The Cayuga County Legislature will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday night at the Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum in Auburn, where lawmakers are expected to vote on a local law to override the state-imposed property tax cap and approve a $7 million broadband infrastructure plan.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on YouTube. A public hearing will open the session, inviting feedback on the proposed tax cap override, which would give legislators flexibility to exceed the state’s levy limit when crafting the 2026 county budget.
Broadband Investment Takes Center Stage
One of the most significant votes on the agenda is a bond resolution that would authorize up to $7 million to finance a new regional fiber network targeting underserved rural areas across the county. The project is part of the state’s ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program, funded by the U.S. Treasury under the American Rescue Plan.
In tandem, legislators are set to approve an intermunicipal agreement with the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to advance the broadband project. The county expects to be reimbursed for construction costs through grant funding.
Key Appointments and Recognitions
The board will also consider a range of appointments, including naming Marian Brown to the Cayuga Community College Board of Trustees and filling several seats on the Veteran’s Advisory Board and Workforce Development Board.
Additionally, a proclamation will recognize June 6 as Senior Nutrition Program Volunteers Day, honoring local residents who support the county’s aging services programs.
Resolutions Span Health, Public Works, and IT
Lawmakers will vote on dozens of resolutions across government operations, health and human services, public safety, and planning. Notable items include:
- Accepting funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program and filling seasonal positions in the HEAP unit.
- Approving multiple contracts to expand personal care services and support public health operations.
- Moving forward with a plan to relocate the county’s primary IT datacenter to the Auburn Fire Department due to health and safety concerns at the current site.
- Allocating new state paving funds to support additional road work, and greenlighting repairs at county facilities, including Emerson Park Pavilion and the Hardenburgh Building HVAC system.
Override Vote Highlights Fiscal Challenges
The vote to override the state tax levy limit, while procedural at this stage, signals ongoing fiscal challenges as the county prepares its 2026 budget. If adopted, the law would permit the county to exceed the state’s cap on property tax increases—an option municipalities sometimes invoke to preserve services amid rising costs.
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