KINGSTON – Faced with a massive cash shortage from the government shutdown due to the spread of the coronavirus, Ulster County legislators, meeting in committee on Tuesday, delayed approving funding for two organizations.
The Ways and Means Committee held off on approving funding for the County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Dispute Resolution Center.
Legislator Kenneth Ronk said lawmakers must consider the entire financial picture before making allocations like those.
“I think we need to have a holistic conversation because there is going to be, I am sure, organizations that we cut out the funding entirely. We have a $30- to $40-millon budget gap. I think that all of the organizations are going to have to show us some sort of a way to do with a little bit less in order to try and help us find a way out of the mess,” he said.
Lawmakers plan on continuing their discussion at their next budget session.
