The Schenectady County Legislature passed its $280.9 million budget Thursday, Oct. 25, during a special meeting by a margin of 9-to-5, with one member absent.
Republicans voted against the budget because it increased property taxes and all four members of the caucus thought more cuts could be made Democrat Anthony Jasenski, who is running for re-election in District 4, joined the minority in voting against the budget.
The budget calls for the reduction of 66 county positions at every level, including an assistant county manager position, deputy county attorney, the director of youth services, a librarian and legal secretary.
This is the most painful part of government, head of the Ways and Means Committee Legislator Philip Fields, D-Schenectady, said.
Fields said most of the positions were cut by eliminating vacancies, consolidating functions and through attrition.
The adopted budget calls for a $60.6 million tax levy, which is down $3 million from the $63.6 million proposed budget from County Manager Kathleen Rooney, whose budget would have raised the tax levy by 9.7 percent. The adopted budget raises the tax levy by 4.5 percent.
This year was a particularly difficult budget year due to an overestimated amount of revenues from county sales tax in last year’s budget, a slowing Upstate economy, and increasing state mandates.
Rooney’s original budget proposal cut $5.1 million through cost-containment strategies, including eliminating 51 county positions.
The Legislature’s majority introduced a variety of amendments during the special meeting, which cut an additional 15 positions, cut benefits and management salaries, and cut back on contracts, which saved an additional $2.5 million.
The majority also plans to save money by consolidating the Schenectady Job Training Agency into the Department of Social Services.
The majority’s amendments also increased revenues by $1.2 million through the sale of county property. The Legislature announced the $1 million sale of county property at the airport to global nutrient premix manufacturer Fortitech, which plans to build a distribution center and research and development center at the site.
County Legislature Republicans also introduced amendments to the budget, which would have eliminated an increase. The amendments included hiring and salary freezes for 2008, a reduction of the county fleet and cell phone usage, and performance audits to the sheriff’s department and social services department.
Ultimately the minority’s amendments were voted down, by a margin of 5-to-9 with Democrat Anthony Jasenski breaking from his caucus.
Majority members said the amendments presented by the minority were good ideas, but included spending money with no guarantees of saving money.
`These are good ideas, but the savings are speculative, and it makes me nervous,` Legislator Michael Eidens, D-Niskayuna said. `Some of these might be worth implementing, but they seem like a wish list to me.`
The majority’s amendments were passed with only Legislator Joe Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, dissenting. He said more could have been done to cut the budget and provide no increase to the county taxpayers.
Minority members, all of whom voted against the budget, said they were worried about the financial position the county would be in next year.
Legislator Carolina Lazzari, R-Rotterdam, who is running for re-election in District 4, said majority’s amendments don’t go far enough.
`I think we are going to be in a sorry state next year,` she said. `I hope we can have a preliminary budget meeting in July, or else this time next year will be much worse.`
Majority members said the difficult budget year could be a blessing in disguise because it forced lawmakers to take a look at the structure of county government.
`We have made permanent cuts,` Legislator Karen Johnson, D-Schenectady said. `We have fewer employees and what we are trying to do is be more responsible with our money.`
Chairwoman Susan Savage, D-Niskayuna said, `We have restructured the way the county does business, which will produce cost savings in the future.`
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