Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Approves 2026 Budget
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors approved the County’s 2026 budget during its special Board Meeting on December 10, 2025. The budget passed unanimously and preserves investments in public safety, services for seniors, and other essential community programs.
The Board made no adjustments to the $434 million budget proposed in November. The 2026 property tax rate will be $1.77 per $1,000 of assessed value, maintaining Saratoga County’s ranking as the only County in New York State under $2 per $1,000.
In 2026, unfunded state and federal mandates are projected to cost Saratoga County more than $86 million – an amount that exceeds the County’s entire property tax collections by more than $8 million.
These mandated costs continue to escalate each year, placing pressure on local resources and requiring the use of reserve funds to meet these obligations. Further, county officials warn potential reductions in federal and state funding could impact essential programs and operations.
“The 2026 budget reflects Saratoga County’s long-standing fiscally conservative principles, protects essential services, including public safety and vital supports for families and seniors, and prudently manages the strain of escalating unfunded mandates,” Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Phil Barrett (Clifton Park) said, “2025 was another successful year as the County solidified plans and completed initiatives that will benefit our economy, increase services for all County residents, protect our animals, and further enhance recreational opportunities through new trail and park projects.”
For 2026, the County projects $170 million in sales tax revenue, reflecting a prudent and conservative estimate considering ongoing inflation, a tightening labor market, and uncertainty in consumer spending. Debt service remains below 1% of total operating expenditures, supporting the County’s continued AA+ (S&P) and Aa1 (Moody’s) credit ratings, which are among the highest in New York State.
The budget adoption today brings us to the end of 2025. In 2025, the Board of Supervisors completed and initiated a number of new programs and services including:
1. Build-out of the Environmental Health segment of the County Department of Health working with the NYS DOH
2. Redevelopment of the County Airport working in partnership with state and federal funding partners
3. Planning for a new homeless shelter to provide a long-term, economical solution to fulfill NYS mandates
4. Approved the creation of an Animal Abuse Registry
5. Moved a plan forward to provide a permanent solution for the disposal of Biosolids
6. New Trails and park resources
The economy in Saratoga County continues to expand due to the positive environment attracting private sector investment. The recent announcement of Regeneron redeveloping an empty building in Saratoga Springs, Bass Pro’s arrival in Clifton Park and new medical services in multiple communities are examples of significant investment that will provide more jobs and create sales tax revenue shared by the County and local municipalities.