Ed Day Cuts $700,000 from Lawmakers' Budget

Saying the Legislature refused to take even the most modest steps toward cutting costs, County Executive Ed Day today used his line-item veto power to reduce the 2015 County Budget adopted by the Legislature by more than $700,000.

“In October, I proposed a bold spending plan for 2015 that stays within the state’s two-percent tax cap, maintained all essential county services and honored the Legislature’s law mandating a $10 million payment to reduce the deficit,” Day said in a press release. “We set priorities, separated wants from needs and stretched every dollar. We protected the pocketbooks of Rockland’s taxpayers. Sadly, what the legislators approved last week will weaken these priorities and put Rockland County government at risk.”

Day had proposed a $772 million budget that held taxpayer-supported spending on county operations to an increase of 2 percent for the coming year. He had pointed out that it was the first time Rockland County would not exceed the state-mandated property tax cap introduced by Governor Cuomo in 2011.

Last month, county Legislator Chris Carey (D-Bardonia) offered a compromise. Last week, the Legislature voted on its own 2015 spending plan with fewer cuts. The lawmakers voted to amend the county’s Deficit Financing Act, which required an annual payment of $10 million toward deficit reduction until Rockland’s remaining deficit is eliminated. Under the amendment, the annual payment would be reduced to a minimum of $4 million.

Day objected. “The Legislature’s decision to amend the Deficit Financing Act pushed those hard decisions off their plates. In short, they changed the rules midgame to free up $7 million,” he said. “They took the easy way out.”

As part of their fiscal plan, legislators reduced contributions to the Summit Park complex by $844,200, reduced the County’s contingency account by $250,000, increased salary savings by $324,000 and decreased utility expenses by $449,100.

Day criticized those changes too, calling them “fuzzy math” and “financial gimmicks.”

“The 15-to-2 vote to continue spending might be appropriate for a county flush with cash or unconcerned with fiscal prudence, but Rockland is neither,” he said.

The Day Administration remains committed to a vast and historic restructuring of government operations. Specifically that includes:

• the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office will face realignment to eliminate duplicative police services and return the department to its core function of patrolling county properties.
• a new system of value and performance metrics will reform the county’s funding of non-mandated contract agencies.

Day’s 20 vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote (12) of the legislators.

“These 20 vetoes are emblematic of my commitment to reforming Rockland County government. I sincerely hope to work together with the full Legislature toward this shared goal in the future,” said Day.

For detailed information on the specific budget vetoes, visit Rocklandgov.com.