Oneida, N.Y. – City Manager Kyle Lovell presented a draft budget for fiscal year 2027 that would raise the residential city tax rate by 23% if adopted. The proposal comes as the city’s General Fund reserves have fallen sharply, prompting officials to look for ways to balance the budget without dipping further into savings.
Budget numbers and tax impact
The draft calls for roughly $19.77 million in General Fund expenditures and an equal amount in projected revenue, meaning the budget is designed to be balanced without using any reserve funds. Because taxpayers received a one‑time $266,442 excess‑levy credit in 2026, the effective increase over the amount actually billed last year would be about 28.8%.
Spending reductions and staffing changes
Departments originally requested about $21.1 million in funding. Management trimmed those requests by roughly $1.34 million before arriving at the proposed balanced budget. The plan eliminates several requested positions, including additional police officers, a police investigator, new fire department hires, and an extra code‑enforcement officer.
Two new positions are proposed: a full‑time city assessor with a salary of $97,000 and a development specialist at $60,000. The budget also introduces tighter controls on police and fire department overtime, requiring monthly reporting broken down by employee, shift, cause, and account.
Capital projects and infrastructure
Despite the tax increase, the budget earmarks about $350,000 for critical police department infrastructure and facility upgrades. A citywide reassessment effort is slated to cost between $400,000 and $500,000.
Mayor’s perspective
Mayor Rick Rossi emphasized that the 23% increase is only a proposal and has not been reviewed by the Common Council. “I’m a taxpayer and a resident of this city just like you,” Rossi said. “I don’t want to pay that much more in taxes, and I know many other families in our community feel the same way.” He acknowledged the city’s historic reliance on reserves and urged residents to “buckle down and get back on track.”
Next steps
The Common Council must still examine the manager’s proposal, consider adjustments, and vote on the final 2027 budget. Until that process is complete, the tax increase remains tentative.
Residents who wish to comment on the budget can attend the upcoming council meeting, where officials will discuss the proposal and answer questions about the fiscal outlook and proposed cuts.
Original reporting: CNY Central WSTM (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
