“While there are some positives in the budget proposal that I applauded, such as the increase in BOCES staff salaries, there are a number of items that have been rejected from the state budget that I found discouraging. The taxpayers of Suffolk County and the rest of New York state deserve to know their state lawmakers have their backs, especially in such difficult times. The epidemic of substance abuse, public safety issues and bail reform, mental health support and more need to be addressed in the budget so funding is directed appropriately. Furthermore, statistics and reporting on these pressing issues have to be accurate across the board when making policy changes. There is a lot of work to be done before the budget proposal is where it needs to be.”