Oyster Bay fiscal monitor legislation reintroduced in Albany

Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), one of the bill's authors, at a public hearing at the Manhasset Public Library on Aug. 27, 2018. Credit: Yeong-Ung Yang
Two Democratic state legislators have reintroduced a bill to impose a fiscal monitor on the Town of Oyster Bay.
“The objective here is to provide the sorely needed oversight,” said Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), one of the bill's authors.
The measure, if adopted, would impose a monitor, appointed by the New York State comptroller, with the power to reject budgets and override town government decisions, if necessary, to maintain the town’s fiscal stability. The monitor would also make recommendations, issue reports and have access to town records.
Lavine first introduced the legislation in the Assembly in 2016, shortly after the town’s credit rating was downgraded to junk status by Standard & Poor’s. Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford) introduced the bill in the Senate in 2017, shortly after Town Supervisor John Venditto resigned to focus on his legal defense on federal corruption charges. Venditto was acquitted on those charges. He faces unrelated criminal charges in state court and a civil case filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission for alleged securities fraud.
With Democrats now controlling both houses of the State Legislature, Lavine and Brooks said the legislation has a better chance of passing this session.
Oyster Bay town spokesman Brian Nevin said in an emailed statement the bill was “unconstitutional and politically-charged.” Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino is a Republican.
“The Saladino administration has been a model for best practices and fiscally-conservative budgeting principles,” Nevin said, citing improved finances and a credit rating upgrade for the town last year.
Oyster Bay financial documents show that the town’s capital debt — bonds and bond anticipation notes — has decreased to $710.8 million at the end of November from $808.6 million at the end of 2016.
Brooks said the bill was intended to “protect the taxpayers and make sure that government is going right.”
“If things are perfect, that audit will say that they are perfect and he’ll have a gold star,” Brooks said, referring to Saladino. “And if things aren’t perfect, then he’ll have some explaining to do.”
Last year the state comptroller’s office designated Oyster Bay as being under “significant” fiscal stress with the fifth worst stress score in the state.
Lavine and Brooks said the appointment of Brian Noone as the town’s inspector general this month to oversee contracts demonstrated the need for additional oversight. Two town board members have called for Noone’s resignation for not disclosing his consulting work with the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency. Noone said he hadn’t been asked for a client list.
A spokesman for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the governor’s office would review the legislation.
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