Nassau's ongoing problems are structural
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano speaks to the NIFA board in December. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Regarding "NIFA should show restraint" [Letters, Jan. 20], the writer suggests that the Nassau Interim Finance Authority give County Executive Edward Mangano additional time to balance prospective tax receipts against county expenses. The letter does not address the essential problem.
For more than 25 years, Nassau County has had the same problem. Former County Executive Thomas Gulotta, a Republican, could not balance receipts and expenses, and the state approved a financial bailout. Then Thomas Suozzi, a Democrat, defeated Gulotta. And Mangano, who campaigned on NIFA's criticism of Suozzi, defeated him. Now Mangano is struggling with a similar situation.
This leads to the conclusion that the structure is faulty and must be changed.
It behooves the Nassau County leadership to name a panel of the best brains in the county, culled from all political parties as well as academia and business, to recommend the changes necessary.
Leslie E. Schwartz
