Letter: Suffolk legislators irresponsible

Newsday's editorial "Give Suffolk finances a harder look" [Dec. 12] questions who is to blame for a recent negative bond rating report from Moody's.

The editorial ignored the crucial fact that Moody's upheld Suffolk's historically high bond rating one month after the executive branch submitted its recommended budget.

It warned that reserves should not be used as one-shot revenue sources. In November the legislature ignored the warnings by raiding the fund and creating a budget that paid for positions for only six months, an unprecedented, irresponsible move. Only after these fiscally imprudent actions did Moody's issue its downgrade.