Post by onthejob on Nov 7, 2011 23:14:09 GMT -5
Suffolk legislators propose 2012 budget
November 7, 2011 by PAUL LAROCCO / paul.larocco@newsday.com
A bipartisan group of Suffolk legislators will introduce a 2012 budget Wednesday that would hike police taxes by $12.3 million, and raise fees and bus fares -- but also sharply curtail layoffs sought by County Executive Steve Levy.
The spending plan unveiled Monday by legislative Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) and Minority Leader John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) covers just the first six months of the year, leaving the new county executive to propose a plan for the remainder. Lawmakers said they faced stark choices in revising Levy's $2.7-billion spending plan that included no property tax increase but 710 layoffs and severe cuts to health, safety and social services.
"We're moving the ball forward so that our new executive can make the decision on what to do," Lindsay said Monday, adding later: "Whoever wins tomorrow is going to walk into a hornet's nest."
If the legislature's budget passes, 88 of some 10,000 full- and part-time county employees would lose jobs and the average homeowner's police district tax bill -- affecting Suffolk's five western towns -- would increase 2 percent, or about $27 for the average household, the legislators said. On the East End, towns and villages have their own police departments, funded by their own property taxes. They receive some specialized services, including homicide investigation, from the county police department.
By also tapping one-time revenue sources, including federal tobacco settlement funds, consolidating departments and increasing a variety of fees, lawmakers restored a total of $76 million in spending "to keep the county running," Lindsay said in a telephone interview.
Legislative budget analysts have estimated a $135-million deficit in Levy's budget; Levy says his budget is balanced.
"Without a doubt, hands down, this was the worst process, the worst budget, we've ever seen," Lindsay said.
Levy, a Republican who is not running for re-election, was sharply critical of the lawmakers' proposal. "Just as I predicted, they set up this doom-and-gloom scenario about my budget so they could set a predicate of a tax increase after an election," he said Monday.
A spokesman said Monday night that Levy would likely veto any budget with a tax increase. Lindsay said he believed he has the 12 votes to override a veto.
Disclosure of the lawmakers' budget plan came as Democratic Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone and Republican county Treasurer Angie Carpenter prepared to face off in Tuesday's election for Suffolk County executive.
Bellone and Carpenter have criticized Levy's layoff plan, but also said they generally don't favor tax increases.
Carpenter declined to comment Monday night, saying she didn't want to politicize the county budget process. Bellone said in a statement, "I oppose any General Fund property tax increase and if I am elected . . . I will work with the legislators to come up with a budget solution that is fair to taxpayers."
The legislative plan also would keep the county-run John J. Foley Skilled Nursing facility fully open through midyear, before cutting the number of beds in half, to about 150, and leasing empty floors.
Lindsay and Kennedy noted their budget spares medical examiner's pathologists, whom Levy wants to ax, and restores $4.4 million funding for health centers around the county.
But they lamented still having to cut contributions to things like the Cornell Cooperative Extension's 4H community service program.
"Things that the county has done for decades, we're not going to do anymore," Lindsay said. "We just don't have the money."
With Rick Brand
Suffolk lawmakers' budget plan
88 layoffs, down from 710 proposed by County Executive Steve Levy.
Consolidate multiple departments.
Raise Suffolk Bus fares from $1.50 to $2.00.
Raise fees for marina and beach vehicle use.
Raise police district property taxes by 2 percent -- the maximum allowed by a state cap -- for $12.4 million in new revenues.
Sell $30 million in federal tobacco settlement funds.
Tap the county tax stabilization reserve fund for $22 million.
Total revenue and savings: $76 million
November 7, 2011 by PAUL LAROCCO / paul.larocco@newsday.com
A bipartisan group of Suffolk legislators will introduce a 2012 budget Wednesday that would hike police taxes by $12.3 million, and raise fees and bus fares -- but also sharply curtail layoffs sought by County Executive Steve Levy.
The spending plan unveiled Monday by legislative Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) and Minority Leader John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) covers just the first six months of the year, leaving the new county executive to propose a plan for the remainder. Lawmakers said they faced stark choices in revising Levy's $2.7-billion spending plan that included no property tax increase but 710 layoffs and severe cuts to health, safety and social services.
"We're moving the ball forward so that our new executive can make the decision on what to do," Lindsay said Monday, adding later: "Whoever wins tomorrow is going to walk into a hornet's nest."
If the legislature's budget passes, 88 of some 10,000 full- and part-time county employees would lose jobs and the average homeowner's police district tax bill -- affecting Suffolk's five western towns -- would increase 2 percent, or about $27 for the average household, the legislators said. On the East End, towns and villages have their own police departments, funded by their own property taxes. They receive some specialized services, including homicide investigation, from the county police department.
By also tapping one-time revenue sources, including federal tobacco settlement funds, consolidating departments and increasing a variety of fees, lawmakers restored a total of $76 million in spending "to keep the county running," Lindsay said in a telephone interview.
Legislative budget analysts have estimated a $135-million deficit in Levy's budget; Levy says his budget is balanced.
"Without a doubt, hands down, this was the worst process, the worst budget, we've ever seen," Lindsay said.
Levy, a Republican who is not running for re-election, was sharply critical of the lawmakers' proposal. "Just as I predicted, they set up this doom-and-gloom scenario about my budget so they could set a predicate of a tax increase after an election," he said Monday.
A spokesman said Monday night that Levy would likely veto any budget with a tax increase. Lindsay said he believed he has the 12 votes to override a veto.
Disclosure of the lawmakers' budget plan came as Democratic Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone and Republican county Treasurer Angie Carpenter prepared to face off in Tuesday's election for Suffolk County executive.
Bellone and Carpenter have criticized Levy's layoff plan, but also said they generally don't favor tax increases.
Carpenter declined to comment Monday night, saying she didn't want to politicize the county budget process. Bellone said in a statement, "I oppose any General Fund property tax increase and if I am elected . . . I will work with the legislators to come up with a budget solution that is fair to taxpayers."
The legislative plan also would keep the county-run John J. Foley Skilled Nursing facility fully open through midyear, before cutting the number of beds in half, to about 150, and leasing empty floors.
Lindsay and Kennedy noted their budget spares medical examiner's pathologists, whom Levy wants to ax, and restores $4.4 million funding for health centers around the county.
But they lamented still having to cut contributions to things like the Cornell Cooperative Extension's 4H community service program.
"Things that the county has done for decades, we're not going to do anymore," Lindsay said. "We just don't have the money."
With Rick Brand
Suffolk lawmakers' budget plan
88 layoffs, down from 710 proposed by County Executive Steve Levy.
Consolidate multiple departments.
Raise Suffolk Bus fares from $1.50 to $2.00.
Raise fees for marina and beach vehicle use.
Raise police district property taxes by 2 percent -- the maximum allowed by a state cap -- for $12.4 million in new revenues.
Sell $30 million in federal tobacco settlement funds.
Tap the county tax stabilization reserve fund for $22 million.
Total revenue and savings: $76 million
