Immediately following Governor Pataki's announcement of the Zarb plan, I flew to the state capital to meet with the state legislative leaders.

I met with state officials in order to push for the approval of key elements of the Zarb plan and urged the bipartisan support and the strength of "political will" necessary to implement the tough measures needed to balance the county's fiscal year 2000 budget and ensure the county's future fiscal health. The meetings were very positive and very constructive. The message that I delivered to state leaders was that the Zarb plan provides vital state support, offers the rationale for the spending cuts we are already doing, ensures a strong bond rating and ensures the county's future fiscal health, without restricting the powers and governance of our locally elected officials to implement the tough measures needed to establish fiscal stability. Pursuant to the plan, all of this can be accomplished without a tax increase.

The plan is consistent with the $110 million in government spending cuts and new revenues that I have already enacted administratively and with the County Legislature's support, since January 1 of this year. We have cut $110 million in government spending and we will continue to cut. Consistent with our actions, this plan calls for spending cuts and adds to it, a positive element of $100 million in unanticipated state revenue over five years that will assist in the process of transitioning from non-recurring revenue to recurring revenue without the necessity of a tax increase.

At a breakfast meeting with the governor to discuss the interim plan, emphasis was placed on the fact that the plan will resolve the issue once and for all, without the necessity of a tax increase. I am particularly pleased that the governor emphasized that it was the time to stop the "finger pointing" and time to deal with the issue responsibly, a point I have long been advocating.

The proposal would require additional government spending cuts over the next four years, will provide $100 million to new state revenue and will provide $5 million to enable the county to eliminate a backlog of certiorari claims which will benefit claimants and cut the county's overall spending.

As soon as I receive the state legislation, I will call an emergency session of County Legislature, asking that the legislators adopt a home rule message requesting the State Legislature to adopt the necessary enabling legislation expeditiously.

I am determined to balance the fiscal year 2000 county budget, and to implement a five year fiscal plan that will ensure the county's future fiscal health. This plan puts the issue behind us once and for all. This plan creates the framework that I was hoping for, to build the strength of bipartisan political will to enact the tough cost-cutting measures necessary that will balance the fiscal year 2000 budget and ensure the county's future fiscal health. If there were one word to describe this plan, it would be perfect. It accomplishes everything I had hoped for.

It is time for all of our locally elected officials to stand tall, step up to the plate and demonstrate the bipartisan strength of "political will" to enact the tough measures necessary to solve this problem and put it behind us once and for all.