Suffolk to start payroll lag measure

Suffolk's lawmakers and nonunion employees will start deferring part of their biweekly paychecks, an effort estimated to save the cash-strapped county $1.5 million this year.

But the lag payroll measures -- approved late last year -- are less a solution to fiscal woes and more a start, supporters acknowledge, as work begins to save the more than 600 county jobs only funded through June.

"We're all in this together, and a little bit of sacrifice is better than individuals losing their jobs," said Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), who co-sponsored the voluntary lag payroll for lawmakers. "I'm hoping this helps the situation."

Beginning Jan. 26, all 18 legislators and 424 exempt workers will defer the equivalent of a half-day pay each pay period, resulting in the loss of about two weeks'salary by the end of 2012. The average loss is $3,425 for nonunion workers and $4,662 for lawmakers earning $94,000 a year.

Lag payrolls return deferred money upon the end of an employee's service. In approving the measures Nov. 9, Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) said he hoped to "set the example for the unionized employee."

County Executive Steve Bellone has said "everything's on the table" when it comes to his talks with labor unions to save the jobs funded through June. But his spokesman, Jon Schneider, noted this week that lag payrolls "defer money, not save it."

"It just buys you time," he said.

Cheryl Felice, president of the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, didn't return a call this week, but has said "the slate is completely clean" for talks with Bellone.

Unions refused to negotiate with former County Executive Steve Levy late last year, after he proposed 710 layoffs as leverage to gain employee health care contributions.