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Mahoney Unveils 2014 Budget Plan

Courtesy of Facebook

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoneypresented her 2014 County Budget to the County Legislature today for review.  The budget proposal includes property tax cuts and a 3 percent decrease in overall spending.  Mahoney asked the Legislature to retain the levy at the same spot as last year, saying it's important to find a balance between property and sales tax revenue.

“They are down $39 million in the levy since 2011 and when you add that up year after year after year the reductions in the levy total about $152 million,” said Mahoney.

Mahoney also proposes a $1.5 million economic development fund to provide immediate money to a project that will create future jobs.

“If there is a need at the end that’s modest and Onondaga County can benefit from the job growth we want to be in a position to very quickly make that decision,” said Mahoney.

Mahoney_Economic_Development.mp3
Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney talks about a new economic development plan.

In an effort to curb spending in the public safety budget, Mahoney is looking at ways to reduce overtime costs.  She says much of the spending comes from monitoring mental health patients.

“We proposed building a new wing that will allow a deputy to maintain that visual contact with more people at once and thereby reduce those overtime costs,” said Mahoney.

Mahoney says the county will also lose about $1 million in federal money because overcrowding in local jails prevents the housing of federal inmates.  The Ways and Means committee will start combing through the budget on Monday.