Byrne vetoes 16 legislative changes to 2027 county budget

CARMEL Putnam County’s 2027 budget remains unresolved after County Executive Kevin Byrne vetoed 16 resolutions the nine-member county legislature approved during last month’s deliberations. Byrne delivered his 19-page revised budget report to members of the legislature at the close of business Monday at 5 p.m. advising the lawmakers that he had “reviewed the changes, alterations, and revisions made by the Legislature to my Administration s 2027 Tentative Budget.” Byrne said the legislature s proposal of “massively increasing new spending while dramatically further reducing reliable revenues has the real potential to create a growing deficit for future fiscal years. Creating this type of trend puts the county s fiscal health at risk, which would then necessitate increased taxes and put the county s bond rating in jeopardy in the future.” He expressed concern regarding the proposed $12.5 million property tax levy reduction and the additional use of fund balance necessary to support it