Blakeman rolls out $4.4B preliminary budget, keeping tax levy flat, hiring police

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has proposed a $4.4 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year that keeps the tax levy flat, adds 68 new county positions and dips into the county's reserves.  

The administration's preliminary financial plan for next year supports a county workforce of 7,585 full-time staff, according to the budget summary. The county employed 7,174 full-time workers as of early September. 

Salaries, wages and benefits for employees make up 52% of all county expenses, the budget book said.

Blakem an, a Republican, is running for reelection in November against Democrat Seth Koslow, a legislator from Merrick.

Blakeman's budget, filed by the Sept. 15 deadline, will be the last of his first term in office. It is likely to gain the approval of the Republican-controlled County Legislature when it comes for a vote at the end of October following public hearings. 

The county budget must also get the approval of Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county's state-appointed fiscal watchdog, which last year took the unusual step of initially rejecting it.

"I am pleased to submit my fourth consecutive no-tax increase, fiscally sound budget that takes into account our additional investments in law enforcement and keeping the quality of services at the most cost effective amount," Blakeman said in a statement to Newsday. 

Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle declined Newsday's request to go over the budget with administration officials.

More than 50 of the newly created positions are in the police department, according to Blakeman's budget plan. Nassau's adopted 2025 budget included a police department headcount of 3,406. As of early September there were 212 vacancies in the department with a headcount of 3,246.

Blakeman has budgeted for a police department headcount of 3,458 for 2026, with two new police academy classes each with 100 recruits, according to his budget proposal. The county's police budget is about $631 million. 

Democratic lawmakers say they are concerned about the proposal's spending on litigation and cuts to emergency services.

They point to spending $191 million in the county's litigation fund and the hiring of outside law firms to defend the county in several lawsuits filed under the Blakeman administration. The fund also covers legal settlements and  judgments. 

The budget proposal also decreases funding to the Office of Emergency Management, which helps coordinate during natural disasters like hurricanes, and reduces staffing to five full-time employees from eight.  

Legis. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) said Blakeman's budget "drains reserves."

"He brags about hiring police, yet left hundreds of vacancies from last year unfilled. This budget is reckless, self-serving and the last thing Nassau taxpayers deserve," Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said.   

Boyle said in a text message to Newsday the administration would be adding 100 new police officers next month.

Last week, Nassau's law enforcement unions endorsed Blakeman's reelection campaign. During his first term in office, Blakeman settled collective bargaining agreements with the county's Police Benevolent Association and the Correction Officers Benevolent Association.  

NIFA chairman Richard Kessel on Wednesday said there were "some concerns" with Blakeman's budget but officials there hadn't yet completed a full analysis.

"We just received the budget a couple of days ago and we are carefully reviewing it and hope to finish our analysis before the legislature takes a vote on it," Kessel said. 

Koslow told Newsday on Wednesday he thought the budget priorities were "backwards." 

"Instead of fixing the staffing crisis in our police department or helping families struggling with Nassau's skyrocketing cost of living, he's funneling taxpayer money to outside lawyers and donors," Koslow said. "Residents deserve honest leadership, not political games at their expense." 

Last year, NIFA officials criticized Blakeman's budget proposal for not adhering to several accounting methods.

Blakeman administration officials had to go back and revise the 2025 budget plan after NIFA rejected it, citing fiscal risks, including a $30 million reserve fund use, structural budget deficits and overreliance on dwindling federal pandemic funds.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.