Suffolk Republican Lawmakers Call on Bellone to Detail Fixes to County Finances Based on Pre and Post COVID-19 Crisis.

HAUPPAUGE, NY - Suffolk Republican legislators today demanded that County Executive Steve Bellone present them an outline of the county’s financial condition prior to the onset of the COVID-19 health crisis, and the subsequent impact on finances stemming from the pandemic and shutdown under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s NY-PAUSE. The legislators requested that the fiscal overview by the Bellone and Budget Review Office be made as part of the County Executive’s budget presentation to Suffolk lawmakers.

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Democratic State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli had rated Suffolk’s financial condition as the worst of all 62 counties in the state. This rating, along with recent court decisions that may require the county to eliminate millions of dollars from annual Red Light Camera and Mortgage Tax Recording Fees, spurred the request for the detailed financial presentation.

Bellone’s Budget Official, Eric Naughton, and the director of the Budget Review Office [BRO], Lance Reinheimer, are scheduled to appear before the Budget Committee on June 2. The legislators asked the County Executive to personally appear at the presentation as well.

In a letter to the County Executive, the lawmakers wrote: “In order to fully understand the extent of our challenges, please distinguish in your presentation between factors that existed in our pre-COVID fiscal world from COVID-specific factors. Please discuss in your presentation specifically and in detail, how much money the County has collected since the inception of the Administrative Fee for Red Light Camera tickets, as well as since the significant increase in tax map verification fee. As you know, both of these revenue sources have been challenged in court and although those proceedings are ongoing, it appears possible, if not likely, that the County will lose those cases. That could lead to a halt to that revenue, as well as an obligation to refund sums that could exceed $100 million. Please detail the potential financial impact of those decisions.”

The Republican caucus letter included: “There is no doubt that the current COVID-19 crisis has presented Suffolk County with significant financial challenges, not the least of which is a drop in sales tax revenue. We also know, however, that the County has been in terrible financial condition for some time, as evidenced by:

  • State Comptroller’s analysis of fiscal stress ranking Suffolk County as having “significant financial stress” and ranking Suffolk County as having the highest fiscal stress of all counties in the state

  • Repeated bond downgrades

  • Increased short term borrowing

  • Increased overall debt and debt service

  • Lagging accounts payable...”

Full Text of the Suffolk Republican Lawmakers Letter to the County Executive’s Budget Office and BRO can be found below:

Maureen GetchellSCGOP