ONEIDA COUNTY FISCAL RECOVERY FROM COVID

ONEIDA COUNTY FISCAL RECOVERY FROM COVID

Welcomed county legislators back for their first in-person weekly since march 11th!

But it was for a very somber conversation about the dire steps that will likely have to be taken, in order for the county to recover from fiscal disaster brought on by the coronavirus.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris reports.

Nat sound 12:22 "it's good to have you back in chambers in person" from there, it was almost all downhill.

Oneida county executive, anthony picente, thanked his health department, sheriff's department and other county workers for pressing on through the highly stressfull pandemic.

And quickly turned to the county's dire financial situation due to the coronavirus pandemic-a double blow that threatens our lives and our wallets .

None .

None 43:08 "in this issue, you have people out of work and you have a healthcare crisis.

A pandemic that multiplies the need for resources and expenses" among the steps picente is looking at to keep the county afloat and recover: early retirement incentive, for those 55 and older who'vev worked for the county at least 10 years.

That involves a $17,500 payout per person.

Also- a 15% across the board reduction in next year's budget, from this year's.

Picente said sales tax is down 3.1 million; best case scenario for oneida nation revenue is $7 million down.

Stand up 50:02 "the county executive threw terms like 'crisis of epic propoertions' and 'unprecedented' at the county's current fiscal crisis due to the coronavirus and says come fall, we could have conversations no one wants to have 44:41 "yeah, borrowing money to pay your bills, that's the worst thing to do.

It's the worst thing to do on a personal level, it's the worst thing to do on a governmental level" that hasn't happened in nearly 30 years....since 1992.

But this...has never happened before.

New at six...the county executive talks about why raising property taxes isn't a palatable option.

Jf, nc2.

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