Mangano, Bellone support Cuomo's budget

The Nassau and Suffolk county executives said Monday that measures in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's new budget providing relief from state mandates would save them a combined $145 million over five years, while pension changes could reduce their costs by an additional $15 billion over three decades.

At a news conference in Melville, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, a Republican, and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, a Democrat, urged legislative approval of Cuomo's proposal. They praised a state takeover of growth in local Medicaid costs and the option of a new, cheaper pension package or a 401(k)-style retirement plan for future government workers.

"This is, in a sense, historic," Bellone said, also joined by Lt. Gov. Robert J. Duffy and Long Island Association president Kevin Law. "We've never had a chief executive in this state step forward and propose meaningful mandate relief."

That mandate-relief proposal -- including cuts in municipalities' early intervention and preschool special education contributions -- would save each county $14 million to $15 million a year over five years, Bellone and Mangano estimated.

"The challenges we face weren't created overnight. These are decades of failed policies and kicking the can down the road," Mangano said. "When you have to stop that can and kick it back, it is very, very difficult."

State labor leaders have promised to fight Cuomo on pension reform, saying they had agreed to pension cutbacks as recently as two years ago.

Jerry Laricchiuta, Nassau's Civil Service Employee Association president, said the pension, benefits and job security elements that traditionally compensated for the public sector's lower pay are being wiped out. "All three of those items have been attacked," he said.

Cheryl Felice, head of the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, said Monday that her union was reviewing Cuomo's proposal.

Bellone said his ultimate concern was the existing system's "fiscal sustainability," while Mangano noted future workers would still have the choice of accepting a pension or a 401(k)-type retirement.

Duffy said Cuomo was sensitive to union concerns, but added that municipalities won't offer as many good jobs in the future if they're being bankrupt now by pension costs.

"These changes aren't easy," he said. "They come with a lot of pain and resistance, but they have to be done."