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Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a allowing Cayuga County to continue charging an additional 1% sales tax.

The state Legislature passed the legislation, which was sponsored by Assemblyman John Lemondes and state Sen. Rachel May, in the waning days of the legislative session. Hochul signed it on Thursday — one of several tax measures that received her approval.

Cayuga County has charged the additional 1% sales tax since 1992, when the county faced a recession, decreased state aid and a potential 20% property tax increase if they weren't able to collect more sales tax revenue.

The state allows counties to impose a 3% sales tax. Counties can increase it to 4% or more, but the state Legislature must approve the change.

For more than three decades, the state has granted Cayuga County the authority to charge the additional 1% sales tax. The current authorization was due to expire in November. It has now been extended through November 2027

To renew the added sales tax, the Cayuga County Legislature passed a resolution in January asking the county's state representatives — Lemondes, May, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay and Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan — to advance legislation. Lemondes, R-LaFayette, and May, D-Syracuse, introduced the bills in their respective houses.

The sales tax bills are usually non-controversial items that receive bipartisan support. The state Senate passed the bill by a 52 to 8 vote on May 27. The state Assembly followed with a 120 to 26 vote in June.

As expected, Lemondes and May voted for the bill. Barclay, R-Pulaski, and Gallahan, R-Manchester, also supported the measure.

Consumers pay an 8% sales tax in Cayuga County. The state's share is 4%, while the county keeps 4%.

In the 2025 budget, Cayuga County projected it would receive $62.4 million in sales tax revenue. It is one of the county's largest revenue sources.