change who controls the agenda. The Sheriff's race is also on the ballot, the most direct check on Sheriff's Office power available to county voters this year. We'll have more on November-specific organizing as we get closer.
Past months
Earlier issues will appear here as the column grows.
