HAUPPAUGE, NY—Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine submitted the first capital budget of his term in office today. It is the first time in four years the capital budget has been submitted on time. It includes funding for public safety, improving county infrastructure, upgrades and investment for Suffolk County’s Board of Elections.
“This budget addresses issues long neglected by the prior administration,” said Romaine. “County infrastructure—especially many buildings and other facilities—are in pitiful condition. The county’s IT infrastructure has still not recovered from the 2022 cyber breach, law enforcement needs additional resources, and we must make upgrades at the Board of Elections to ensure accurate, fair elections and prepare for the new even-year election law in New York State.”
The proposed 2025 Capital Budget is $488,760,526 and was submitted to the Suffolk County Legislature on April 15, 2024. The Legislature will review and suggest changes. The budget will be adopted after it is approved by the Legislature and signed by the County Executive. It is expected to be finalized in June.
“This budget represents a smart investment into our infrastructure and county operations that will continue to make this county safer and more affordable,” said Romaine.
The budget also includes significant investments for the Board of Elections for state-of-the-art voting machines to ensure election integrity.
“Changes in election law and questions in other areas regarding election fraud have caused us to move quickly to upgrade our systems and ensure fair and accurate election results in Suffolk County,” said Romaine.
Highlights of the 2025-2027 Proposed Capital Program include:
- Sewage Infrastructure
- $150 million for Carlls River-Wyandanch, Wheatley Heights and Deer Park sewer infrastructure
- $150 million to expand the Forge River Sewer District
- $139.5 million for upgrades for the Southwest Sewer District No. 3
- $101.3 for Smithtown sewers
- Public Safety
- $10 million for state-of-the-art tasers
- $10 million for body cameras and accessories
- $36 million for new public safety vehicles
- Bridges, Roads, and Transit
- $33 million to repair and resurface county roads
- $31 million NYS Route 110 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), connecting LIRR stations at Amityville, Republic Airport, and Huntington
- $24.5 million road safety improvement
- Information Technology
- $12.9 million for fiber cabling, network protection, hardware replacement, and technological disaster recovery upgrades
- $3.6 million for technology upgrades and digitization of records
- Quality of Life Projects
- $41.6 million for improvements to the county parks, including campsite upgrades and park upgrades
- $24.2 million for improvements and renovations for numerous county historical sites and museums throughout Suffolk County
- $23.1 million for dredging, upland disposal restoration, and new dredging equipment
- $22.5 million for Hike and Bike Master Plan
- Open Space Acquisition
- $15 million for farmland preservation
- Economic Drivers
- $45 million for waterfront development at Vanderbilt Museum
- $11.5 million for Mastic Beach Revitalization
- $4.7 million for improvements at Gabreski Airport
- $1.8 Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Program
- Board of Elections
- $20.6 million ($34.3 million over five years) for new voting machines and other infrastructure.
“I am proud of this budget,” said Romaine. “Every aspect, every dollar, benefits the taxpayers of this county. We are moving forward, preserving this county’s assets, improving quality of life and keeping our streets safe. We are doing the work that the people expect from its government.”
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