Levy vetoes lawmakers' budget changes

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy Monday vetoed many of the legislature's revisions to his 2012 budget -- including a property tax hike that helped avert layoffs -- setting up lawmakers' expected override Tuesday.

The outgoing county executive Monday called his actions a "second chance" for lawmakers, who approved a $12 million increase in police district taxes, amounting to $27 for the average home in Suffolk's five western towns.

Levy also vetoed increases in Suffolk Bus fares, the use of millions of dollars from tax stabilization reserves and a federal tobacco settlement, and the mergers of several departments, including economic development, into planning.

"I've battled with the legislature each and every year, but the scars inflicted are worth it, because we've had an unprecedented eight years of tax stability," he said. "You don't create that record by rolling over."

Levy's $2.7-billion spending plan didn't raise taxes but would have laid off 710 employees if county unions refused to make health care concessions.

Lawmakers called it a "slash-and-burn" budget that would have left fewer cops on the street and decimated departments that provide basic health and social services.

The legislature's budget amendments reduced layoffs to 88 but funded many of the saved positions for only six months. County Executive-elect Steve Bellone and the new legislature will have to find money to fund the positions past June 30.

On Nov. 9, lawmakers passed all budget amendments by at least a 16-2 vote; 12 votes are needed to override a veto.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) is confident of overrides at Tuesday's general meeting, his spokesman said Monday.

Levy noted that budget amendments did not touch many of his revenue estimates, including those for sales taxes, that had caused the legislature's budget analysts to predict a $135-million hole next year. Levy says his budget is balanced.

He called the lack of adjustment affirmation that "we got it right."

But Minority Leader John M. Kennedy Jr. (R-Nesconset), a member of the legislature's bipartisan budget working group, said Levy's logic, "once again, is strained."

"The mere fact that we funded those positions for six months is reflective of the fact that we don't have an adequate amount of revenue," he said.