Bipartisan support passes county budget

On Nov. 12, the Suffolk County Legislature passed the proposed 2025 budget from the county executive’s office.

Legislator and deputy presiding officer Steven J. Flotteron (11th District) praised his colleagues in the Suffolk County Legislature for their efforts in amending and approving the county executive’s 2025 Operating Budget last week, especially the members of the Operating Budget Working Group that Flotteron chaired.

There was no net fiscal impact resulting from the legislative changes: net expenditures increased by $8.3 million ($1 million decrease in 2024 and $9.3 million increase in 2025) and were offset with an increase in net revenue by $8.3 million ($3.8 million in 2024 and $4.5 million in 2025) in the roughly $4 billion budget.

“County executive Romaine’s budget was fair, responsible and well-crafted,” said Flotteron. “My colleagues and I agreed that the budget took into account our needs and bipartisan priorities, without some of the budgetary gimmicks employed in previous years.”

“Prior budgets have relied on so-called ‘one-shots’—revenue sources that can be fairly be described as temporary, unsustainable, or unreliable, as well as unrealistic revenue projections. The county executive deserves great credit for his attention to improving Suffolk’s fiscal position, gaining a pair of bond rating increases in just the first nine months of his administration. This is a trend he continues after repairing the finances of the Town of Brookhaven, where in his previous role as supervisor he improved the township’s ranking to triple-A,” said Flotteron.

With no legislator voting against the budget amendments, the omnibus legislation is said to “correct overstated revenue and understated expenses, fix technical errors, add funding associated with the issuance of Tax Anticipation Notes, provide additional funding for Legal Aid, maintenance of Health facilities, recreational opportunities, contracted agencies, and computers for the Legislature,” according to a statement from the legislature.

Further, the measures add revenue from the Vanderbilt endowment for capital projects pursuant to local law and distributes hotel/motel funding to various agencies. Per the legislature’s Budget Review Office, the 2024 estimate for sales tax is increased and the 2025 recommended revenue for interest and earnings is increased to offset the net cost of all of these actions.

“Our fiscal improvements—including staying under New York State’s 2 percent property tax cap—are all the more impressive, considering dramatic cost increases in critical areas, such as mandated pension costs, health insurance and prescription drug costs, and the loss of approximately $8 million in expected revenue from red-light cameras,” said Flotteron.

Flotteron noted, for example, that monies will account for the hiring of new police officers, an investment in cybersecurity (following the devastating ransomware attack in 2022), and investments in personnel and employee compensation.

“Our legislative priorities for public safety, enhancing employee recruitment and retention, and aid to contract agencies providing vital services, were taken into account in a solid, fair, and responsible budget,” Flotteron said. “On the heels of two bond rating increases for the county, we’re moving in the right direction.”

Legislator Anthony Piccirillo (R-8th district) said,  “This year’s budget was one of the most honest and fiscally conservative budgets in recent memory. This budget stays under the tax cap and funds essential services. It also adds over 100 new police officers. Suffolk County is now on a path to being safer and more affordable.”