“It is with great pride that I can report to all that the state of our beloved County is strong.”
New City, NY, – County Executive Ed Day highlighted the incredible work of Rockland County Government employees during the pandemic and the continued growth of Rockland’s economy despite another year of challenges sparked by the pandemic. The County Executive spoke Tuesday night from the chambers of the Rockland County Legislature to Commissioners, Department Heads, employees, elected officials, and residents of Rockland.
One of the main focuses County Executive Day stressed was the strengthening of Rockland’s economy.
“Thanks to our commitment to responsible development, we have increased our total value of taxable real estate by $7.4 billion in five years; that’s a 21% increase,” said County Executive Ed Day. “This growth ultimately brings good jobs to Rockland, stabilizes our tax base, and shields families from the double-digit tax increases of the past.”
Rockland County’s unemployment rate is down to 3.3% and is among the lowest rates across the Hudson Valley region.
Rockland County received $63 million in Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, which is geared towards helping communities recuperate from the pandemic. The County Executive touched on grants recently launched to help residents including the Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program which is utilizing $500,000 of ARPA funds to support local businesses. Rockland County has already awarded funding to several restaurants through that grant.
“I am so proud of this collaborative effort that helps so many Rockland residents. These organizations support our communities, and it is our duty to support them in return, however possible. I’m proud to reimburse restaurants for unexpected costs forced upon them by the pandemic and this program will help ensure their economic recovery stays on track,” said County Executive Day.
Additional assistance utilizing ARPA funding is also on the way. Following the State of the County address the County Legislature voted to approve the Urban Green Spaces Grant, which will widen urban greenspaces and outdoor recreation options, and a Small Business Rescue Grant, to help reimburse small businesses for expenses incurred by COVID.
Below are some of the major highlights presented by County Executive Day.
Health Department:
- Administered over 57,000 COVID-19 vaccinations
- Redistributed over 32,000 COVID-19 vaccinations to Rockland providers
- Partnered with Office for People with Disabilities to vaccinate 3,000 individuals with disabilities
Planning Department:
- Completed 741 development applications for municipalities, a record high
Economic Development and Tourism Office:
- Brought in $958,000 in filming revenue in 2021
- Awarded $205,000 in Tourism Grants to 22 organizations
Department of Mental Health:
- Children’s Community Assistance, Response, and Engagement Team (CARE Team) responded to 237 referrals of individuals 21 and under, with behavioral or emotional challenges
Probation Department:
- Diverted 86% of youth from the Family Court system under the Raise the Age program
Rockland Codes Investigations Unit (RCI):
- Assessed $270,900 in fines in 2021
Office of Buildings and Codes:
- Conducted 411 inspections
- Found 447 violations
The County Executive concluded the speech with a reminder of how far Rockland has come since he took office in 2014, reiterated his commitment to leading Rockland further down the path of success and called for residents to get involved.
“We have improved and streamlined county government for the benefit of both the people we serve and for our taxpayers. Our years of conservative budgeting have paid off; we are fiscally healthy and can now focus on reviving and rebuilding Rockland for the future.”
View the entire event here: https://www.facebook.com/rocklandgov/videos/1575775699457755