Westchester County Exec. Jenkins Proposes
3.3% Tax Increase; Closes $113M Budget Gap
WHITE PLAINS—On Monday, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins unveiled his proposed $2.7-billion 2027 Operating Budget. The County Executive said his proposal closes an estimated $113 -million budget gap by increasing property taxes 3.3%, eliminating 160 vacant positions and reducing county contracting activity.
The proposed budget includes a 3.3% increase in the county property tax levy, which translates to approximately $34 more annually for a homeowner with a property valued at $500,000. The proposed budget does not call for any layoffs of county workers.
“We have closed a projected $113-million budget gap through disciplined cost-reduction measures across all county operations. Westchester’s economy performed better than projected and that coupled with extremely stringent department budgeting and eliminating 160 vacant positions, we achieved these necessary savings to close the gap in part,” Westchester County Executive Jenkins said. “We achieved this without resorting to employee layoffs or drawing down a single dollar from our vital rainy-day reserves.”
Among some of the proposed cost cutting measures include the elimination of 160 vacant positions and defunding more than 300 job vacancies. The county is also implementing a $12.6-million reduction in contracts from the budget requests from the Departments of Planning, Law, Labs and Research and Public Works & Transportation departments.
The County Executive blamed the budget gap on federal funding reductions, near-double-digit growth in employee healthcare costs, inflation, tariffs and significant increases in the cost of goods and services. Mandated program expenses are also climbing sharply, particularly within preschool services and social service public assistance initiatives. He noted that federal policy changes relating to SNAP equated to costs that resulted in an approximately 1% increase in the county property tax levy.
“Changes to federal health care and public assistance programs are shifting additional costs to state and local governments, placing further strain on an already challenging fiscal environment. When you get your tax bill, thank Washington,” Mr. Jenkins said. He also cited higher technology costs that account for approximately $4 million in additional expenses, adding that there has been a 20% increase in the average cost for IT service contracts to Westchester County.
The Board of Legislators has scheduled three public forums on the proposed county budget:
Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.
Doles Center
250 S. 6th Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550
Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m.
Ford Administration Building (Auditorium)
1031 Elm Street, Peekskill, NY 10566
Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
Board of Legislators Chamber
148 Martine Avenue, 8th Fl.
White Plains, NY 10601
Published: November 11, 2026.