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Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins officially signed the 2026 Westchester County Budget. The $2.5 billion dollar, tax cap compliant, budget cuts almost all County Department budgets by 8%, including the County Executive’s budget, and eliminates 180 positions, essentially cutting the County workforce by almost 5%. 

Jenkins said: “Let me be clear: this budget was not shaped by ideology or politics, but by reality. In uncertain times, our responsibility is to lead, and this budget does exactly that. The $2.5 billion dollar budget was shaped by one of the most challenging financial climates we have faced in years. The difficulties of 2025 will carry into 2026 and likely beyond, and this budget reflects the hard, necessary choices before us. This budget is a direct response to Trump turmoil coming out of Washington.”

Deputy County Executive Richard Wishnie said: “Westchester County has approached this budget with clear eyes and a commitment to protecting our residents. The fiscal instability created in Washington has forced counties across the nation to make extraordinarily difficult decisions, and Westchester is no exception. Yet even in the face of historic pressures, we crafted a responsible, disciplined spending plan that preserves essential services, avoids layoffs, and keeps faith with the people who rely on us every day.”

Director of Operations Joan McDonald said: “As County Executive Jenkins has stated, 2026 will be a challenging year on multiple fronts for Westchester County government. To insure that we did not go into the County reserve fund and to insure that we are property tax compliant, we instituted an average 8% reduction in operating costs across all County departments; instituted a hard hiring freeze and eliminated 180 positions from the County workforce. We are able to do this without compromising Westchester County delivery of services.” 

Deputy Director of Operations Emily Saltzman said: “The 2026 Westchester County budget balances fiscal responsibility with the preservation of vital programs and services for our children, families and seniors.”

Budget Director Larry Soule said: “This budget reflects a disciplined, data-driven approach to governing in an extraordinarily volatile fiscal environment. With federal actions driving up costs and constraining revenues, we scrutinized every line of the budget, made across-the-board reductions, and instituted a hiring freeze to ensure long-term stability. The result is a fiscally responsible, tax-cap-compliant plan without compromising the programs residents rely on.”

Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi said: “This balanced budget would not be possible without the input of residents from every corner of the County and the partnership of County Executive Jenkins. We are operating in a moment of unprecedented instability created by the Trump Administration. The Board has done everything possible to protect essential services, provide for our most vulnerable neighbors, and keep Westchester on stable financial footing. I am deeply thankful to everyone who made their voices heard throughout this budget process.”

 Legislator and Chair of the Board’s Budget and Appropriations Committee Jewel Williams Johnson said: “Today, with the County Executive signing the 2026 Budget, we conclude one of the most difficult budget seasons in recent memory—marked by federal decisions that slowed the economy and strained our local revenues. Working together, the Board of Legislators and the Administration made hard but necessary choices: every department absorbed cuts, hiring was frozen, and our nonprofit partners faced significant reductions, even as we worked to restore support and protect critical investments in child care and maternal health. As Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, I am grateful to my colleagues, County Executive Ken Jenkins and his team, our staff, the County workforce, nonprofit partners, and every resident who engaged in this process. Together, we remain grounded, collaborative, and prepared to meet whatever the future may bring, with Westchester families at the heart of every decision.” 

Majority Leader David T. Imamura said: “I am happy to support a budget that prioritizes the working people of Westchester. This budget keeps tax increases to a minimum while delivering essential services. At a time when the federal government uses human suffering as a weapon, we have been able to mitigate at least some of the harm imposed by this administration on Westchester residents.”

Vice Chair José I. Alvarado said: “Today’s signing by County Executive Jenkins marks the culmination of a year-round effort to address the diverse needs of our residents during times of unprecedented federal instability. As Vice Chair, I’m proud that this budget demonstrates financial accountability and our deep commitment to the well-being of the people of Westchester. Despite difficult decisions including department cuts and workforce reductions, the 2026 County Budget prioritizes childcare assistance, health programs, and support for our most vulnerable neighbors while keeping the tax increase as modest as possible.”

Majority Whip Terry Clements said: “With County Executive Jenkins’ signature, the 2026 County Budget becomes a testament to our shared commitment to both fiscal responsibility and the priorities of Westchester families during one of the most challenging budget seasons we’ve faced. With critical investments in childcare assistance, health programs, and resources for domestic violence survivors and food insecurity, I’m proud to support a budget that protects essential services for our community while limiting the property tax increase.”

County Departments to Undergo an Average of 8% Savings Across-the-Board

• Hard Hiring Freeze and Elimination of 180 Positions – $28 million

• Reductions in Contracts, Technical Services and Expenses – $34.5 million

• Reductions in Overtime/Hourly – $11.6 million

• Right Sizing Social Services Relief – $5.2 million

• Reductions Equipment – $4.5 million

• Reductions Materials and Supplies – $2.6 million

Increasing Costs

For the 2026 adopted Operating Budget, the County is facing unavoidable financial pressures from the federal government that are largely mandated or tied to essential services.

The main contributors include:

• Rising Healthcare Costs – $46.4 million

• Pension Growth – $14 million

• Transportation and Utilization for Children with Special Needs – $10 million

• An Increase in Debt Service – $13 million

Prioritized Essential Services

Despite the mounting financial pressures, Jenkins remained committed to protecting the programs that residents rely on most, maintaining essential services, ensuring that funding continues for the programs that support those most in need, from vulnerable children to critical social services and community resources.

Program funding will include supporting food security efforts, ensuring that victims of domestic violence have the protection and resources they need, offering free vaccine clinics, recycling opportunities, and maintaining free workforce development programs and services including our One Stop, local job fairs, job training and entrepreneurial support. The County has also budgeted to include continuing senior nutrition programming and our TIPS telehealth initiative, and keeping our mobile crisis teams and youth mental health programming in place.

Additional Allocated Dollars:

• Low Income Child Care –$16.6 million

• Access to Counsel Eviction Prevention Programs – $3.7 million

• Child Care Scholarships- $2.5 million

• Mental Health Clinic- $1.5 million

• Federally Qualified Health Centers – $1 million

• Maternal Health – $500 thousand

• HERRO Program – $300 thousand

The $2.5 billion dollar, tax cap compliant budget means that the average homeowner will pay roughly $3 dollars more per month to sustain the level of service they have come to expect and deserve.

Jenkins said: “The chaos and uncertainty coming out of Washington forced hard choices on Westchester County and on every other level of government.  Here in Westchester we met that moment with discipline, honesty and resolve. We cut where we had to, protected what matters most, and delivered a budget that keeps Westchester County stable, compassionate, and fiscally sound.”