County Dems urge Blakeman to deliver tax relief

As renting, utilities, and grocery costs rise not just all across the country, but also here at home, Democrats inside the Nassau County Legislature are urging County Executive Bruce Blakeman to deliver tax relief ahead of the budget proposal deadline last week.

Republicans, however, say that tax relief has already come — by eliminating proposed tax increases under Democrats.

They’ve cited a number of proposed cost increases affecting many locally, like Liberty Utilities wanting to hike rates by nearly 35 percent. The county’s Rent Guidelines Board voting to increase rents by up to 2 percent, excluding only the Village of Hempstead. And ongoing rising food prices — which were up nearly 5 percent over last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Democrats wanted Blakeman to deliver $128 million of tax relief, stemming from a 2021 campaign pledge from Blakeman promising to deliver property tax cuts “by over $128 million in a single year.”

Blakeman did not respond to the Herald’s requests for comment.

A $70-million tax cut included in the 2022 county budget, passed during the administration of Blakeman’s Democratic predecessor, Laura Curran administration, received unanimous legislative support, the Democratic legislators said during a news conference last week.

“Now is the time — as good students, as elected leaders — to come together,” County Legislator Siela Bynoe said. “The entire legislature and this administration: Provide a tax break.”

While tax cuts were delivered between 2018 and 2022, Democrats say last year’s budget passed under Blakeman included no tax cut.

But that’s not true, Republicans said. Richard Nicolello, the legislature’s GOP presiding officer, added his body eliminated tax increases planned under Curran between 2023 and 2025. He disputes the claim last year’s budget delivered no tax cuts, and said that relief came from cutting out a planned $35 million tax increase proposed by Democrats while Curran was still in office.

Even if that were the case, Democrats don’t feel that is enough.

“At a time when the costs for various commodities are increasing across the board,” Bynoe said, “this budget provides us with an opportunity to embrace the principles of good government and deliver relief to taxpayers in a meaningful and impactful way.”

Projections show that the county is on track to end fiscal 2023 with a significant surplus. Giving that surplus back to taxpayers — including a “modest portion” of county reserves — would make that relief possible, Democrats said.

Monthly reports from the county’s budget management office indicates that another $100 million could be added to various reserves this year.

Democrats credited Curran’s administration with providing a “fiscally solvent” government that “eased the burden” on Blakeman.

“Unfortunately, because of poor government policies, we have two Nassau counties,” County Legislator Carrié Solages said. “One Nassau County for the very rich, headed by Bruce Blakeman. And then the Nassau County in which everyone else is there. As a result, his budget reflects that.”

Everyday residents of Nassau need this relief, Bynoe said.

“We need a cut,” said the Uniondale representative. “We need a reduction. And we need it now. Families are suffering, now. They need the help, now.”

When the budget proposal was released last Friday, legislature minority leader Kevan Abrahams scrutinized the proposal, and said his party will continue to fight for “immediate” tax cuts that were pledged two years ago.

“Despite Nassau County’s sizable surpluses, healthy fund balance and over $1 billion in reserves,” Abrahams said, “County Executive Blakeman continues to break his promise to further cut taxes beyond the relief that the previous administration delivered to residents in 2022.”