Groups fear cuts to Nassau youth programs

Nearly 100 youth program advocates joined local Democratic legislators  Monday to protest what they said were likely cuts to contract agencies that provide services to needy youth.

At a news conference in Mineola, the groups said Mangano plans to cut $1.1 million from the county Youth Board's $6.2-million budget for contract agencies.

"These cuts hit hardest on community agencies within legislative districts represented by Democrats [and] . . . were politically motivated," Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead) said outside the County Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola.

County Executive Edward Mangano denied that the cuts are politically motivated. He accused Democrats of "circulating a list of Youth Board contract cuts that are far from accurate [and] . . . will not be finalized until April 16."

Mangano is under pressure from a state control board to close a $176-million budget gap, which he says he wants to do without raising taxes.

He said he also is working with state legislators to ensure that a new "red-light camera bill is enacted in order to restore most, if not all, the funding to our Youth Board contracts."

The State Senate has passed a bill that would double the number of red-light camera intersections in Nassau to 100, but the Assembly has not acted. The program netted the county $10.3 million last year and could raise $47 million this year as new cameras are phased in, a Mangano spokeswoman has said.

Speakers at the news conference included the Rev. Reginald Tuggle, pastor at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Roosevelt. The list of cuts provided by the Democrats included a youth project associated with the church. He said, "Our kids are not red [or] . . . blue. They are human beings with hopes and dreams. In the past few days, I have heard from kids and their parents who say in response to these cuts: 'What do I do now?' "

Later at a rally in Mineola against proposed reductions of union workers, Jerry Laricchiuta, president of Local 830 of the Civil Service Employees Association, told some 200 protesters: "This fight has moved from Wisconsin to Nassau County."

Mangano said: "Drama's fun, but saving taxpayer money will get the job done."
He added, "I invite all cool heads to come to the bargaining table to save jobs and services."