Taxes: they’re what this year’s county executive race is fundamentally about. As Republican incumbent Cheryl Dinolfo and Adam Bello, her Democratic opponent, lay out how they’ll approach county government, they’re really talking about how they’ll spend money that comes from county, state, or federal taxes. They’re talking about how they’ll manage the county’s $1 billion […]
child day care subsidies
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Brooks budget keeps tax rate flat; GOP again takes up sheriff pay
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks’ final budget proposal, on the surface, is not a shocking proposal. She keeps the property tax flat — her legacy accomplishment as county executive — at $8.99 per $1,000 of assessed value. But shortly after Brooks released her plan last night, County Legislature Republicans introduced and passed a measure that […]
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Legislature passes 2015 county budget
The 2015 Monroe County budget is a done deal. Last night, the County Legislature passed County Executive Maggie Brooks’ $1.2 billion plan as-is, without so much as a technical amendment. The Republican majority defeated the few amendments proposed by Democrats, which included efforts to restore child day care funds and to halt plans for outsourcing […]
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[UPDATED] Assembly Democrats want increase in child day care funding
For years, Monroe County’s child day care subsidy funding has been a concern of local child advocates. And during the 2014 county budget debates, a proposed $1.3 million cut in the county’s contribution to the programs became a major issue. Child advocates and Democratic legislators pushed for the funding to be restored. But administration officials, along […]
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County budget passes, but new political battle emerges
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks’ 2014 budget proposal passed last night with a party-line vote. The 19 Republicans voted in favor, while all 10 Democrats voted against. The final budget is unchanged from Brooks’ initial proposal, with one significant exception. Prior to the meeting, Republicans announced that they would eliminate a proposed $37,000 pay increase […]
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Interfaith group calls for child care funding boost
An interfaith group is calling on Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and County Legislators to restore $1.3 million in proposed cuts to day care subsidies. And it wants the county to put in an additional $600,000 on top of the $1.3 million. The $1.3 million cut is included in Brooks’ 2014 budget proposal and comes […]
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County officials say day care subsidies are a state issue
Local children’s advocates and faith groups have flooded County Executive Maggie Brooks’ office in recent months with letters requesting a $1 million increase in local funding for low-income child day care subsidies. But the push is apparently not sitting well with county officials. During a Legislature committee meeting last night, Kelly Reed, commissioner of the […]
