Putnam Legislators Mull Over County Budget Proposals
Local lawmakers sat down for nearly three hours Thursday to discuss proposals put forth by Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell during her budget presentation a week ago. Legislators met with their respective committees this past week, either accepting Odell’s proposals or preparing adjustments to present to the legislature regarding the tentative budget.
Legislators stressed the need to consider luxury over necessity.
The $139 million budget calls for no layoffs and just a half percent increase in spending throughout 2012—a condition that remains within the parameters of the state’s 2-percent tax cap. Though Odell had originally proposed to cut overtime by 10 percent in every department, the legislators moved to revise overtime necessary to run the county jail from $68,000 to $200,000.
District 2 Legislator Sam Oliverio said that though Odell had originally planned to make gradual cuts to overtime, she had underestimated jail overtime by the thousands.
“The sheriff and his representatives made a very good case as to why they need of that overtime,” Oliverio said. “Even $200,000 isn’t going to make it, and the difficulty with the jail is that you never know the need that’s going to arise.”
Both Oliverio and District 1 Legislator Vincent Tamagna made a strong case to refund the Friday trolley that runs from the Village of Cold Spring into the Town of Garrison. The budget had originally proposed to cut operation of the trolley on Fridays, which would ultimately save the county $10,649 per year, and was reinstated Thursday. Both legislators represent the western side of Putnam County, which has a significant geographical distance from its eastern counterpart.
“The western side of the county, particularly Philipstown is always singled out, and I respectfully request that we put [the trolley] back in—to single out $10,000 is ridiculous,” Tamanga said.
Odell had also proposed to cut transit services, including para-transit services, which was restored within the trolley vote.
With sales tax a driving force for Putnam County revenue (with over $51 million in revenue projected for 2012), Odell’s budget also called for 13 new positions, which legislator Dini LoBue estimated would cost the county $1 million with repercussions in the long run, as each full-time employee is “an employee for life” figuring in pension benefits.
LoBue also expressed hesitation in creating positions under managerial positions that had not yet been filled by the legislature.
A discussion that seems to resurface each year, Legislator Dan Birmingham moved to name the Board of Elections commissioners’ full-time positions with an extra $55,000 in funds allocated to each commissioner, which would cement their salaries at over $100,000 per year.
Birmingham argued that Republican commissioner Anthony G. Scannapieco, Jr. and Democratic commissioner Robert. J. Bennett had long served Putnam County and surpassed their duties as a “part-time.” Though the legislature voted against Birmingham’s proposal, they did give each commissioner an $8,000 boost.
The Putnam County Legislature will hold a public hearing regarding the tentative budget Tuesday with the adoption of the budget on Wednesday, Oct. 24.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
