Rockland County residents may face a double-digit property tax increase and a couple of hundred more county employees could be laid off, according to Rockland County Executive Ed Day. 

On Tuesday night, the Democratic majority in the county Legislature turned down Day's proposal to raise Rockland sales tax by half a percent for three years.

The resolution was written to address the tens of millions the county will likely lose because of the pandemic. 

During Tuesday night's online discussion, Deputy Majority Leader Philip Soskin said the tax increase could be too much for people who are unemployed.

"A half of 1% is nothing, but we're talking about a half a percent which brings us up to New York City sales tax of...8.875%," he said.

Day also proposed selling the county-owned Sain Building in New City, which has been vacant since 2017. His team says it was eyed up a few years ago by a buyer willing to pay over $4 million.

They say the sale would be used to offset the county's deficit. 

The resolution was pulled out of Tuesday night's meeting for further deliberation. Day told News 12 these delays will cost county residents.

"We're looking at something that would add a nickel to a $10 purchase. Compare that to a 15% county property tax increase. Compare that to laying off a couple hundred people who have been there for us during our most critical times," he said. 

The board also didn't vote on his proposal to extend the Oct. 1 deadline to submit next year's budget by a few weeks, saying it wasn't allowed under the county charter.