Dutchess 2013 Budget Cuts $7.6 Million in Spending

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Credit Hank Gross

  Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, Monday, presented his proposed 2013 budget of $408.3 million that comes in under the two percent state tax cap and reduces spending by $7.6 million.

Molinaro attributed the reduced spending plan to his three-pronged approach at reinventing county government.

“One is to overcome the $40 million projected budget gap. The second was to transform the way in which county government functions demanding a greater degree of efficiency, greater agility to meet community needs and to do so by right-sizing county government,” he said. “The third goal was to insure that we not unduly shift the burden to taxpayers.”

Molinaro’s budget includes 100 employee reductions, 75 of whom came from early retirements. Only nine filled positions will be impacted, he said.

The county executive’s spending plan also includes consolidations and realignments of a number of departments and county functions.