State approves Long Beach relief bill

The New York State Assembly and Senate overwhelmingly approved a $12 million borrowing measure last week to help the city cover costs associated with Hurricane Sandy and a multi-million-dollar deficit.

If the measure is signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the city will have the ability to issue up to $12 million in serial bonds, to be paid over 10 years, to finance “extraordinary” Sandy-related costs that are not eligible for reimbursement from the state and federal governments and to liquidate remaining deficits in its general, sewer, water and risk-management funds.

“Long Beach was one of the areas in the state hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy,” Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a Democrat from Long Beach, said in a statement. “Allowing Long Beach to issue bonds to help offset recovery costs would ease the burden placed on local taxpayers.”

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican from Rockville Centre who introduced the bill in the Senate, said the legislation would provide the city with an “additional tool” to continue its rebuilding and recovery efforts. “Long Beach has come a long way in the past 15 months, and I will continue to work with city officials to support the ongoing efforts to rebuild a stronger and more resilient city,” Skelos said in a statement.

The bill would give the city the ability to bond separately for costs associated with the storm and the deficit, and it could also eliminate the third year of a $183 deficit tax surcharge per household.

Weisenberg and city officials had called on state lawmakers to pass the bond measure for two years. Officials said that the new administration walked into a “mess” when it took office in 2012, but has since passed two balanced budgets and reduced spending.

“This is a procedural step forward toward providing relief to homeowners struggling to recover from Superstorm Sandy, and a potentially useful financial tool to assist in helping our finances recover,” said City Manager Jack Schnirman.