Blakeman releases $4.6 billion spending plan proposal for next year, with no property tax hikes

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on Tuesday proposed a $4.6 billion budget for the 2027 fiscal year that does not raise the county portion of property tax and adds hundreds of jobs, including three-dozen new police officers.

More than half of the spending plan supports the salaries and benefits of 7,621 county employees and 36 new police officers. As of earlier this month, the county had an employee headcount of 7,031, according to budget documents. Most of the new positions have been budgeted for the County Assessment Office and Social Services. 

Blakeman, a Republican, in his letter to legislators, said his proposal highlights his administration's "ongoing commitment to responsible governance while prioritizing economic excellence, public safety, and critical services." 

Filed by Tuesday's deadline, the proposal is the first of Blakeman's second term as county executive. He won reelection in November 2025 just days before announcing his run for governor. He will face Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul this November. 

Nassau's police department is projected to be budgeted at $1.1 billion, nearly a quarter of the county's total expenses and remaining relatively flat from the current year. The proposed budget includes funding for two recruit classes to maintain staffing levels.

To finance the budget, Blakeman expects to take in $1.7 billion in sales tax revenue, up $68.9 million from the current year. Sales tax is the county's largest revenue stream; second is property taxes. The budget factors in additional revenue of about $360 million in state aid and $247.5 million in federal aid. Current reserves stand at $740 million. 

The Republican-controlled Nassau Legislature will likely adopt Blakeman's budget when it comes for a vote at the end of October following public hearings. The plan will then require the approval of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county's state-appointed fiscal watchdog, which has warned in previous years about an over-reliance on county reserves. 

Democratic lawmakers are currently reviewing the budget, Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said in a statement to Newsday on Tuesday.

She expressed concerns over past spending from Blakeman's administration, including for outside attorneys.   

"What we have seen so far points to another plan built on draining County savings and an 80.9% surge in spending on politically connected outside law firms while critical services remain understaffed," DeRiggi-Whitton said, referring to a previous spike in outside spending on legal counsel. "Nassau residents deserve an honest, sustainable budget focused on their needs — not Bruce Blakeman’s next political ambition."

Nassau has spent a  record-high amount of money on private lawyers under Blakeman's leadership, tripling its spending from 2021 to 2025. 

While the proposed budgeted amount for private law firms remains flat at $6.6 million, the county's actual spend in 2025 was $9.2 million.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.