Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is optomistic the county will receive the bulk of New York's late reimbursement money within the next several weeks. Picente was in Albany Tuesday  for a meeting with State Budget Director Robert Megna and Steven Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties.

"[I] received assurances that by the end of August all of the counties would be made whole, in terms of what outstanding money is owed. The vast bulk of it, as it was put," Picente said.

Despite the assurance, Picente withheld Oneida County's Medicaid payment, due to the state, for a second week in a row, again expressing concerns over cash flow.

"I still have to deal with cash on hand and running this place properly. I will continue to hold those payments until such a time that I receive significant relief," he said. Picente has said borrowing money to make Medicaid, or other payments, could lead to a lower bond rating for the county, resulting in higher interest rates.

He estimates Oneida County alone is owed about $32 million dollars in reimbursements for mandated programs. The payments have not been made due to a lack of a state budget. Lawmakers are back in Albany Wednesday for a special session, called by Governor Paterson, to work on a final budget. New York's budget deficit stands at $9.2 billion. The spending plan was due April 1st.