Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead) and fellow Majority members stand poised and ready to review County Executive Thomas Suozzi's proposed $2.29 billion budget for 2004, a plan that holds taxes steady.

"While we have every confidence in the County Executive's direction, we have a fiscal responsibility to the voters to conduct a thorough and public review of the budget between now and October 30," said Legislator Abrahams. "I am also very concerned about proposed funding cuts to Long Island Bus and Able Ride, and the services they provide. I believe these services are crucial and I will be reviewing the budget in order to come up with alternatives to these cuts."

The 2004 budget also includes six initiatives: a local government collaboration project to save the county and local governments money by eliminating duplicated services; a new approach to social services called "No Wrong Door" that would revamp Nassau's health and human services system; $20 million to improve the county's technology infrastructure; a 311 telephone system for non-emergency calls; the creation of a Nassau County Planning Federation to fashion a zoning plan along with local governments and an environmental plan to preserve open space and clean up and redevelop polluted sites.

The budget, along with an accompanying multiyear plan, must be reviewed and endorsed by the county legislature and a state oversight board, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, before final approval by Oct. 30.

"As always the legislature will do its due diligence through this series of budget review hearings," said Abrahams.

The schedule for hearings is as follows:

Date Committee Time
Monday 9/29	Government Services Committee	1 p.m.
Monday 9/29	Public Safety Committee	4 p.m.
Monday 9/29	Regular Legislative Session	6 p.m.
Tuesday 10/7	Health and Human Services Committee	6 p.m.
Wednesday 10/15	Finance Committee	10 a.m.
Wednesday 10/15	Rules Committee	1 p.m.
Wednesday 10/22	Hearing before Full Legislature-no vote	6 p.m.
Monday 10/27	Full Legislature Session	2 p.m.