Suffolk County To Get $286M In Federal Aid: What You Should Know

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Suffolk County is slated to receive approximately $286 million in federal aid under the American Rescue Plan, Executive Steve Bellone announced Thursday.

The money will help prevent layoffs and avoid the planned budget cuts to public safety, transportation and contract agencies that were expected to be implemented in July, Bellone said. The county will also be able to continue providing essential services to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds come as an agreement with legislative leadership due to the unprecedented economic and fiscal environment created by COVID-19.

"For months now we have been calling on the federal government to provide much-needed disaster assistance, and thanks to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and our entire Long Island congressional delegation, Congress has delivered a resounding victory for Long Island businesses, families and local governments," Bellone stated via news release. "During a crisis, our residents rely on county government more than ever, and the $286 million in federal aid will allow the county to avoid drastic cuts to critical services and provide the resources necessary to recover from the pandemic over the next few years."

Bellone announced in October that, because of projected budget shortfalls, Suffolk would have to make reductions to services and staffing levels in its 2021 operating budget. The proposed cuts included reducing the size of the workforce by 500 full-time positions, which would have created a savings of $25 million in 2021 and an annualized savings of $50 million, according to the county.

Additional cuts outlined in the 2021 operating budget that will be restored include transportation service reductions of $13 million and cuts to contract agencies worth $16 million, both on an annualized basis, along with $20 million in public safety reductions.

Restored cuts to transportation will prevent the planned discontinuation of 19 Suffolk bus routes that could have impacted 2,300 riders daily.

The federal funds will also restore police classes and deputy sheriff's classes that were canceled, which will allow for the hiring of new Suffolk police officers and deputy sheriff's officers who also train at the police academy, according to Bellone. The money will also prevent the elimination of funding for the school resource officer program and allow the county to fully restore cuts to the five East End police departments and other local police agencies.

Contract agencies, such as substance abuse clinics, mental health providers, domestic violence shelters, and gang prevention programs were expecting a 50 percent reduction in county funding. However, the American Rescue Plan will prevent any reduction in county funding for the programs.

"As a result of our collective advocacy and the great work of the Biden administration and Majority Leader Schumer, the passage of the American Recovery Act will allow previously anticipated cuts to Suffolk County's 2021 budget to be averted," Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Rob Calarco stated. "This boost from Washington is critical to our county’s recovery efforts and will protect the essential services and workers that our residents count on every day. By working with County Executive Bellone and my colleagues in the legislature, we will now be able to take action to avoid impacts to our workforce, keep critical services from not for profits in place, and our buses running."

Suffolk also passed Proposition Two, which allows for the transfer of excess funds in Suffolk County's sewer assessment stabilization reserve fund to the Suffolk County taxpayer trust fund.

Bellone has, for months, been working with a bipartisan coalition of local, state, and federal lawmakers to advocate for the federal government to provide justified disaster assistance for state and local governments, the county said. Governments across the state have been sounding the alarm on the dire financial situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for federal aid to ensure a strong economic recovery and critical services to be able to continue.

"Last year we faced uncertainty about the future of our county in many ways," Suffolk Legislator and Minority Leader Kevin McCaffrey stated. "The first was the health and safety of our residents and secondly, the economic impact. In developing our budget in the fall we were forced to make drastic contingency cuts due to this uncertainty. The COVID Relief Bill along with better than expected sales tax revenue will allow us to eliminate those drastic cuts to jobs and services, important to our workers and residents."