Extended federal shutdown could begin to affect Suffolk County operations

As two sides in Washington dig in on a stalemate to reopen the federal government, the ramifications for county governments won’t be drastic initially, county officials said. But an extended federal shutdown, which began last Wednesday after the U.S. Senate failed to pass a funding bill, could begin to impact the local economy and dry up funding used for critical social services initiatives. "We are very concerned about this," Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, a Republican, said Friday at an unrelated news conference. "Government should operate. Government should not shut down. It's unfortunate that it's come to that and everybody has to play chicken." Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that during the first few days of a shutdown, there's little direct impact on county governments. Suffolk Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer and chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee, said the shutdown is not "directly affecting the operations of Suffolk County that I know of," while acknowledging it can be "hurtful" to some residents.

Flotteron said he doesn’t envision the federal shutdown impacting Suffolk’s 2026 proposed budget, which is under review by legislators this month.

Suffolk County’s 2026 recommended operating budget released in late September includes $274 million in federal aid, which accounts for 5% of total revenue. The county budgeted about $296 million in federal aid in 2025, according to budget records.

"Any federal funding the county receives from grants is on a reimbursement basis," said Michael Martino, Romaine's spokesperson. "The county has sufficient cash reserves to cover expenses until funding resumes."

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Prospective college students in New York can apply for free to nearly 130 higher education institutions statewide this month and in November, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has announced.

Dandan Zou reports in NEWSDAY that participating universities and colleges in the 3-year-old fee waiver include the State University of New York and City University of New York systems and dozens of private institutions, Hochul’s office said in yesterday’s news release.

An application fee typically ranges from $50 to $90, according to the governor’s office.

"By waiving application fees at SUNY, CUNY and nearly 50 private colleges across the state, we’re saving families money and ensuring that more students can access the opportunities and futures they deserve," Hochul stated.

With the fees waived, students can apply without worrying about that cost and then decide after they evaluate and compare the financial aid packages from the colleges, she said.

For SUNY campuses, each student can have the application fees waived for five SUNY schools from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3.

The SUNY schools on Long Island include Stony Brook University, Farmingdale State College, SUNY Old Westbury, Nassau Community College and Suffolk County Community College.

For families living paycheck to paycheck, educators said, the fee waiver reduces stress for them during an application process that can feel overwhelming.

Students can look up the complete list of participating schools on the New York State application waiver webpage, which also includes the time frames of the waiver period, which differs from school to school.

For the CUNY system, students from New York City schools can apply for free from Oct. 27 through Nov. 21. For those from outside the city schools including Long Island, the waiver period is in effect from Nov. 10 through Nov. 21.

Prospective college students in New York can apply for free to nearly 130 higher education institutions statewide this month and in November, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has announced.

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