DAY AND DEMS MAKE PEACE AT LAST!

Rockland County Executive Ed Day & Rockland County Legislature Chairman Toney Earl Announce Compromise Agreements

FROM THE COUNTY–  In a strong show of cooperation between branches of government, Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Legislative Chairman Toney L. Earl announced a series of actions on the Sheriff’s Deputies’ contract, funding for nonprofits, and county finances.

“We are able to put our differences aside for the good of the people of Rockland,” County Executive Ed Day said. “We are very proud that we have reached these agreements and we look forward to working with our partners in the Legislature to strengthen our finances and provide the top-rate services that the people of Rockland deserve.”

“It’s been a long process and there may be a few issues that come up as we move forward, but I am confident that we will be able to work through them,” Legislature Chairman Toney L. Earl said. “I want all of us to remember this day. This day when we returned to the table, we communicated, we compromised and we collectively reached a conclusion for the benefit of the residents of Rockland.”

The agreements announced today include:

  • Settlement of a contract with deputies in the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department. These members of law enforcement have been without a contract for six years. The contract covers the period 2011 to 2016 and includes a retroactive 2 percent salary increase each year for 2014, 2015, and the first half of 2016, and a 3 percent increase for the second half of 2016.

 

  • An agreement to fund community benefit organizations for the rest of the year. These 32 organizations, which include Cornell Cooperative Extension, Child Care Resources of Rockland, Association for the Visually Impaired, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rockland, among others, received half of their funding, $673,941, in January. We have now agreed to provide the second half.
  • An agreement to go forward with the Tax Anticipation Note, or TAN, that we pass every year. This is a $60 million note that acts as a bridge loan so we can pay school districts, towns and villages the taxes that they have levied. Without this note, our schools, towns, villages would grind to a halt.

The issue of the future of the county-owned Sain building will also move forward, with a discussion planned for a special joint meeting of the Legislature’s Planning & Public Works and Budget & Finance Committees.

The symbolism of holding a joint news conference in the lobby space between the offices of each branch today was not lost on those present.

“It is a good day for Rockland County Government and most importantly, it is a good day for Rockland County Residents,” Earl said.

County Executive Day said, “We hope we can continue to work together to make positive changes for Rockland County.”

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