Lawmakers move to keep SCCC tuition low

Legislators Tuesday night agreed to put more money toward the $195.2 million Suffolk County Community College budget so tuition for the school's 25,000 students remains below $4,000.

At the same time, they cut the size of the increase to ward off a threatened veto from County Executive Steve Levy.

The legislature approved the revision 16-2, with Thomas Barraga (R-West Islip) and Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) voting no.

Lawmakers also accepted a compromise with Levy to tap surpluses from the county's 2011 and 2012 sewer reserve fund to provide $20.4 million in tax relief and $34.6 million for new sewers.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) revised downward his $1.8 million college-funding proposal made last week to $772,000, with the legislature adding $386,000 to its $38.7 million share of college expenses and the college cutting its budget $386,000 so annual tuition would drop to $3,990 -- the same level as Nassau Community College. College officials said less money was needed because they originally sought to have the tuition hike reduced further.

When the college trustees first approved the budget this spring, they estimated that without an increase in the county's contribution, tuition would rise $250 to $4,026. Under the revision, it would go up only $214 and remain competitive with the Nassau school. "By keeping tuition affordable, we are able to keep Suffolk County students right here," said college president Shaun McKay.

However, Barraga pleaded with fellow legislators not to increase the county's share of college expenses because the school has a record $15.7 million reserve it can tap to cut tuition.

Dan Aug, Levy's spokesman, said Levy is weighing whether to follow through with threats to veto the measure. "Losing $800,000 over the next budget cycle is better than losing $1.8 million," Levy said in a statement.

Lindsay said the college's training programs are the best way to spur the economy, and Suffolk could not afford to let its tuition rise above Nassau's because the county loses $12 million to pay for local students at other community colleges.

Levy and lawmakers, meanwhile, scaled back Levy's plan to tap as much as $300 million from the county sewer fund over 10 years after a legislative budget analyst warned surpluses above $140 million will last only for the next three years.

On a vote of 15-2, the compromise allows the county in 2011 and 2012 to tap the fund. Democrats Lou D'Amaro and Vivian Viloria-Fisher opposed the compromise, while Republican Edward Romaine abstained.

Lawmakers also voted to return Martin Cantor to the county's judicial facilities agency after Levy fired him in June.

Legislators also approved a resolution directing county departments to turn over any records on construction of a new county jail. They also overrode Levy's veto of funding the county nursing home for the rest of the year.

With Kery Murakami