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State, county officials take aim at proposed budget cuts

By Alvaro E. Alarcon

CATSKILL — State and Greene County political leaders have been zeroing in on eliminating proposed cuts in state funding to the county government, with two Assemblyman saying constituents are seeing tight economic times.

Officials representing Greene County have focused on proposed executive budget cuts to community college, welfare and juvenile delinquent programs. The Greene County Legislature adopted resolutions voicing opposition Wednesday to the proposed cuts, seeking to keep funding at current levels.

Assemblyman Tim Gordon, I-Bethlehem, represents the towns of Coxsackie and New Baltimore and Assemblyman Peter Lopez, R-Schoharie, represents the other towns in Greene County.

Lopez this year has been critical of rising gas prices, and Gordon said Tuesday, “Working families are overburdened.”

The Executive Budget proposed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer contains figures that remain the same under new Gov. David A. Paterson.

The proposal contains $800 million in cuts, bringing the total in the governor’s budget to $1.2 billion. With cuts looming, local officials fear so-called “unfunded mandates” in which the state requires programs in municipalities or school districts but doesn’t pay for them.

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