Audit plans fuel pols' dispute over timing

A plan by the Republican county comptroller to audit a park district and pool in Nassau's only Democratic-controlled town has touched off a confrontation between North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Comptroller George Maragos.

Kaiman contends Maragos' review of the district, run by the town board using town employees, is a "backdoor way to audit the town" during an election year. He insists the county comptroller -- whose Republican chief deputy ran against Kaiman for supervisor -- doesn't have the authority.

"It amounts to an illegal audit that appears to be for political motivation," Kaiman said. "The county is burning and they're coming to us."

But Maragos denied that politics played any part, saying he was responding to complaints from several town residents alleging misappropriation of pool funds.

Maragos said the county charter gives him authority to audit towns and special districts. And despite a state takeover of Nassau's finances in January, "the county is not burning," Maragos said, adding that his projections are "quite favorable" for the county's budget this year.

"I want to assure everybody this is not going to be a political witch hunt," Maragos said. "It will be strictly limited to auditing the pool district."

The dispute could come to a head Monday, with Maragos' audit team scheduled to go to North Hempstead town hall with subpoenas. Kaiman said he will not turn over town records.

"Maybe the way to resolve this is to let a court settle this once and for all," Kaiman suggested. "It should not be that anyone can do anything they want with other governments."

Kaiman said he had offered Maragos the opportunity to review all financial transactions in the Clinton G. Martin Park District, which has its own line on the town tax bill. Kaiman said he also asked Maragos to wait for an opinion from the state comptroller and attorney general about auditing powers.

But Maragos declined, saying he would proceed with a formal audit. "The problem with using an informal approach, if we were to find something wrong, it would not have any impact at that point," Maragos said.

Maragos pointed out his Democratic predecessor, Comptroller Howard Weitzman, had audited water districts run by the Republican-controlled Town of Hempstead.

Kaiman noted that Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello last election night -- after the GOP won control of the county -- told Newsday he would focus next on North Hempstead. Kaiman also pointed out that Maragos' chief deputy, Frank Moroney, the North Hempstead Republican leader, had run unsuccessfully against him in the past.

"The county Republican leader said he's coming after me. Coincidentally the Republican town leader decides for the first time ever they're going to audit the town six months before the election," Kaiman said.

Maragos said Moroney has no part in the audit. Moroney said he removed himself at the start to avoid any conflict. A comptroller's spokesman called allegation of Mondello being involved "Pure fantasy."