Executive Joanie Mahoney proposes job cuts and tax hikes
Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.
SYRACUSE -- Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney will propose a property tax hike, layoffs, job furloughs and a dip into the rainy day fund to balance the county budget for 2010. On Monday, Mahoney shared much of what she will announce Tuesday morning in the chamber of the Onondaga County Legislature. Much of what she will announce is similar to the budget changes she announced last month.
Under Mahoney's proposal, property taxes would go up 2.9%. 54 county workers would be laid off in addition to the 116 positions that will remain vacant through a hiring freeze. Mahoney plans to furlough all non-essential county workers 33 days in the coming year. She will also move $5.3 million from the county's rainy day fund to help close next year's $38 million budget gap. Mahoney says, "That's a one time transaction of money from our account to our operating budget and I'm going to ask the legislature to be very careful they don't go beyond that because they'll jeopardize our bond rating."
The county executive does not see the furloughs as the best option for cutting the cost of labor. Mahoney has limited the number of layoffs, but adds, "It's still going to be very painful. I still think the better solution is to work full schedule at full salaries in 2010 at the 2009 level."
County workers are nervously waiting to hear all the details of the budget plan. CSEA Union member Denise Hunter said, "We heard some conversation, there's some talks about possible furloughs and layoffs, some people because of those rumors are afraid." The CSEA leadership has rejected the administration's request to renegotiate contracts saying there are other areas where cuts can be made.
Two key county programs that have been on the chopping block may be saved by this budget plan. The Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery could be operated by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Those talks are ongoing. Van Duyn nursing home may also be saved as a county run facility, but would be funded by another as yet unnamed source.
