County Executive-Elect Demands Fund Cuts

Broome County Executive-elect Jason Garnar wants the head of the Legislature to come up with $1.4 million in cuts from spending in the upcoming budget to make up for diverting money from the general fund to restore the sales tax revenue sharing with the municipalities to 50-50 ahead of schedule.

The Democrat says restoring the share early could put the County finances in even deeper stress and could jeopardize the government’s credit rating.

Garner, in a letter to Chairman Daniel Reynolds, said he supported the return to the sales tax formula to municipalities but not by depleting the fund balance.

Garnar says he wants a list of $1.4 million worth of budget reductions submitted to his office no later than January 2.