POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus vetoed the early retirement incentive program approved recently by the county legislature.

In his veto message to lawmakers, Tuesday, Steinhaus said he was concerned about “the excessive cost the program would have on property taxpayers” and said the only way the county would be able to achieve savings from the program would be by “the elimination of the positions with the resulting elimination of programs and services those employees provide.”

The program would cost taxpayers “more money than savings can be realized,” he said.

Assistant Legislative Majority Leader Angela Flesland, a Republican like Steinhaus, meanwhile, expressed her disappointment with the veto and disputed Steinhaus’ claim that the county would financially gain nothing.

“There is a mandatory cost savings of 50 percent over two years with the early retirement, so we were confident that we would be able to move the county forward in a positive direction by enacting that,” she said.

Legislator Alison MacAvery, a Democrat, said Steinhaus is spending millions on other fronts, but won’t approve the retirement plan.

“The current administration continues to allow exempt employees to have free health insurance costing the taxpayers over $500,000 a year; let’s not forget the chairs in the emergency center at $1,000 each; $3.5 million in bonding for a new phone system; and now $4.3 million in bonding is requested for a building for the medical examiner, which is now housed in Vassar Hospital,” she said.

Because the retirement local law must be sent to Albany by September 1, the county legislature will not have the opportunity to attempt a veto override.