Editorial
EDITORIAL: Good luck to Nassau Executive-elect Mangano
Congratulations to Ed Mangano. The prize is his.
But Nassau's newly elected county executive already must have a better appreciation for the classic admonition: Be careful what you wish for.
Edward Mangano won with less than 50 percent of the vote, in an election marked by a woefully small turnout. He can't claim a big mandate. That may be a good thing. What's needed now are independence and clear-eyed policies.
Thomas Suozzi, who conceded yesterday, served the county well in his two terms. Now he deserves credit for not pursuing any legal challenges to prolong the inevitable. As the surprise winner, Mangano needs this transition time to prepare himself for a truly difficult job in very troubled times.
Mangano was carried into office not by a sweeping wave of support but by a riptide of unfocused anger over high taxes and economic uncertainty. He worked diligently to get elected, effectively deploying his loyal base in the Town of Oyster Bay. Now it would benefit him to get to know the rest of the county and its needs through town hall meetings or roundtable discussions with civic leaders. This would also give the county the opportunity to get to know Mangano. People will find he has an engaging openness, a real grounding in local issues, and a genuine desire to serve in public life.
Suozzi and his team have offered to assist him. Mangano, whose experience in elected office consists mostly of serving as a minority legislator, should accept. One of Suozzi's best accomplishments was to professionalize the executive staff. It's a model Mangano would be wise to follow.
Mangano won without much help from the county GOP. So he doesn't owe it much. Party leaders already are in full "to the victor belong the spoils" mode. But the voters surely weren't demanding that the clock be turned back. Bad financial choices and the weight of GOP patronage drove the county to the brink of bankruptcy a decade ago. Mangano said he would cut patronage, and now he must deliver. If Mangano is the new face of Nassau's GOP, many new faces should accompany him to Mineola.
To do that, Mangano needs to assemble a smart, focused transition team to find the best possible talent. This team should solicit resumes from everywhere and every party - not just the ones vetted by GOP headquarters.
Republicans said they had the magic formula to fix the broken tax assessment system, but before they hire a sorcerer, Mangano should meet with the current tax assessor, who has a solid plan. Starting anew would stall reforms when property values are declining. Most of all, the transition team should use the next few weeks to develop a strategic plan for Mangano's first year, when the toughest choices are best made.
Mangano and the Republicans who took control of the county legislature promised to repeal the energy tax on heating fuels. To fill that hole in the 2010 budget, Mangano should consider appointing a high-level advisory committee to recommend ways to replace that revenue or to cut spending.
Eight years ago, a destitute Nassau County turned itself around on Thomas Suozzi's shoulders. Now the county is placing its confidence in Mangano to continue to carry it forward. Congratulations, yes. And good luck. hN
