Nearly $4 billion will flow through county coffers under a budget proposed by Suffolk Executive Steve Bellone, which he says will freeze general fund taxes and comply with the state-mandated 2% tax cap for the 12th straight year he’s been in office.
“This budget is a blueprint for long-term financial stability and protects taxpayers against future tax hikes,” Bellone said of a spending plan he won’t be around to implement since he can’t run for reelection under Suffolk’s term limit law. His two potential successors, Edward Romaine and Dave Calone, both promise to scour the spending plan for potential taxpayer savings (see related story in this week’s South Shore Press).
“Having worked hard over 12 years to transform the $500 million structural budget deficit my administration inherited into four straight years of budget surpluses, our efforts are now focused on creating long-term financial stability for Suffolk County taxpayers,” Bellone said in passing his plan over to the county Legislature’s Office of Budget Review, which will release a report on it October 25. “Our initial focus included creating a leaner, more efficient government through streamlining, consolidation, and innovation. Having accomplished that goal, the Recommended 2024 Budget is designed to make sure the county’s strong financial condition continues well into the future.”
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| Suffolk Executive Steve Bell File Photo |
The budget comes on the heels of other good news for county taxpayers as Moody’s Investors Service cited Suffolk’s “improved and conservative budgeting,” in lifting its bond rating. While the county had “historically been challenged” to balance revenues and expenditures, “Ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and budgeting have borne fruit, and governance can now be considered more of a strength than a weakness,” Moody’s noted. The 2024 Recommended Budget is Bellone’s fourth straight structurally balanced spending plan. The county also received a lift from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli when he reported Suffolk as having a “zero” risk for financial stress.
According to Bellone, the rating agency pointed out that the county had eliminated a decades-old practice of relying on short-term borrowing to cover operating expenses without relying on federal COVID relief funds to do so. County Comptroller John Kennedy, however, noted that hundreds of millions in relief funds did play a substantial role in bolstering the county’s financial position.
Highlights of the county executive’s budget include:
Public Safety: The proposed budget funds two police classes totaling 160 officers and continues the implementation of the county’s Historic Police Reform and Reinvention Plan, including the Human Rights Commission reviewing police misconduct complaints in tandem with the Internal Affairs Bureau.
Opioid Settlement Funding: Suffolk was the first county in the state to bring litigation against drug makers and pharmacies in connection with the opioid crisis and has since reached several multi-million dollar settlement agreements. The budget includes $20 million for the second allocation of grant funds to fight opioid addiction, making the total opioid settlement funding to be deployed in Suffolk County in excess of $50 million.
Small Business Development: $25 million is allocated for grants to support small business growth and revitalization of downtown and main street business districts. These will help nonprofits and cultural entities that contribute to the vibrancy of Suffolk communities.
Protecting the Taxpayer: The budget continues to bolster the county’s reserves, already at the highest levels in history, to ensure that taxpayers are well-protected against any potential economic downturns.
In addition to funding the Tax Stabilization, Retirement, and Debt Reserve funds, this year, the county has established a Repair Reserve Fund, which will be used for any necessary emergency repairs to government property rather than relying on bonded funds, resulting in reduced costs for taxpayers, according to Bellone.