The Putnam Possible Project
The Putnam Possible Project is a practical plan to invest in our people, strengthen our local economy, protect what makes Putnam special, and build a county where young people, working families, seniors, farmers, small businesses, and future generations can thrive.
Putnam County does not need to manage decline. We need to lead growth.
Community College - HERE
Putnam County is one of the only counties in our region without a community college presence, yet we spend millions of county tax dollars every year sending our students to community colleges somewhere else. A Putnam community college campus would keep more of those dollars here, create local pathways for students and adults, support workforce development, and become an economic engine for our small businesses, downtowns, and local employers. Community colleges have been shown to generate major long-term returns through higher earnings, stronger job creation, and increased local economic activity.
We can do this without raising taxes. Putnam has allowed its unassigned fund balance to balloon far beyond what is needed for responsible reserves. By ending Tax and Hoard budgeting, using existing community college chargeback dollars more strategically, pursuing state and federal grants, and partnering with SUNY and regional institutions, we can build a Putnam Careers Campus that strengthens our economy and helps lower the pressure on property taxes over time by growing opportunity, jobs, and local revenue.
Trade School - HERE
Putnam County needs a trade school because our future depends on more than four-year degrees. We need pathways into skilled trades, emergency services, health care, clean energy, construction, water and wastewater management, agriculture, logistics, technology, and other careers that provide access to the middle class. As artificial intelligence changes the economy, practical skills and hands-on technical careers will become even more important. Putnam should be preparing people for that future instead of watching opportunity move elsewhere.
A Putnam trade school would restore and strengthen our blue-collar roots by connecting residents directly to jobs that are needed right here at home. We should partner with labor, local employers, BOCES, SUNY, regional businesses, and apprenticeship programs to create training pipelines that lead to real careers. This is about giving young people a reason to stay, giving adults a chance to retrain, helping seniors remain connected and skilled, and giving local businesses the workforce they need to grow.
Housing Reform
Putnam’s housing crisis cannot be solved with a one-size-fits-all approach. Each town and village has different infrastructure, character, downtowns, hamlets, and needs. As County Executive, I will work directly with local municipalities to support solutions that fit each community, including smart deregulation, expanded accessory dwelling units, workforce housing, senior housing, mixed-use development, and targeted incentives for projects that help people live near where they work.
Putnam needs housing reform because too many young people, working families, seniors, municipal workers, first responders, teachers, and small business employees are being priced out. If we want to keep our children here, support our local businesses, and protect taxpayers, we need a broader housing strategy that respects local control while giving municipalities the tools, support, and county partnership they need to succeed.
Agribusiness and Open Space
Agriculture is a vital part of Putnam County’s economy, identity, and future. Supporting local farms means supporting small businesses, food security, tourism, land stewardship, and working families. At the same time, protecting farmland, open spaces, watersheds, and lake communities is essential to preserving the character and environmental health of Putnam County. We can grow our local economy while protecting the land and water that make this county special.
As Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District Board, I have worked directly on conservation, water quality, farmland protection, and responsible land use. I have also been willing to take on this administration when it mismanaged funds designed to support exactly this work. Putnam needs leadership that understands agriculture, respects farmers, protects lake communities, and makes sure conservation dollars are used for conservation results.
Local Sales Tax Sharing
I supported sharing sales tax revenue with our towns and villages before the current County Executive finally came to the table. But when he did, he set the bar at the lowest percentage shared by any county in New York that shares sales tax with local municipalities. Worse, his population-based formula takes revenue generated by business-friendly communities and redistributes it in ways that do not reflect where economic activity actually happens. That is how we end up with absurd outcomes like Brewster receiving roughly the same as Nelsonville despite vastly different commercial bases.
As County Executive, I will increase the rate of sales tax sharing and distribute it based more fairly on where the revenue is generated. Towns and villages that welcome business, support economic development, and help grow Putnam’s tax base should not be punished for doing so. A fairer formula will strengthen local budgets, help municipalities invest in infrastructure and services, and reduce pressure on local property taxpayers.
End Tax and Hoard
The current County Executive has defended Tax and Hoard budgeting, where taxpayers are overcharged and the excess is allowed to pile up in an unassigned fund balance instead of being put to work for the people who paid it. Putnam’s unassigned fund balance has ballooned to obscene levels, far beyond the 10 to 12 percent range often considered a safe and responsible reserve. This is part of a broader pattern of mismanaged funds under this administration.
As County Executive, I will end Tax and Hoard budgeting and invest responsibly in the people and communities of Putnam County. That means maintaining strong reserves while using excess taxpayer dollars for long-term priorities like community college, trade school, infrastructure, downtown revitalization, farmland protection, lake communities, and workforce development. A community college alone can generate major returns on investment through higher earnings, stronger local businesses, and increased economic activity. Our tax dollars should not sit idle while Putnam’s future waits.
Zero-Based Budgeting
Putnam County needs a serious, line-by-line review of how taxpayer money is spent. For too long, county budgets have been built by starting with last year’s spending and adding more on top. That approach allows waste, duplication, outdated programs, bloated management costs, and inefficient contracts to survive for years simply because they have always been there. As County Executive, I will implement a zero-based budgeting philosophy that requires every department, program, and expenditure to justify its purpose, cost, and results.
This does not mean cutting for the sake of cutting. It means rebuilding the budget from the ground up around what actually works for taxpayers. We will protect essential services, support frontline workers, and invest in priorities that strengthen Putnam’s future, while rooting out waste and redirecting dollars away from bureaucracy and toward people, infrastructure, workforce development, public safety, conservation, and local communities. Taxpayers deserve a government that can explain every dollar it spends.
Join The Putnam Possible Project!
We can’t do it alone! We need YOU to join our Putnam Possible Project, and help bring Bret’s vision to life!
“Putnam has been waiting for a vision like this for decades! Brett Yarris is finally a leader actually willing to deliver for the people!”