Altmann Says Changes Needed to Avoid Projected Budget Deficits

Nassau County Legislator Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck) and members of the Budget Review committee heard testimony at a recent hearing outlining possible budget gaps of up to $241 million by 2010, a figure that Altmann said is unacceptable.

“Hearing that we have a possible deficit of $241 million in just a few short years should serve as a wake-up call to Nassau County that we need new ways of generating revenues and stricter control over spending,” Altmann said after the nearly 4-hour meeting.

Eric Naughton, director of the Legislative Budget Review office, said that the County is paying out more money to settle residential and commercial assessment challenges than originally budgeted for, contributing to the predicted shortfall.

Contributing to the projected deficit is the anticipated loss of the $2-per-pack cigarette tax Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) and County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi proposed to the state legislature earlier this year. Without a sponsor from the State Senate, it cannot go forward through the legislature.

Nassau County Assessor Harvey Levinson did say, however, that the amount of money handed back to residents due to assessment challenges would be greatly reduced for the 2007-08 tax year, due to the capping of assessment increases at 6 percent for the first time. This should cut down on the amount of assessments challenged as well as the amount of the settlements on those challenges.

“We’re putting together good ideas on how to generate new income, but we need something more concrete and stable,” Altmann said. “The financial stability of our county is at stake here, but just as we did six years ago, I am confident that this legislature and this administration can make it happen.”