[February 09, 2009] Legislature delays action on layoffs: Suozzi to union officials: Pursue solutions, then we'll talk Tweet (Newsday (Melville, NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Feb. 9--The Nassau County Legislature put off action Monday on a bill that would allow the county to lay off nearly 1,000 workers, including 250 police officers, officials said. Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who met with union leaders late Friday, said in a statement Monday morning that he had asked union officials to "speak with their members and pursue solutions and then to come talk to me." "They have done so and I am hereby requesting the legislature to reschedule consideration of the layoffs from the meeting on February 9 to the February 23," the statement said. The presiding officer, Legis. Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) said committees would act Monday on two other recommendations -- to raise energy taxes and allow the partial shutdown of county offices -- by Suozzi. Suozzi has said he wants county workers to take a 7 percent pay cut or he will impose layoffs by April 1 to help close a budget gap of at least $130 million in the $2.6-billion county budget. The head of the largest union representing county workers thanked the legislature for putting off the layoffs bill, and urged them to support the 2.5 percent sales tax on oil, gas and other sources of home heating. "We need at least two weeks to see if we can come to an agreement," Jerry Laricchiuta, president of CSEA Local 830 told the legislators. But the leader of the Republican minority, Legis. Peter Schmitt of Massapequa questioned why Suozzi would delay the layoff measure, while pushing the other two bills. "If we're going to delay -- and I think the delay is prudent -- we should delay the whole thing. I am very suspicious," Schmitt said. Yatauro said in a statement that she was delaying the vote on the measures at the request of Suozzi. To see more of Newsday, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsday.com Copyright (c) 2009, Newsday, Melville, N.Y. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]