Consultant proposes $319M in Nassau cuts

An outside financial consultant on Friday proposed up to $319 million in possible budget cuts to help solve Nassau's fiscal woes, including closing museums, redrawing police precincts and slashing the budgets of county elected officials by 15 percent.

A national auditing and financial advisory firm hired by a state board that controls Nassau's finances also warns in a draft report that the deficit in this year's $2.6 billion county budget will approach $200 million -- much higher than any other agency has estimated.

The Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which took control of Nassau's finances in January, hired the Grant Thornton firm to review county operations. Grant Thornton's 351-page draft, which was obtained by Newsday, was sent to the county Friday -- less than a week before County Executive Edward Mangano must submit his proposed 2012 budget.

The consultant notes that Nassau faces "extraordinary fiscal challenges" and says the report seeks "to offer a wide range of options and ideas that will help Nassau County prioritize services and programs."

"In general, we recommend the elimination or significant reduction of services which are nonmandated, nonessential and/or not cost reimbursed," the consultants said.

Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin said the county was "in the process of reviewing this report, which was received at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. County Executive Mangano welcomes all productive suggestions to reduce the size of government while not placing an additional tax burden on homeowners and employers."

NIFA chairman Ronald Stack could not be reached Friday night for comment.

Many of the consultant's recommendations have already been addressed by Mangano. For instance, Grant Thornton recommends the county eliminate its guarantee to refund other taxing districts' share of property taxes paid in error because of erroneous assessments -- a move already approved last year.

While Mangano warned county employees earlier this week that he may have to lay off 800 of them to close a projected deficit next year of $310 million, Grant Thornton proposes reducing the workforce by 1,596 workers. Personnel expenses, the report notes, are among "most readily available for reduction."

Many of the consultant's proposals would require changes in existing union contracts, including a recommendation to reduce paid days off, excluding holidays. The report notes that Civil Service Employees Association members are entitled to about 44 days off annually, plus 13 county-paid holidays, while police get 60 days off.