Laura Curran budget for 2022 clears Nassau County Legislature

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran's $3.5 billion budget proposal for 2022 cleared its final legislative hurdle Friday when the county legislature failed to override her vetoes of Republican amendments that would have cut more than $100 million in county fees and reduced property taxes by $120 million.

The vote was 11-8 along party lines. With all Democrats supporting the Curran budget plan, Republicans were unable to secure a supermajority of 13 votes needed to override the county executive's veto.

The budget still must win the approval of the five-member board of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county's financial control board.

"Nassau taxpayers deserve a fiscally responsible approach to budgeting — not the type of brazenly partisan grandstanding epitomized by these reckless budget amendments," Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams said in a statement after the override vote.

Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) argued before the vote that the GOP amendments represented an opportunity to provide relief to taxpayers.

"Nassau County is overtaxing, overbudgeting and overspending," Nicolello said.

The Republican property tax cut — $50 million more than Curran is seeking — "will provide relief for our residents who are struggling, particularly now when they have their school tax bills — many of whom are seeing larger increases as a result of shifts caused by reassessment," Nicolello said, referring to Curran's countywide property reassessment program.

Curran's 2022 budget plan would boost public safety spending by $45 million, adding 70 positions to the police and probation departments, the sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies.

Curran, a Democrat seeking reelection Tuesday against Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, also plans to cut $70 million in county property taxes.

That would save the owner of a $500,000 home an average of about $140 a year, administration officials said.

The GOP amendments would have cut the county property tax levy by a total of $120 million.

Republicans also had sought to cut $106 million in county fees by eliminating the public safety fee on red light camera violations and other real estate fees.

Republicans said higher than expected sales tax revenues would make up for the lost revenue.

Sales tax revenues fund about 40% of the county operating budget.

In urging the Democratic caucus on Friday to oppose the override, Abrahams (D-Freeport), cited a report released at an Oct. 21 meeting of the NIFA board.

Board members agreed they would not approve the county's 2022 budget if it contained the Republican amendments.

NIFA cautioned against cutting recurring sources of revenue, even if the county’s near-term financial outlook appeared positive.

The NIFA report also said even if Curran were to veto the GOP budget amendments, her administration "jeopardized fiscal balance" by proposing to reduce the property tax levy by $70 million next year.

The 12 amendments introduced by Republicans were approved along party lines on Oct. 17. All Democratic lawmakers voted against the bills.

All 19 seats on the Nassau County Legislature are up for election on Nov. 2.

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.