Nassau’s officials laid out their spending plans for 2026 on Monday, presenting a “financially sound” approach aimed at maintaining the current tax rates.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman has outlined
Nassau’s officials unveiled their budget for 2026 on Monday, describing it as a “financially sound” plan that aims to keep tax rates stable.
Blakeman’s proposed budget of $4.2 billion will not increase property taxes for the fourth year in a row. This is despite the addition of over 50 new police officers and 15 other county employees.
“I am happy to present my fourth consecutive tax hike, with added investments in law enforcement and a budget that maintains quality services at the most reasonable cost,” Blakeman stated.
The budget also includes funding for two new police academy classes, with plans to recruit 100 officers each, along with two additional officer training classes.
Since beginning his term in 2022, Blakeman has onboarded more than 600 law enforcement officers and resisted cutting over $150 million that his Democratic predecessor, Laura Curran, had approved.
“Consequently, major crime has diminished year after year, dropping by more than 13% in 2025,” he mentioned in a budget communication to the county council that he shared.
“These initiatives are crucial for keeping Nassau the safest county in America and ensuring it remains the best place to live in New York,” Blakeman added.
The GOP-controlled council in Nassau is expected to approve the budget during a vote this fall.
“The proposals reflect our unwavering commitment to making Nassau a secure, affordable, and vibrant community for residents to live, work, and raise families,” Blakeman’s letter indicated.
However, not all lawmakers are impressed with Blakeman’s ambitious budget. Seth Coslow, a Nassau MP facing Blakeman in November, criticized, “Bruce Blakeman is promoting fiction, pretending to bolster the police force while bleeding resources and bragging about tax cuts that never happened.”
“Everyone on Long Island knows the reality. Under Blakeman, taxes and living costs have only continued to rise,” Coslow asserted.
