Mondello pans Nassau staffers' raises

Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello last week criticized the county's elected officials for giving raises to their appointees while union workers' pay remained frozen for three years. At Thursday's regular GOP executive leaders meetings, Mondello complained to County Executive Edward Mangano, Comptroller George Maragos, Clerk Maureen O'Connell and the county legislature's presiding officer Norma Gonsalves about raises they gave employees who can be hired and fired at will, several attendees said.

"You need to govern smart," he told the officials, including Mangano, who had railed against his Democratic opponent Thomas Suozzi for raising his own salary while county executive.-- Celeste Hadrick