The Rockland County Legislature voted Tuesday night to approve three resolutions to help deal with the deficit.
The legislature voted unanimously to request that the New York State Legislature introduce Home Rule Legislation extending the additional 3/8 of one percent and 5/8 of one percent sales and compensating use tax until Nov. 30, 2015. As a part of the same resolution, the legislature voted 14-1, with two legislators absent, to approve a request that the New York State Legislature introduce Home Rule Legislation authorizing the county to finance its budget deficit through the issuance of bonds.
Legislator Chris Carey was the only member to vote against it, saying he wanted more details on how the county intends to deal with the deficit.
Also at the meeting, the legislature voted unanimously to issue both Revenue Anticipation Notes (RANs) not to exceed $45 million and Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs) not to exceed $55 million.
A third gun-related resolution was also passed at Tuesday night’s meeting, although with far less discussion than the two other items on the agenda dealing with firearms. The legislature voted unanimously to urge the state and governor to keep the responsibility for the pistol permit recertification process with the state instead of passing it down to the local level. At last week’s Public Safety Committee meeting where the resolution was first discussed, County Clerk Paul Piperato said that while he supports recertification, passing it down to the county would be costly for Rockland.
A number of other motions were passed at Tuesday’s meeting. They included:
- The legislature approved appropriating $1,500 to both the American Legion Fred Eller Post 1447 in Monsey and the Leo Ladders American Legion Post 130 in Thiells for patriotic observances.
- The legislature unanimously voted in favor of accepting the continuation of grants in the amounts of $380,000 from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Crimes Against Revenue Prosecution Program; $139,899 from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services to support the Special Victims Center-Child Advocacy Program; and $622,356 from the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services to improve the quality of legal services provided to indigent clients by establishing a social worker coordinator position, establishing a receptionist half position, reimbursing the county for various items, services and training costs related to improving indigent legal services for a three-year period.
- The legislature also approved amending the 2013 budget by accepting $63,994 in additional funds, no county tax dollars involved, from the New York State Office of Mental Health to be distributed to Jawonio, Inc.
