D'Amaro, Horsley Re-Appointed to Budget Review Group

Legislators Lou D'Amaro (D–Huntington Station) and Wayne Horsley (D–Babylon) were appointed to serve on the Suffolk County Legislature's Operating Budget Working Group by Presiding Officer William Lindsay.

The two legislators, both previous members of this group, will be a part of an eight-member, bi-partisan panel tasked to providing a line-by-line review of County Executive Steve Bellone's proposed budget and suggest changes to the legislature.

"As Chairman of the Legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee, I have been working diligently with my colleagues to improve the County’s fiscal condition since the beginning of the year," said D'Amaro in a statement. "Residents have my commitment that I will continue to do this and to protect County taxpayers on the working group as we review the County Executive’s 2013 Recommended Operating Budget.”

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D'Amaro will be serving on the group for the sixth time in the last seven years; Horsley has also previously served on the committee, including last year's.

The Operating Budget is usually proposed by the County Executive in September, reviewed and amended by the working group throughout October and adopted by the full 18 member Legislature in early November. There are also opportunities for public input throughout the process via both special budgetary hearings and committee meetings.

“The Legislature has a history of carefully reviewing the County Executive’s proposed budget and making revisions when necessary,” said D’Amaro. “For six consecutive years we have adopted budgets that included no increases in General Fund property taxes while holding the line on spending. It is imperative that we strive to continue with this fiscally prudent record, even in the face of budget shortfalls created by the economic tsunami.”

Leg. D'Amaro serves a wide swath of Suffolk County from Huntington Station to Deer Park and West Babylon. Leg. Horsley serves mostly the areas of Lindenhurst through Babylon Village.