Mangano, NIFA chair declare cease-fire

After months of sniping at each other, County Executive Edward Mangano and the chairman of the county's financial control board Wednesday declared a cease-fire.

Ronald Stack, who heads the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, and Mangano issued a joint statement saying they intended to work together to solve the county's fiscal woes.

"We collectively recognize that the county's financial problems are serious and that a cooperative effort between Nassau County and NIFA will be required to address them," the statement said. "We are prepared and committed to work together to address the county's financial challenges and to meet these challenges in a responsible fashion."

That contrasted sharply with exchanges that date back to January, when NIFA, a state oversight board, took control of Nassau's finances. For instance, on July 29 NIFA accused Mangano of ignoring its directive to remove $225 million in questionable revenue from the 2012 budget. It said the county was violating the law and warned that the board would consider "specific orders" to balance the budget.

Mangano responded, as he has in the past, by accusing NIFA of trying to force him to raise property taxes -- which NIFA board members deny. "I inherited a fiscal mess that was created on NIFA's watch," Mangano. "The time is now for NIFA to provide solutions."

Several NIFA and Nassau officials credited Nassau's budget consultant, Abe Lackman, for the new cooperation. Lackman, budget director for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former finance secretary for the Republican Senate majority, could not be reached yesterday.

Mangano hired Lackman's firm, AJ Consulting, last month, for $24,500 to help devise "long-term" budget solutions. Asked if Lackman was instrumental in bringing Stack and Mangano together, aide Brian Nevin said Mangano "has continuously expressed the desire for cooperation."

Mangano spokeswoman Katie Grilli-Robles said the statement reflects the fact that expenses continue to rise despite millions of dollars in spending cuts made by Mangano.

She said labor costs will grow by $163 million next year, because of union contracts by former County Executive Thomas Suozzi, which Mangano voted for as a county legislator. "These costs will continue growing through 2015. To that end, the county is working cooperatively with NIFA to address the fiscal challenges our county faces," Grilli-Robles said. Suozzi declined to comment.

While Stack could not be reached for comment, NIFA board member Chris Wright said: "It's a general positive statement that will hopefully be accompanied very shortly by specific positive action to balance the budget."