Republican lawmakers in Suffolk County say cuts to the police department might not be necessary. Legislators want a full accounting from County Executive Steve Bellone on how federal funding has been spent.
Bellone announced last week that 20 million dollars will be cut from the police budget if the federal government does not step in with more help. That drew criticism from Legislator Rob Trotta.
“It's fearmongering, plain and simple,” Trotta said.
Republican lawmakers want details from Bellone on how the county has spent more than 200 million dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds.
Legislator Kevin McCaffrey says he doesn’t think more federal money is coming, and it’s time to account for what the county already received.
“It's kind of like a scare tactic to say, ‘Hey, you know, your public safety is at risk if I don't get this money from the federal government.’ Our whole county government is at risk,” McCaffrey said.
Bellone has said that most of the federal money has already been earmarked for other COVID-19 expenses incurred while responding to the pandemic.
