Budget Squeaker

By the narrowest of margins, Putnam County finally has a budget for 2010.

On Tuesday night the Legislature resumed its meeting from last week and after 90 minutes of discussion and debate approved the fiscal spending package by a vote of 5-4.

Legislators Vincent Tamagna, Richard Othmer, Mary Ellen Odell, Dini LoBue, and Tony Fusco voted in favor of the budget that will raise taxes by 4.1 percent

while Legislators Dan Birmingham, Mary Conklin, Sam Oliverio, and Chairman

Tony Hay cast negative votes.

The tally was the closest in Putnam County history and demonstrated the protracted deliberations that have occurred over the past six weeks since County Executive Robert Bondi outlined his executive budget carrying a 4.6 percent property tax hike.

Bondi’s initial $137 million fiscal spending plan proposed eliminating 49 full-time positions as well as the laying off of the county’s part-time STOP-DWI administrator; 15 percent reductions in contributions to outside agencies such as libraries, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Putnam Historical Society, Southeast Museum, and Putnam Humane Society; ending Friday trolley service in Cold Spring; eliminating adult day care programs in Patterson and Saturday service in Mahopac; and closing the Cold Spring Senior Center.

Members of the legislature met two dozen times in committee reviewing Bondi’s recommendations before restoring each of the executive’s cuts while slashing a number of positions on their own accord. The legislators not only reinstated the STOP-DWI administrator post filled by Naura Slavinsky but also saved the recycling director’s position occupied by Walt Thompson.

The legislature eliminated the office of Community Affairs Director occupied by Patricia Perez before creating a $25,000 part-time position under the auspices of the Health Department. The nine-member body also cut the $97,000 salary of the executive’s Chief of Staff. The post has been vacant since early spring after Lisa Denig left county employment.

Attempts Tuesday to restore Denig’s post introduced by Legislator Othmer, as well as a plumber’s position and the Community Affairs Director by Legislator Oliverio, were all rejected by overwhelming margins. The legislature did restore a receptionist for the Probation Department as well as a counselor in the Youth Bureau.

Legislator Birmingham called on his colleagues to reduce county taxes to 1.1 percent by using $1 million of the county’s fund balance. His suggestion died on the floor. The Brewster representative said he voted against the budget because the “tax rate is too high in this economy. We have a lot of ‘folks,’ particularly senior citizens, who are struggling just to pay their tax bills. Although the budget contains a lot of good, that tax rate of 4.1 percent is too excessive.”

Legislator Conklin, who represents constituents in Patterson, also cast a ‘no’ vote. “Many of our constituents are facing tough times. I couldn’t support certain items that were passed and couldn’t say ‘yes’ when I know the people I represent are suffering,” she said.

Legislator Oliverio of Putnam Valley expressed great disappointment with the 2010 county budget: “We lowered the tax rate by one-half of one percent from what Executive Bondi proposed. The modest tax decrease was accomplished on the backs of our managers, our community affairs liaison and others—issues that were not well thought out and well prepared. What did we accomplish?”

Chairman Hay called the economy “difficult. Dedicated employees have lost their jobs in this budget. I voted against too many items in the fiscal expenditure to consider its approval.”

But Legislator Tamagna, who serves as the vice chairman of the legislature, felt differently and cast the deciding vote with the majority. Tamagna agreed the budget was his most difficult in 15 years: “We restored funds to all outside agencies, which was the responsible course of action. Management were not given raises this year. Many tough decisions were made. My colleagues worked extremely hard by negotiating for hundreds of hours. This county has a fine product at the end of the process.”

County Executive Bondi will now get the legislature’s budget and review each item, vetoing measures which he deems necessary. The legislature will need six votes to override the executive’s individual vetoes.