Suffolk leaders propose $126M in savings

Suffolk legislative leaders Tuesday unveiled six proposals -- including asking workers to defer a portion of their salaries and selling off the county's H. Lee Dennison Building -- to stave off deep cuts in health care and other services.

Legislators immediately approved another of the proposals, putting up for sale hundreds of acres that had been slated for the controversial Legacy Village affordable housing development in Yaphank, pushed by Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook), who sponsored the measure, said the move "essentially kills Legacy Village and sells the property to whoever offers us the most money."

"We're at a crossroads," Lindsay said at a legislative meeting in Riverhead. "Close facilities or sell vacant land."

Levy said he'd veto the measure, which passed by a vote of 13-5, a margin large enough to override a veto.

Levy said last night he is in talks with the Shinnecock Indian Nation about a sale of all or part of the parcel as a casino site.

A bipartisan group of six legislators said the proposals unveiled Tuesday would shave $126 million from the county's projected $179.5-million budget shortfall for 2011-12.

One proposal by Legislative Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) would authorize Levy to ask county unions to defer a portion of workers' salaries to save $27.8 million next year. Cooper said the plan is intended to prevent layoffs and the county would return the deferred wages through higher retirement payments.

Lindsay said legislators would also defer a portion of their salaries. Unions and legislators saved $30 million two years ago by deferring a portion of their subsidies.

Cheryl Felice, president of the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, was not available for comment.

Legis. Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) proposed to sell, and then lease back, the county's H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. Romaine said the measure would save the county a net of $38.9 million.

Romaine also proposed privatizing at least one of the county's three public marinas, Shinnecock Canal and Timber Point East and West. Romaine and Legis. John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) also proposed taking bids to sell tax liens on commercial and vacant land to a private entity, hoping to raise $20 million.

Levy, in an interview, said he welcomed the legislators' ideas but many of the proposals would only bring one-time savings. Closing the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility, he said, would have saved the county $8 million to $10 million a year. Levy said aides were preparing to reopen bids to take over the public nursing-care facility after a private company dropped out.

Levy also said he is preparing his own budget proposal, which will include big cuts in county health services to offset $200 million in state health care cuts.