Overview
Tompkins County's adopted 2026 budget expenses total $275,142,510 across all funds, of which the General Fund is $240,454,704. The Legislature adopted it unanimously on November 18, 2025, with a property tax levy of $56,870,844 — a 3.59% increase, equal to the state's adjusted tax cap — at an approximate rate of $4.90 per $1,000, adding about $31.26 to the annual tax bill of a median-priced home assessed at $300,000 (about $1,469 in county tax). Local spending rises a net 5.87%, per the adoption resolution.
Source: Tompkins County 2026 Adopted Budget.
At a glance — adopted budget FY2026
Source: Tompkins County 2026 Adopted Budget.
Headline budget
Summary of Funds, FY2026 ADOPTED column, plus the adoption resolution. Expenses minus revenues ($56,983,692) exceed the levy by $112,848, a derived difference, not a printed appropriation.
| Total expenses, all funds | $275,142,510 |
| General Fund expenses | $240,454,704 |
| Total revenues | $218,158,818 |
| Expenses less revenues | $56,983,692 |
| Property tax levy | $56,870,844 |
| Levy increase | 3.59% (at cap) |
| Approximate tax rate | $4.90 per $1,000 |
| Median home ($300,000): county tax | About $1,469 (+$31.26) |
Source: Tompkins County 2026 Adopted Budget.
Breakdown by fund (expenses)
Expenses by fund, FY2026 ADOPTED column, Summary of Funds. The lines sum to $275,142,511 — $1 above the printed total (see basis notice).
| General Fund (A) | $240,454,704 |
| Community Development (CD) | $2,094,490 |
| Solid Waste (CL) | $9,571,327 |
| Airport (CT) | $5,298,967 |
| County Road (D) | $8,427,076 |
| Highway Machinery (DM) | $1,239,669 |
| History & Culture Center (EM) | $90,440 |
| Debt Service (V) | $7,965,838 |
| Total expenses (as printed) | $275,142,510 |
The Summary of Funds also shows the recommended (pre-adoption) expense total of $275,565,266 — adoption reduced it by $422,756 to $275,142,510. The county seat is the City of Ithaca (Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building).
Source: Tompkins County 2026 Adopted Budget.
Elected officials
Legislators as recorded in the adoption vote for Resolution 2025-251 (surnames as printed; the resolution names the mover and seconder in full).
| Mover | Michael Lane |
| Seconder | Dan Nolan |
| Legislator (aye) | Black |
| Legislator (aye) | Brooks |
| Legislator (aye) | Brown |
| Legislator (aye) | Champion |
| Legislator (aye) | Dawson |
| Legislator (aye) | John |
| Legislator (aye) | Klein |
| Legislator (aye) | Koreman |
| Legislator (aye) | Mezey |
| Legislator (aye) | Pillar |
| Legislator (aye) | Shurtleff |
| Legislator (aye) | Sigler |
Source: Tompkins County 2026 Adopted Budget.
Sources & notes
- Only source used: Tompkins County, 2026 Adopted Budget (Resolution 2025-251, November 18, 2025; Summary of Funds). 2026 Adopted Budget.
- Sum checks: fund expense lines sum to $275,142,511 ($1 above printed total, disclosed); the “$240.5 million” message figure is identified as the General Fund, not the all-funds total.
- What is not claimed: the $112,848 gap between expenses-less-revenues and the levy is a derived difference, not a printed fund-balance appropriation.
- Jurisdiction palette: No verified New York jurisdiction palette was on file, so this page uses the neutral Hometown Numbers dark-glass theme rather than a jurisdiction color.