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"The Majority's amended budget would have been a return to the days of speculative revenue, over-estimating sales tax revenue and a refusal to modernize county government," said Day. "In short, a budget like theirs could lead us back down the path of deficits and double-digit tax increases; a return to the sins of the past."
The vetoes included Legislative amendments that:
- Included $3.5 million in speculative revenue and appropriations to ostensibly fund employee contract settlements
- Removed the new deed verification program
- Increased estimated sales tax revenue by $647,500
- Eliminated new positions in multiple departments
- Bypassed the County's legally mandated process for procuring contracts
"As elected officials, we have an obligation to our constituents to see that the county adheres to a policy that proves to be fiscally sound," said Minority Leader Lon Hofstein.
The 2.9 percent property tax levy increase, which is under the state-mandated property tax cap, will cost the average Rockland residential property owner, just over $3 a month or about $37 a year.
Day said the new budget spending increases will include:
- Nearly $5 million increase or 7.1 percent to cover the state health insurance plan under the state's Empire Plan.
- $3 million increase in debt service, to cover higher interest rates from the county's multi-million-dollar plan to rebuild county infrastructure.
- $1.7 million more for the county's share of state-mandated programs, such as early intervention pre-kindergarten and social services.
The New York State Comptroller's Office found that in respect to the County Executive's 2019 Proposed Budget, "the significant revenue and expenditure projections in the proposed budget are reasonable."
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