MAY LEGISLATURE REPORT

OCC

A month in advance of submitting her 2007-2007 Budget, Onondaga Community College President Dr. Debbie Sydow reviewed the college’s five-year plan for the Education and Libraries Committee. A copy of the presentation is linked here.

My Legislature Report next month will examine the OCC Budget.

County Finances

The Ways and Means Committee received an update on the County’s 2007 financial performance. As I am not a member of the committee, I was not present to hear the report first hand. But, after reviewing the minutes and other material provided, I can confidently assert that Onondaga County is on track to achieve another balanced budget, indeed a surplus budget. 

On the revenue side, sales tax receipts are coming in close to budget. (This is despite the fact that the County Legislature recently extended a cap on sales taxes on motor fuels that was due to expire May 31. A news story on this decision can be found here Reflecting a good local economy, property tax payments are coming in as expected as well. Interest earnings on the County’s invested surplus are up and the DestiNY project has paid in more than $1 million in fees, now that construction has begun.

On the expenditure side, an aggressive program to hold vacant positions open has produced million-dollar-plus savings in salary and benefit accounts. Below forecast social services expenditures have produced similar savings. Medicaid cost increases remain a problem, despite the State Legislature’s passage of a “cap” on Medicaid costs. The folks who produce and track the County’s budget promised to talk about Medicaid at a future Ways and Means meeting, so more on this after that.

Finally, it is my hope that this budgetary success will continue into the fall, so that we have room to cut property taxes again this year. It is certainly my intention to recommend and push for such a tax cut.