“It’s also important to note that the push for allowing Long Beach to issue bonds is highly misleading,” the group said in a statement. “The proposal is billed … as a response to Superstorm Sandy, but months before the storm hit the city was facing a $12 million deficit. By approving Long Beach’s borrowing scheme, Cuomo and the State Legislature have signaled to irresponsible municipalities that they’re open for business when it comes to similar situations.”

Schnirman and others strongly disagreed, and Weisenberg said that the legislation clearly states that the bonds can be used for both deficit and Sandy-related costs. “The legislation has been a matter of public record for three years, with consistent support through a very public legislative process that included home rule approval from the City of Long Beach at a public meeting … followed by overwhelming bipartisan approval in both houses of the State Legislature,” he said. “I know the Empire Center for Public Policy typically does not hesitate to voice its concerns about pending legislation. Therefore, I’m very surprised to learn that they are now opposing my bill after the governor has signed it into law. Perhaps a more timely position would have been advisable in this regard.”

Schnirman said that the new administration walked into a “mess” when it took office in 2012 — auditors in the state comptroller’s office said that for years, the previous administration had enacted budgets that made unrealistic estimates of revenues and expenditures, created an $18 million multi-year deficit and exhausted $21 million in reserve funds — but have since passed two balanced budgets and reduced spending. Last September, the city lifted its declaration of a fiscal crisis after Moody’s Investors Service revised Long Beach’s Baa3 credit rating outlook from negative to stable, citing the current administration’s “improved financial controls and policies.”

“The bill … will be a useful tool in our fiscal and physical recovery,” Schnirman said, “and we appreciate the state granting the city the authority to use this tool to enable potential tax relief for our residents.”