CHENANGO COUNTY – If adopted, Chenango County’s 2016 budget will see a 2.01 percent tax rate increase for county taxpayers.

County officials released preliminary figures for Chenango’s 2016 annual budget this week. The tentative fiscal plan comes in under the tax cap for the fifth consecutive year and sets the stage for the county to qualify for the NY State Tax Freeze program for 2016 for STAR eligible properties.

Of the nearly 40 percent of properties in Chenango that are STAR eligible, most may see an average refund of $17 through the Tax Freeze program.

What’s more, the planned budget maintains the county’s repaving and equipment replacement plan for county roads; finalizes an expansion project at the county landfill without incurring any debt; sees a saving of about $87,000 per year that was created by moving the county court system and mental health offices to new locations; continues all county-run programs for another year; and increases spending by $1.48 million (or 1.7 percent) from 2015’s total of $86.9 million.

“To guide us in our budgeting, we rely on the six financial precepts established by the Board of Supervisors several years ago,” explained County Treasurer William Craine.

Those six precepts: