The Monroe County Legislature has adopted the 2019 county budget proposed by County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo.
It was approved 17 to 12, backed by the Republican majority on the county legislature.
Dinolfo says the $1.2 billion spending plan cuts the property tax rate for the first time in a decade. The rate drops by 10 cents, to $8.89 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The county executive says the budget holds overall spending below the rate of inflation and also will invest more than $560 million in programs, services and initiatives that benefit local children and families.
Dinolfo says those investments include more than $48 million to support affordable child care, over $22 million for child protective services and more than $34 million for pre-school special education.
But Democrats criticized the plan, saying their proposal to add money for salaries for service coordinators and authorize six additional service coordinator positions were rejected.
Minority Leader Cindy Kaleh says the Republican lawmakers are waiting until next year to see of the state will take action on funding for the service coordinators rather than taking action now.
