Levy to file $2.71 billion 2011 operating budget

County Executive Steve Levy is expected to file a proposed $2.71-billion 2011 operating budget Thursday with no property tax increase, but including hiring new police officers and the closing of the county nursing home rather than the pending $36-million sale.

During a budget briefing, though the administration did not make any budget documents available, Levy said he still favors the sale of the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility. But by law, Levy cannot include the deal in his budget unless the county legislature approves the transaction. On Monday, a legislative committee bottled the sale proposal in committee, precluding a vote at tomorrow's county legislative meeting. Levy would not say if he will circulate a petition to bring the sale to the floor.

"The legislature has until November to determine what the budget will look like," Levy said. "It's their call if they want to sell the nursing home, close it or come up with a tax increase or other cuts in the budget to make up the difference."

Levy proposed a shutdown of the nursing home two years ago in his budget, but the county legislature would not go along. A shutdown, if approved, would result in the layoff of the bulk of the complex's 250 employees. Levy's budget includes no other layoffs even though he had earlier sent warnings that up to 800 county workers might lose their jobs.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook), said Levy's proposed budget "doesn't sound as bad as I initially thought." Lindsay added, "There's been too much talk of doom and gloom. It sounds like we can support some of his initiatives. When we get it, we'll take a hard look at it."

Levy's spending package is $80 million more than this year's budget, but he said all the extra spending is for mandated costs like Medicaid and welfare, higher pension costs and new correction officers required by the state to staff the new county jail in Yaphank at the end of 2011.

The county executive earlier said he will call for the hiring of 150 police officers this fall and next year, 140 correction officers and 17 deputy sheriffs. The proposed budget also moves various youth and handicapped services, now based in the county executive office, to the health and social services departments in a bid to make the programs eligible for more federal and state aid.

Levy is also including $1 million in new revenue by applying to make three of the county health centers - Patchogue, Shirley and Brentwood - federally qualified health centers which would be governed by a community based board. Levy is also forecasting that sales tax revenue will grow 5.5 percent this year and 4.25 percent next year. Connie Corso, Levy's chief budget aide said sales tax so far this year has increased 5.56 percent. Last year, county sales tax came in $27 million below estimates. Legislative budget analysts say the county could need sales tax to grow 9.5 percent this year to make up the 2009 shortfall and meet the forecast in the 2010 budget.