A recent column published in this paper completely missed the point about the race for Nassau County Executive. The 2009 campaign isn’t about who can raise and spend the most money; it’s about who is best able to govern our county for the next four years.
Who will be able to stop the bleeding that our taxpayers have endured for the past eight years, while the county budget increased $800 million? Who will turn around the current agenda to increase taxes by nearly 4 percent each of the next four years?
I have put together a plan that will stop this wasteful spending; freeze and fix Nassau’s broken tax assessment system, saving taxpayers $100 million annually; repeal Nassau’s recent home energy tax and create jobs and opportunities. I have recently written legislation that will immediately reduce utility bills for property owners, while creating much needed jobs.
Since receiving the Republican nomination for County Executive this past May, I have been listening to the people’s concerns as I travel about Nassau. It is crystal clear that our residents are struggling from the burden of escalating taxes. They are looking for change.
Perhaps it would have been more beneficial for your readers if the columnist had focused his views on who is best suited to solve the problems in Nassau rather than who has the most money to spend. Had the columnist bothered to call, he might have gathered more meaningful information to share.
Besides, there are many examples of candidates who were outspent but still emerged victorious. Steve Levy is one that immediately comes to mind.
For more information about my plan for Nassau County, please visit edmangano.com. Of particular interest in the download section of the site is a non-partisan report by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) that clearly shows the county is headed in the wrong direction. It outlines the dire situation concerning Nassau’s financial condition as a result of bad fiscal practices employed by the current administration.
I have no doubt that, between now and Election Day, we will earn the confidence of the voters who will ultimately decide the direction they want Nassau County to be headed in over the next four years. We’ve got serious issues that need to be addressed.
I am duly prepared to take on those difficult challenges and do what is necessary to restore Nassau as a place where we can afford to live, work and raise our families. And, I am fully committed to staying in the job for the next four years, regardless of how much money my campaign raises.
Ed Mangano is a Nassau County Legislator and Republican Candidate for Nassau County Executive.
