That is why since his first term of office as a County Legislator in 1985 -- and for the last 25 years -- Steve has made controlling spending and taxes his number one priority.
As Suffolk County Executive, Steve Levy has delivered six consecutive operating budgets, each with a General Fund tax freeze or tax cut.
As Suffolk County Executive, Steve Levy has delivered three operating budgets with spending lower than the previous year's adopted levels -- a record that is unprecedented in Suffolk County and extraordinarily rare in any level of government anywhere.
Thanks to Steve Levy's prudent, conservative fiscal management, Suffolk County has received six bond rating increases to its highest level in history and has maintained these high ratings, even in the midst of a national economic crisis.
Examples of Steve's Smart Management approach are found in every area of the budget and include:
• Leading by Example: Steve annually takes less in salary than allowed by statute, totaling more than $70,000 since taking office in 2004. He has brought in many high-level staffers at lower salaries than their predecessors and has decreased the size of County Executive staff.
• Eliminating Perks: Upon taking office, Steve eliminated the costly, three-person team of high-level police officers assigned to drive the previous County Executive, and re-assigned those officers to police patrol duties.
• Curbing Perks: Steve removed cars that were doled out for political perks and established a pool vehicle system to make more cars available to the employees who need them during the workday.
• Controlling Costs: Steve cut unnecessary travel expenditures and implemented greater scrutiny over requests for conference attendance.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Steve has required a longer workweek for exempt employees and has curbed the payouts given to employees upon retirement for unused sick time.
As County Executive, Steve Levy maintains a close and constant watch on the county's finances and the local and national economy making budgetary adjustments early on and taking pro-active steps to avoid deficits or tax increases.
Upon taking office in 2004, he negotiated a deficit-reduction package to eliminate a projected $238 million deficit he inherited without cutting vital services or raising General Fund taxes.
In 2008 and 2009, facing a loss of sales and property tax revenues of more than $100 million, Steve Levy again crafted deficit-reduction packages that eliminated those deficits again, without cutting vital services or raising taxes.
Steve Levy shrunk the size of government through an early retirement and strict attrition policy.
Suffolk saved over $100 million by placing the county's health benefits program out to competitive bid.
Millions more were saved by requiring employees to utilize generic rather than name brand drugs.
Steve enhanced health care services and saved $3.5 million annually by privatizing the county's HMO.
Steve cut crime by 20% while reducing the rate of growth in the police department by two-thirds and by reforming the police department with a civilianization and redeployment program.
