Backward step at Nassau IDA

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman appears to be wielding his political paintbrush again. This time, Nassau’s Industrial Development Agency seems to be getting the red coat of paint.

Last week, Blakeman removed three Democrats from the county IDA board. To fill two of the three spots, Blakeman chose William H. Rockensies, a Republican who served as a Hempstead Town engineering commissioner, and Reginald A. Spinello, a member of the Independence Party who served as Glen Cove’s mayor after running for office on the Republican ballot line.

The third remains open — for now.

Blakeman’s move runs counter to previous efforts to make the county IDA less partisan and more balanced. Former Democratic County Executive Laura Curran, for instance, retained three Republican IDA board members, including the former chairman, Timothy Williams, who served under Curran’s predecessor, Edward Mangano, and remains a member. Under current Chairman Richard Kessel, the IDA had moved toward becoming a more open organization, adding public comment to meetings and encouraging a more businesslike environment.

Blakeman should avoid the temptation to turn the IDA into a home for his political friends.

How about filling the open seat with someone who boasts significant economic development knowledge or experience? More importantly, Blakeman has IDA salaried jobs to fill — including the chief executive and executive director positions recently vacated by Harry Coghlan, and the chief operating officer slot, previously held by Danielle Oglesby. The county executive told the editorial board he hasn’t given thought to those positions yet. But he should, soon, to allow the IDA to run smoothly and effectively.

Then there’s the IDA chairmanship. If Kessel doesn’t stay on long-term, it’s imperative the new chair understands what Long Island needs to thrive in the future. Appointing a person known primarily for partisanship would send an unfortunate message about Blakeman’s administration.

The newly composed IDA has to find the right balance between saying yes to tax incentives for good projects and no to breaks for Amazon-style warehouses or any developments that don’t need incentives to jump-start the region’s economy. Deploying professionals who have a background in housing, now that more of the IDA’s work involves supporting multifamily housing proposals, or who understand the complexities and importance of downtown revitalization and large projects like the Nassau Hub, would help in that mission.

Blakeman told the editorial board he was focused less on party and more on “people who shared my philosophy and who I felt comfortable working with.” He also said he plans to have an “aggressive economic agenda” — with the Nassau Hub at the top of his list.

That bodes well; the Hub will be key to his success. In his upcoming appointments, he can show he means what he says.