Coliseum group needs to disclose spending
The Nassau Coliseum. (July 6, 2011) Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
A new "Vote Yes 2011" campaign committee registered last week with the state Board of Elections, geared to the Aug. 1 referendum on whether Nassau should fund a new Uniondale arena.
Michael Picker, senior vice president for the Islanders hockey organization, is committee treasurer. Picker said the campaign is strictly a company effort: "We're not asking for any money -- just supporting our own cause." As reported here last Monday, state election officials noted referendum efforts, like individual candidacies, must disclose finances.
On Friday, a statewide disclosure deadline, the election board had yet to post spending numbers for the committee. Picker said all requirements will be met.
Picker said the committee is striving to send the message that voters must decide if they'll protect employment currently tied to the Coliseum -- or accept loss of the franchise and essentially put further pressure on their taxes and services.
ODD NUMBERS: Without fundraising, ex-County Executive Thomas Suozzi's campaign chest still has more cash on hand, $1.26 million, than incumbent Edward Mangano's, whose $833,876 in contributions since January helped the Republican reach the $1.19-million mark. "Friends of Tom Suozzi" pays Bruce Nyman $4,166 per month; the former county press aide fields media inquiries, does prep work on TV appearances and handles the Democrat's "political correspondence."
NO HARD FEELINGS?: In what seemed like one of those strange little "Smallbany" occurrences, Jerry Weiss, a lobbyist with longtime ties to ex-Gov. Mario Cuomo, signed an "assurance of discontinuance" last year, ending an inquiry into his having acted as a pension placement agent without a securities license.
Weiss agreed to pay $78,000. The paper as signed by both sides -- Weiss and a top aide to then-Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo -- states that Weiss admitted to no allegations. Last month, new disclosures show, Weiss contributed $10,000 to the campaign committee Andrew Cuomo 2014, Inc. Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said there was "no correlation."
BIZARRO BUFFALO: While Nassau's legislative districts are contested in court, a variation of the battle continues in faraway Erie County. Democrats on Long Island are resisting a Republican map, while the Erie Republicans were recently disputing Democratic plans. But Erie, unlike Nassau, also has been mulling a reduction in the number of legislative seats.
