Suffolk Legislature Amends 2011 Budget, Funds Foley Nursing Home

In  a marathon session on Wednesday, Suffolk County legislators made several amendments to the county's recommended 2011 operating budget, restoring funding to nonprofits, several health care facilities, and continuing funding for John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility, which the County Executive has proposed selling.

Budgetary changes included increasing the projected sales taxes revenue by $2,720,280, an increase of 4.2 percent to 4.6 percent. County park fees will return to 2009 levels on Jan. 1, 2011 to order to raise $800,000 in revenue. Other changes  included restoring $3.1 million to health care facilities and $630,0000 for  various community support services.

Legislators also chose to delay a 60-person, March 2011 police recruit class until the fall. Presiding Officer Bill Lindsay said this was an effort to have Police Academy staff to be on patrol during the summer months, instead of teaching, to minimizing county paid overtime. The change is expected to save the county $1.5 million. Part of these funds will go towards purchasing more surveillance cameras and initiating a ShotSpotter program, technology that locates sites of gun shootings.

Suffolk County executive Steve Levy criticized the delay of the police class, questioning "the eerie silence from legislators and Suffolk police union that have clamored for cops for the past year," he said.

All John F. Foley nursing home references were stripped out of the omnibus resolutions during several recesses, after the first omnibus resolutions fell one short of the 12 necessary to override a potential Levy veto.

Legis. Edward Romaine, R-Center Moriches, had rescinded his vote on the omnibus, not voting on nursing home issues as his wife works at the facility. Once Foley's resolutions were removed from the larger package, he voted in its favor.

The legislature passed a resolution restoring $4,155,738 in funding, paid for by the county's general fund, to continue operation the Foley nursing home until a determination can be made by the legislature on whether to continue operation of the facility or sell it. The legislature also reduced its debt service by $15.9 million.

Levy criticized these changes calling it an "illegal, unbalanced omnibus budget." His recommended 2011 budget calling for the sale of Foley nursing home to net $19.5 million was later adopted by the legislature, without being removed.

Lindsay said he questions whether the deal would have adequate legislative support, but believed it would be seriously considered with room for compromise.

John J. Foley's continued funding only received 11 votes from the legislature, leaving it open to veto by Levy.