Mineola, NY - Nassau County Legislator Patrick Williams (D-Uniondale) and the members of the Democratic Majority moved to approve legislation that will establish procedures for the creation and adoption of a comprehensive four-year capital plan and an annual capital budget during the July 30 legislative meeting.

The legislation, which is part of the Democratic Majority's 2001 Legislative Agenda, will eliminate the haphazard process currently employed by the county where projects are often attended to in what amounts to a "next in line" manner instead of being prioritized in terms of relative importance and need. It is anticipated that the improved coordination of capital projects will save the county millions of dollars annually.

"To arrest the county's fiscal crisis, it is paramount that we address the underlying problems that have created the problem in the first place," said Legislator Williams. "Through this legislation we will eliminate waste in our capital planning process and at the same time take a bold step towards rebuilding Nassau County."

The legislation, which was introduced by Legislator Brian Muellers (D-Glen Cove), Chair of the Public Works Committee, requires that the County Executive submit a one-year capital budget and proposed four-year capital plan no later than May 1 of each year. The capital budget, which will be represented in the first year of the four year plan, will include the expenditures and capital borrowing for each of the capital programs, projects and activities proposed and the cost estimates associated with them. According to the legislation, the four-year plan must include details, descriptions and projections of all proposed projects, and explanations of all the proposed funding sources for every program, project and activity contained within.

The legislation also includes several initiatives that will make the capital planning process more efficient, including streamlining the capital planning process to eliminate redundant steps in the legislative approval process of proposed projects and activities. Initial legislative review of capital programs, projects and activities will occur when the one-year capital budget ordinance is adopted rather than in individual rulings subsequent to its adoption. The Legislature will also be allowed to include and extract projects from the proposed one-year capital budget, provided that they can abide by safeguards inserted to protect against unjustified spending.

The legislation also eliminates the Capital Planning Committee and redistributes its powers between the executive and legislative branches, in turn creating a division within the Office of Management and Budgets called Capital Programs and Projects. Elimination of the Capital Planning Committee will redistribute responsibilities that are more consistent with the function of the executive and legislative branches. Creation of the special division will help enhance the county's capacity for long term planning and development of capital projects.

After the County Executive has signed the legislation, it will be put before the public in a referendum on November 6, 2001. The legislation will take effect immediately upon its certification by the Nassau County Board of Elections. However, in the event that the new administration is not fully in place by early next year, the implementation of the local law can be suspended one year at the request of the County Executive and the approval of a resolution by the County Legislature.