The Legislature’s adoption of the 2009 county budget reached a practical, though not formal, conclusion at the session held on Tuesday Dec. 16, with the Democratic majority declining to attempt an override of the 250 vetoes issued by County Executive William Steinhaus the previous day. Yet though a final figure on the amount of the tax levy had been reached, procedural objections from the Democrats held over the final vote on it that will clinch the budget until next Monday, Dec. 22.
The vetoes, which restored funding for various items from the Health and Human Services Cabinet to cost of living raises for county employees, raised the total of the budget to $397 million, up from the $390 million figure passed by the Democrats in a party-line vote of 14-11 on Dec. 10. That will require an increase in the tax levy to $94.6 million, up from the 2008 figure of $88.1 million. At loggerheads over practically everything as they have been since the budget process began, the Democrats and the Republicans not only hurled accusations about who was responsible for the resultant property tax increase to $2.54 per thousand dollars of assessed value, up from $2.29, but which side was to blame for necessitating an extra meeting next week.
“The Democrats have done severe short and long-term damage to the foundation of our county government finances and there will be multi-year implications to their rash decisions,” Steinhaus said in a statement. “It will take years to recover from this as county government tries not to drown under the mess the Democrats have created. The Democratic leadership in the County Legislature left county residents to suffer the consequences of higher property taxes and service cuts.”
Countering with a mixture of pride about their budget and blame for Steinhaus for altering it, the Democrats also claimed to feel the taxpayers’ pain at what will amount to an 11 percent increase in property taxes.
“The Democratic Caucus takes great satisfaction in the restoration of its most important budget initiatives,” their statement said. “Approximately 66 percent of the budget amendments made were embraced by the County Executive. The County Executive will continue funding the Sheriff’s road patrols and the Board of Elections. These two Democratic initiatives saved our villages, towns, and cities from significant property tax increases.”
And as for the increases there are, the Democrats blamed their opponents.
“The County Executive’s decision to increase expenditures will increase the property tax by more than $9 million. There is virtually no support in the Republican caucus to override the County Executive’s vetoes. It is unfortunate that the county taxpayers will shoulder this burden.”
Urging that the strife be brought to a merciful conclusion, Legislator David Kelly (R-Pawling) resisted the Democrats’ desire to vote on the tax levy next week.
“Historically the process has been that we do vote on the levy. I suggest that we do that and that this be the last meeting of this year. You had the figures at 2 p.m., you caucused at 5. That was ample time to go over the figures.”
“There is no reason to do it on such a rush basis,” countered Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg (D-Wappinger). “Things need to be done right. We could not have told you at 2 o’clock that there would be no overrides.”
“For Legislator Goldberg to suggest that we could handle 700 lines on previous nights and not one line tonight is absurd,” shot back Legislator Gerald Hutchings (R-Beekman).
The Democrats, being in a majority, prevailed, and the presumed final session of the county Legislature to vote on the tax levy is on for next Monday.
As for the two sides’ final assessments of the budget process as a whole, they were equally stark.
“This is my first year, and I am appalled at the budget process,” said Legislator Angela Flesland (R-Town of Poughkeepsie). “It has been dysfunctional, not something for the majority to be proud of.”
“I’m tired of hearing the garbage from the other side about the budget,” was the simple retort of Legislator Joel Tyner (D-Rhinebeck/Clinton).