Reaction to Mangano speech split

Reaction varied to Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano's speech proclaiming fiscal recovery, with Democrats and union representatives leading the criticism, and Republicans applauding the message.

Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs and county legislative Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) said Mangano, a Republican, was not truthful in his Monday night speech in Bethpage to lawmakers and the public.

"I want to emphasize this point: Ed Mangano wants us to believe that his budget doesn't raise taxes, but he isn't telling the truth," Jacobs said in a release Tuesday.

Yatauro said: "Mr. Mangano took credit for many of [former Democratic County Executive] Tom Suozzi's innovations," like red-light cameras, Mitchel Field development and increasing the film industry in Nassau.

Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin responded: "The Democrats are nervous because they know Executive Mangano reined in spending, held the line on property taxes and put money back into the pockets of homeowners by eliminating the home energy tax."

The Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which pushed Mangano into making $180 million in extra cuts to his budget for 2011, was not mentioned in the speech.

That bothered E. Christian Murray, the president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce. "I was a little concerned that Mr. Mangano did not really address NIFA at all and how he plans to work with them in the future."

Union leaders, including Police Benevolent Association president Jim Carver and Civil Service Employee Association president Jerry Laricchiuta -- responding to Mangano's threat that they must make concessions or face layoffs -- said their members have pretty much given up all they can.

"We are in the last year of a three-year concession plan and labor has done its fair share," Carver said. "We are ready to discuss 2012, but we are through dealing for 2011."

Laricchiuta reiterated those sentiments and said: "If Mangano's saying that we're on the road to recovery, then I'd like him to explain that to my members, who don't think their future looks so bright under his announced plans."

But Anita McDougall, of Oyster Bay, a founder of LI Tax Reform, said Mangano needs the concessions, adding, "The past political promises to labor have contributed significantly to our current fiscal problems."

GOP chairman Joseph Mondello said Mangano and the Republican majority legislators are repairing 10 years of Democratic mismanagement and "putting Nassau's financial house back in order."