By MIKE CAPUTO and MIKE RUSSO
Shortly before the legislative session, the Democratic majority announced that the additional cutbacks were necessitated by changes in the economy since the budget was initially proposed by County Executive Thomas Suozzi in September.
"Due to the severe economic downturn which has impacted government at every level, we in the Legislature needed to make additional cuts to many programs that were originally proposed by the administration in mid-September," said Legislator Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), the Legislature's presiding officer.
The cuts included the reduction of working hours for crossing guards, which yielded $1 million. Accompanied by Civil Service Employees Association union leaders, most of the county's 430 crossing guards attended the legislative session to protest the cuts, which did away with office hours during winter and summer breaks.
The list of cuts also included the elimination of salary increases for about 700 non-union employees in various county offices, and a decrease in funding for various programs like the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Educational Assistance Corporation.
Shedding $30 million in expenditures enabled the Legislature to pass a budget that kept the property tax increase at 3.9 percent, which was the same rate originally proposed by Suozzi. "We couldn't look to the taxpayers and say, 'Bear the entire burden,'" said Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick). "We had to look to the government as a business and say this burden is going to be shared as fair as possible. That's what we did."
The Republicans offered an amendment to the budget proposing $38 million in cuts and savings instead of the property tax increase, and also the creation of a rainy-day fund of $23 million in anticipation of further economic troubles. The amendment failed in a 10-9 vote.
Legislator Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), the Republican minority leader, said some of those cuts could have been made by eliminating many of "patronage jobs" - non-union, non-civil service employees who work directly for Suozzi. While some of those jobs are important, Schmitt said, there are many such employees who do no more for Suozzi than "hold his coat."
"They didn't cut one patronage job," said Schmitt. "They're cutting all the essentials, but all the fat - and there's a lot of it - is still there. This budget is not going to work. It's going to end up in deficit; it's going to cause a lot of pain to the residents of this county; services are going to suffer; and the revenues that are projected in the budget are phony. When it starts to fall apart in six to eight months, I'm going to be very happy to tell them I told you so."
Crossing guards protest reduction in hours
Crossing guards, who are limited to 20-hour work weeks, have full-time employee status with benefits because they are often obligated to fulfill police clerical duties between their morning and afternoon shifts on the streets.
Since summer break limits their work opportunities, crossing guards have had the option of working office hours. Most of them take advantage of the opportunity, said officials and crossing guards who attended the legislative session. The cutbacks take that option away, and CSEA President Jerry Larrichuta compared the situation to a layoff.
"As far as I'm concerned it is absolutely a layoff, because they will not have an income for two and a half months in the summer," Larrichuta said.
He added that crossing guards typically make between $15,000 and $25,000 a year, and stressed that their service should not be compromised. "We are going to lay off our lowest-paid county workers - people who had dedicated their entire lives here, people that are the patrons of our children, their guardians," Larrichuta said.
Legislator Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow) argued that the cuts in the police department, especially to the crossing guard fleet, could impact public safety. "It is important not only to me but to the entire body that public safety cannot be compromised," Gonsalves said.
Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey explained that, like the crossing guards, department cutbacks directly affect the inner office but do not impact the public safety presence. "Public safety will not be compromised," he said.
Yatauro stressed that all crossing locations will be covered, and there will be no layoffs or loss of benefits. "To help us economize, we are asking that crossing guards forgo summer clerical work provided at area precincts for the summer weeks when schools are closed," she said. "We appreciate the fine work of our crossing guards, but concessions had to be made."
Mildred Gehlmer-Dorsa, a crossing guard who works at various posts in central Nassau County and was recently hit by a car on the job, said she feared that the reduction would put her medical benefits in jeopardy. Though county officials asserted that benefits are safe, Gehlmer-Dorsa said that the loss of summer hours will be felt across the board. "We work with police, parents and PTA to keep children [safe]," she said. "We want to feel safe and secure in our own way."
Marie DelMare, president of the Nassau County Crossing Guards, echoed Gehlmer-Dorsa's statements, arguing that while they take their lives in their hands every day, the loss of summer hours will be devastating to them. "We won't survive," said DelMare. "It's going to hit home in more ways than one."
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
