County Legislative Update — October 2026

October Legislative Update — District 15 and some housekeeping!

Here’s what’s on the table at the Legislature this month:

Public Hearing!!! Your turn to speak!

This is the annual public hearing on the county budget. The 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, Government Plaza, Binghamton. (Please follow decorum so I do not have to see any of my neighbors being hauled off or being charged.)

If you can’t make it in person, you can watch on Zoom at Broome.zoom.us/j/86034412406.

Taxes, services, housing, roads, whatever matters to you: this is your chance to say it on the record. Get out and let your voice be heard.

Budget season

We’re in the thick of it. The County Executive delivered his 2027 Budget Address and the Legislature has set its Finance Committee budget review schedule. You may review that on the county website.

Also introduced: the 2027–2032 Capital Improvements Program, a bond resolution for $61,147,518 to pay for various capital projects.

That’s a lot of your money, and it deserves a hard look line by line. It’s heavy, time-consuming work, and I’m committed to putting in the hours.

Tax relief on the agenda

A local law granting a full property tax exemption to certain 100% permanently and totally service-disabled veterans
An update to the partial property tax exemption for lower-income seniors 65 and over

Housing & homelessness

Code Blue renewal: $880,000 in state funding for October 2026 through June 2027, to identify people experiencing homelessness, get them sheltered, and provide services
Eviction prevention (SEAF): $222,870 to help eligible households catch up on back rent so they can keep their housing

Seniors — something I’m watching

The Office for Aging grants are up for renewal, and some are shrinking. The Supportive Services program (transportation, legal help, case management) drops from $1,154,799 this year to $1,054,584 for 2027, and its staffing goes from 19 positions to 17. The Congregate Meals program goes from $1,262,534 to $1,117,785. I’ll be asking questions about what this means for the seniors who rely on these services.

Mental health & recovery

Our partners’ contracts are being renewed for 2027, including $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.

Public transit

The county is accepting $426,723 in additional state funding for bus maintenance and new buses, including hybrid electric buses. The county is slowly moving toward all EV buses. This is proving to be a really good thing for all of us. Maintenance is down; operating costs are down; down time is down; and we are making a real commitment to the environment. A huge win in my book!

Questions about any of this? Reach out. That’s what I’m here for.

A few words from me, plainly

Folks, I am running for re-election. I kindly ask for your consideration and your vote to keep me in office, fighting for you.

I’ll be holding a Get Out the Vote fundraiser on Wednesday, October 28th at 5:30 PM at the Relief Pitcher on Conklin Ave. I’d love to see you there. There’s a suggested donation of $25, but no one will be turned away.

And please, regardless of who you vote for, get out and vote this cycle. I ran against one of my current opponents several years ago. He was funded nearly 20x more than I was and had an army of volunteers. I lost by 112 votes. I serve you and run my campaign nearly solo, juggling family and work duties, just like you do. Please, YOUR VOTE MATTERS!

— Tim Ames, Broome County Legislator, District 15 “Rooted here, Fighting for you”