Mangano: Nassau unions need a reality check

Edward P. Mangano is the Nassau County executive.

Like many counties and states, Nassau County is facing tough economic times. Our challenges are amplified by a wasteful assessment system and kick-the-can-down-the-road labor contracts. Nassau's public employee unions must begin to realize that to address decades of structural imbalance, everyone involved with the delivery of government services has to participate in the solution.

Unfortunately for public employees, some union presidents have launched a fear and intimidation campaign rather than enter realistic negotiations that could prevent an additional 1,000 layoffs beyond the 710 included in my budget. While the reaction from union leaders is sadly predictable, it is no way to truly help the hardworking individuals they represent -- particularly now, when times are so tough for employees and residents alike.

We all know that Nassau's labor unions have the ability to participate in solving Nassau's fiscal crisis. Right now, their contracts guarantee employees annual salary increases, longevity pay, free health insurance and educational allowances that do not require any education. Over the life of the current contracts, growth of total benefits was projected to exceed the Consumer Price Index by more than $500 million. Together with other archaic contractual requirements that drive up overtime, these contracts are simply unaffordable.

Nassau faces a projected $310-million deficit for 2012 -- a large percentage of which is driven by labor compensation increases. To address this deficit, my budget changes the culture of taxing and spending, which has brought us to where we are today. For the second year in a row, it does not include a property-tax hike. That's because our problems are not tax-driven; Nassau's problems are spending-driven. So my budget reduces Nassau County's year-to-year spending for the first time in a generation, and seeks to reform unaffordable labor contracts.

Over the years, the contractual benefits Nassau County workers receive have grown out of line with other municipalities in New York State and across the nation, as well as the private sector. I am implementing commonsense reforms, such as employee contributions toward health insurance premiums and an end to paying employees $600 a year for education expenses they never incurred. I will also require police officers to work additional days; simply put, the 61 paid days off our officers receive each year is too generous and leads to overtime costs that are unaffordable.

My plan reassigns police officers from their desk jobs and puts them where they are most needed: patrolling our neighborhoods. This approach combats the built-in overtime included in the contracts, while bolstering the number of law enforcement professionals available to fight crime.

Claims that these changes will make the streets unsafe are disingenuous. Shortly after taking office, I assigned 49 more police officers to patrol. The result was a nearly 11 percent reduction in violent crime here in our county, even in the midst of a negative economy, which is uncommon. This is a testament both to our police officers and to our ability to manage efficiently.

I call on union leaders to enter into meaningful negotiations immediately, as resistance will only result in additional layoffs. Furthermore, I call on the legislature to approve this budget and help move its reforms forward. Working together, we can and will fix Nassau's fiscal problems without undue service disruptions.