For Suozzi, an incumbent's burden
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After nearly eight years in office, Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi enjoys an incumbent's advantages. But in some ways the current tax and fiscal crisis also gives him a heavier incumbent's burden than he carried into his re-election four years ago.
Knowing this, Legis. Edward Mangano, the Republican challenger, looked to pound away last night at a candidates debate on the fiscal troubles and high taxes of today. His apparent goal: to capitalize on whatever Suozzi fatigue may be available among the voters next Tuesday.
"If you think you're better off than you were eight years ago, then perhaps my opponent has earned your vote," Mangano said. But he said he, by contrast, would cut waste, fix the problem-ridden assessment system and, as he has repeatedly, pointed to a critical Nassau Interim Finance Authority report as evidence that the county is "heading toward insolvency."
"Small businesses are dropping like flies," Mangano said.
As a debater, Suozzi was agile in anticipating Mangano's effort to build a case against the incumbent's fiscal record. Suozzi pre-emptively mentioned property taxes at the outset - and said that school taxes, which he doesn't control, pose the main tax problem in the county, stemming from unfunded state mandates.
Suozzi quipped at one point that his 2006 run for governor was aimed at fixing such problems, though it didn't work out well for him.
After Mangano spoke on transportation and youth programs, and Conservative Party candidate Steve Hansen called for eliminating the county sales tax on clothing under $500, Suozzi chided both: "You've got to give specifics" on what would be done to cut expenses or hike revenues to balance a budget battered by the national economy, he said.
"I don't like taxes, and I'd love to do all these things," Suozzi said.
In a recent Newsday/News 12/Siena poll, the Nassau residents surveyed showed a 56 percent favorable rating for Suozzi but also a 34 percent unfavorable, with only 10 percent expressing no opinion. By comparison, Suffolk Executive Steve Levy - who ran last time with both major-party lines - drew an enviable 62 percent favorable in his home county with 23 percent unfavorable and 15 percent expressing no opinion.
Behind the scenes, Suozzi and allies, either to manage expectations or keep the adrenaline flowing, have noted that while Democrats show better enrollment numbers than Republicans these days in Nassau, not all the registrants are hard-core voters, while the GOP retains a reliable electorate.
And so, Suozzi said at one point, "I know I've got to do a good job because there are going to be more Republicans voting in this election than Democrats."
Conservative candidate Hansen, who works in Suozzi's consumer affairs department, presented himself as what some might see as a rightward alternative to Mangano, who sat between them. Hansen opposes abortion and supports other conservative party platforms.
The Nassau GOP has declared the goal of winning back a majority in the 19-member county Legislature. That's why Suozzi repeatedly said, "I and the Democrats in the legislature" turned the county around.
When all but the stage lights briefly blinked out at the Hofstra student center auditorium Mangano quickly shot off the one-liner of the night.
"It's the house energy tax!" he quipped - a reference to the county's utility charge imposed to collect $39 million, which Mangano said he'd move to eliminate if elected.
