County Needs To Be Frugal

County Legislator Bridget Fleming agrees with Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman: Suffolk County needs to rein in spending.

Schneiderman is running for county comptroller. (ee article elsewhere in this section). “County finances are in disarray. We have a $100 million deficit. We are supposed to have a balanced budget,” he said.

“We have a debt service of about seven percent,” Fleming said, “so borrowing is not the problem. Our problem is revenues don’t meet expenditures.”

Fleming pointed out the county provides a wide array of services. “It’s a huge government. What we need is reliable revenue,” she said. In the past, the county has masked overspending by making infrastructure cuts to produce one-time infusions of cash, she added.

“Each year they add on to the deficit. They can’t help doing it,” said Schneiderman. “This is about the county.”

Schneiderman held the seat Fleming has for 12 straight years before winning the Southampton supervisor’s seat in the November 2015 election.

RM