The Corning City Council will vote June 1 to adopt a proposed $22,957,274 spending plan that includes a 3.97% tax levy increase, above the tax cap of 2.62 percent.
Under the proposed 2026-27 spending plan, city tax rates would decrease by 40 cents to $10.37 per $1,000 of assessed value. City Manager Mark Ryckman said that individual tax bills could still increase as a result of higher property assessments associated with a recent citywide revaluation.
“This budget continues the city’s long-standing commitment to balancing fiscal responsibility with core municipal services and infrastructure investment,” Ryckman said. “The proposed budget includes no change to water and sewer rates, preserves significant annual street paving investments, and continues to maintain the service levels the public has grown accustomed to.”
Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) funds from New York state remain flat at $1,499,556 for FY26, Ryckman said.
Ryckman noted that the budget does include one-time Temporary Municipal Assistance in the amount of $522,393, and that because these are not reoccurring funds they have been matched to one-time capital purchases.
While Corning’s revenue trends are generally stable, Ryckman said the city continues to be hit with inflationary pressures across core expenditure categories like materials, equipment, wages, pensions, health insurance and utilities.
“In addition, instability in global energy markets, including disruptions affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has contributed to higher fuel costs that may persist even if political and military conditions stabilize,” Ryckman said.
“At the local level, labor costs remain a key variable. Negotiations are underway with Corning IAFF Local 932 to reach a successor agreement to the current contract, which expires June 30, 2026,” Ryckman added. “Over the past year, the City reached long-term agreements with the Civil Service Employees Association and the Crystal City Police Benevolent Association. Wages and benefits remain primary cost drivers.”
Notes from Corning’s proposed 2026-27 budget
Animal control
The proposed spending plan includes $12,000 to continue the spay & neuter program for cats in partnership with the Chemung County SPCA. Nearly 500 cats have been spayed or neutered since the program started in 2023. Noting an increase in skunk-related complaints in recent years, the city has also budgeted $5,000 to continue skunk trapping services both for nuisance and rabies prevention.
Staffing levels
Ryckman noted that since 2003, the city’s number of full-time employees has been reduced from 131 to 101, a 22.9% decrease. The proposed budget maintains that number with a few changes, such as reducing the Assessor position to part-time effective Jan. 1, 2027 and replacing the part-time Secretary position in the Planning and Economic Development Department with a full-time administrative position.
Streets and parks
The Capital Improvements Plan maintains the $1 million City Council has built into the base of the budget over the years for street paving. Combined with state funding, Corning’s street paving budget is a little over $2.4 million in the proposed spending plan. The proposed budget also includes funding to replace various vehicles.
The budget also features an increase of $5,000 for Parks Maintenance in the Capital Improvements Plan, bringing the amount in FY27 to $45,000.
Sales tax revenue
Ryckman estimated sales tax revenues at $5.19 million in the proposed budget, up from the $4.95 million budgeted last year. “This estimate is also consistent with recent actual results, including $4,989,343 in FY24 and $5,071,792 in FY25,” the city manager stated.
The Corning City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, to vote on the proposed spending plan.
This article originally appeared on The Leader: Tax levy up in Corning’s proposed budget plan. Inside the numbers
Reporting by Jeff Smith, Corning Leader / The Leader
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