Nassau County Executive Blakeman Proposes $4.6 Billion Budget With No Tax Hikes, Increased Police Funding

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has presented his $4.6 billion budget proposal for 2027, a plan that aims to hold property taxes steady while increasing the number of county police officers. Blakeman, who is also the Republican candidate for New York governor, submitted the budget on Tuesday evening, shortly after being reelected to his local position last November.

"For the fifth year in a row, I have delivered a no-tax-increase budget," Blakeman stated. The proposal includes provisions for 36 new police officers.

The county's police department budget is set to remain largely unchanged at $1.1 billion, a figure that represents nearly a quarter of the county's total proposed spending. This allocation places Nassau County among those with the highest police budgets nationwide.

However, the budget has drawn criticism from some Democrats. Nassau County Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton argued that Blakeman's focus on his gubernatorial campaign has detracted from his duties as County Executive, suggesting the budget does not adequately address residents' needs. "Running Nassau County requires time and attention, and Bruce Blakeman has spent too much of both campaigning for governor instead of doing the job he already has," DeRiggi-Whitton commented.

Blakeman dismissed these criticisms, asserting that the county's financial health is strong. "Even the Democratic State Comptroller admitted that our finances were excellent," he said. "In the meantime, we continue to deliver the high-quality services that our residents demand."

Funding for the proposed budget is expected to come primarily from an estimated $1.7 billion in sales tax revenue, a projected increase of $68.9 million from the current year. Additional revenue sources include approximately $360 million in state aid and $247.5 million in federal aid. The county currently holds reserves of $740 million.

The budget proposal will now move to the Nassau Board of Legislators, which is controlled by Republicans and is expected to vote on the measure by the end of October.