Nassau departments brace for budget cuts

As the Nassau Legislature this week begins hearings on the 2012 budget, many county departments are bracing for a funding nightmare that could scale back key services and dramatically reduce the number of employees on Nassau's payroll.

A Newsday analysis of County Executive Edward Mangano's $2.63 billion budget for fiscal 2012, which begins Jan. 1, shows deep cuts for several critical county agencies, including housing, public works and consumer affairs.

But the pain also would extend widely. Most county offices would see cuts of 5 percent to 15 percent as officials try to close a projected $310 million budget gap, according to the analysis.

Some cuts will be obvious to Nassau residents, including closings of museums that don't generate revenue. Others may take longer to notice, such as fewer road repair crews or social service workers.

The largest share of savings will come through layoffs, overtime reduction or elimination of vacancies, Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin said.

Mangano has cut about 300 jobs this year, and next year he will pare another 710 positions -- reducing the county's full-time workforce to 7,400, a nearly 12 percent decrease in one year. Those remaining on the county payroll, Nevin said, "will be required to increase productivity."

But, Civil Service Employees Association president Jerry Laricchiuta said agencies are already operating with diminished budgets and manpower. "I cannot think of a single department in this county that can lose another employee without reducing services to residents even further," the union chief said.

In advance of the legislative budget hearings, which begin Thursday, Newsday examined hundreds of pages of budget documents for 2011 and 2012. Following are examples of the biggest losers -- along with some departments that will see funding increases -- in Mangano's 2012 budget. The Legislature must pass the budget by Oct. 30.

Deep cuts

The Office of Housing and Community Development, which promotes home ownership, neighborhood stabilization and homelessness prevention, would take the biggest percentage hit of any county agency -- a 71 percent cut in funding that officials said they will achieve through layoffs. Under Mangano's plan, its budget would shrink from $1.4 million to $404,000.

The cuts appear to target administrative units that apply for federal housing grants and then administer those dollars.

Marge Rogatz, president of Community Advocates, a nonprofit group focused on affordable housing issues on Long Island, called the cuts worrisome. If Nassau is not committed to meeting HUD guidelines, "we will lose federal and state support for programs that are essential to the county at large and communities in need," said Rogatz, of Roslyn Heights.

Mangano's office -- which would see its own funding drop by 28 percent -- declined to make the head of the development agency, or any other department head, available for interviews, noting that they were busy working on their layoff lists. County officials declined to offer an explanation for why certain agencies were cut more than others. Nevin would say only that cuts to all agencies would be achieved primarily through staff reductions.

The Department of Public Works, one of the county's largest agencies, would experience the biggest dollar loss: Its 2011 budget of $138 million would be pared by 42 percent, to less than $80 million. The cuts would target crews repairing Nassau roads and bridges, managing county vehicles and fixing broken traffic signals. The department, however, would transfer some maintenance services to Parks, Recreation and Museums.

"These cuts will affect the quality of life in Nassau County," said Legis. Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck). "If they don't have the staff, what will happen as problems arise? Who will address them?"

Steve Antonio, acting director of the independent Office of Legislative Budget Review, said the cuts reflect the seriousness of the county's fiscal problems. Critical functions and resources, he said, must be maintained but "all the other stuff may go by the wayside."

Some cuts are already in place. The Departments of Public Works, Assessment and the Assessment Review Commission each experienced significant layoffs earlier this year.

Funding increases

Some offices are getting a funding bump -- though only to handle new or added responsibilities after other departments were cut.

The 35 percent increase for the medical examiner's office would go primarily for added staff at the police crime lab. The lab was closed in February in the wake of allegations that police managers may have failed to disclose inaccurate testing.

A 5 percent increase for the county Legislature is due to $1 million allocated for the 2012 redistricting process. The Office of Emergency Management would get 18 percent more funding for an emergency notification system, Nevin said.

Parks, Recreation and Museums is getting a 9 percent increase as it absorbs maintenance employees and contracts from Public Works. The county elections board will get a 22.5 percent increase, officials said, to gear up for the 2012 primaries and presidential election, boosting its budget from $13.8 million this year to $16.9 million in 2012.

Pain all around

Most departments, however, will need to do more with less under the Mangano budget.

Nassau police would see a 2 percent reduction in funding, from $700 million in 2011 to $685 million in 2012. They also face the potential closure of two precincts and the end to rules requiring minimum manning of precincts.

The Sheriff's Office/Correction Center would take a 4 percent hit.

Unions representing law enforcement officials contend Mangano's budget cuts would jeopardize public safety.

Elected officials running county departments also won't be spared.

County Comptroller George Maragos said a proposed 14 percent cut to his office would leave vacant positions unfilled. Claims against the county would take longer to pay and approvals of county contracts would slow, potentially leading vendors to walk away from jobs, Maragos said.

"These essential functions would suffer or take much longer," Maragos said. He plans to ask the administration to add back some office funding.

District Attorney Kathleen Rice's office would face a 5 percent budget cut. "These cuts will increase the burden on prosecutors and staff, but we will continue to find creative ways to protect the public more efficiently and effectively," Rice said in a statement.

Big cuts in Nassau -- and some increases

County agencies facing the largest cuts in the 2012 proposed operating budget:*

1. Housing and Community Development: 71%

2. Traffic and Parking Violations: 46%

3. Public Works: 42%

4. Assessment Review Commission: 42%

5. Commissioner of Investigations: 38%

Agencies with the largest proposed increases:

1. Medical Examiner: 35%

2. Board of Elections: 23%

3. Emergency Management: 18%

4. Parks, Recreation and Museums: 9%

5. County Legislature: 5%

Budget hearings

The full Nassau County Legislature will hold hearings beginning this week to review the 2012 budget:

Thursday, health and human services: Sessions at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Oct. 12, finance, public works and public safety: Sessions at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and at 6 p.m.

Oct. 28, final Hearing: Sessions at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Hearings will be held in the legislative chamber at 1550 Franklin Ave., Mineola.

The Legislature must vote on the budget by Oct. 30.

*Excludes departments merging into new agencies in 2012. Includes cuts already implemented through layoffs and retirements in 2011.

Source: Nassau County