Mineola, NY - Majority Democrats of the Nassau County Legislature on Monday approved County Executive Thomas Suozzi's 2003 budget and the Multi-Year Plan, a bold move they believe will set the County on the road to fiscal recovery. The majority Democrats voted 10-9 in support of the package, while Minority Republicans voted against it.

While casting her vote for the budget, Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) said, "I am voting 'yes' to putting our fiscal problems behind us and to moving this county forward."

The 2003 budget, together with the Multi-Year Plan, is a financial blueprint for the county that addresses both the years of mismanagement by the former administration and the escalating unfunded state mandates, Legislator Jacobs said.

"While we are distressed that a property increase was necessary, it is a important part of addressing the over $2.9 billion dollar-mountain of debt left over from past Republican administrations," he said. According to Jacobs, 16% of every dollar the county spends goes to paying off the debt.

The highlights of the $2.28 billion budget include a 15%, or 1,400-workforce reduction, contract cuts and more than $17.5 million in savings from smart government initiatives. The Democrats offered 18 amendments to the budget plan, including the restoration of $641,000 for youth programs. While the County Executive's proposed budget had included a 10% cut across the board to these programs, Democrats lobbied to have them restored, offsetting the cuts with reductions to other areas.

Every cent in increased spending in the 2003 budget is directly attributed to rising costs of unfunded state mandates, such as the New York State pension contributions (an increase of $42 million from last year), health insurance ($16.6 million increase) and Medicaid costs ($25 million increase) all which have skyrocketed in recent months, leaving the County with an additional cost of almost $100 million dollars.

"Spending increases come directly from rising costs beyond our control and these same rising costs are affecting every county in the state," Legislator Jacobs added.