FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30 , 2006
Contact: PAUL PERILLIE, MAJORITY CAUCUS AIDE -- #(631) 854-4500

HOLD THAT LINE!
Democrats Deliver on Pledge to Hold the Line on County Spending

At this week’s general meeting of the County Legislature, majority Democrats delivered on their pledge to hold the line on County spending and reversed a three-year Republican trend of running up County costs at taxpayers’ expense.

Presiding Officer Bill Lindsay (D-Holbrook) and Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) hammered out an agreement that sustained five of County Executive Steve Levy’s vetoes for proposed projects, slated for the 2007-2009 Capital Budget Program. The elimination of these projects effectively saved taxpayers $13.9 million while continuing to provide vital undertakings for environmental protection, first responder support and highway maintenance.

"This budget is our commitment to making this County run as cost effectively as possible because we know those costs are being paid by the hard-working men and women we serve," says Lindsay.

Compared to last year, when Republicans controlled the Legislature, that savings is even greater.

The current 2007-2009 adopted capital program is $591 million, while last year’s 2006-2008 capital program was $626 million. That’s a one-year reduction of $35 million.

"Passage of this budget will force the County to trim its expenses so Suffolk residents won’t have to trim theirs, just to be able to afford to live here," says Cooper.

The fact that the County Executive’s vetoes were even able to be considered individually (as line items) on their merits, rather than being lumped together (as an omnibus) in one vote, allowed for the kind of fine-tuning that made the cuts possible. It provides proof that Democratic leadership in the Legislature has been instrumental in restoring common sense and prudence to the budget process.