Departmental Budget Reviews Continue As Public Hearing Looms

The Rockland County Legislature’s Budget & Finance Committee holds the last of its review sessions on proposed departmental budget for 2013 tonight.  The reviews are ending as legislators prepare for the public hearing on the 2013 budget on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.  The budget proposed by County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef called for the elimination of 69 positions.

The Budget & Finance Committee meets at 5 p.m. today to go over the spending plan for the Sheriff’s Office. County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef proposed the elimination of 14 positions in the Sheriff’s Office in his 2013 budget.  That number includes the Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol, ending that program would save the county $750,000 annually, and the positions of five patrol officers.

Following the Sheriff’s budget review, the committee is scheduled to go over the budget for the Department of Social Services followed by a discussion about the Department of Mental Health.  On Thursday, the proposed budgets of the General Services, Highway and Health departments were debated.  Vanderhoef called for abolition of 16.5 positions in the General Services, six in Highway, and 12.5 in Health departments.

Others positions slated to be removed 16 from the Hospital Department, one for county historian, and one from the Labor Department.

The proposed 2013 budget of $736.9 million would increase property taxes by 18.4 percent, a jump of $157 for the average property owner. The legislature will vote on the 2013 budget on Tuesday, Dec. 4.