We were lied to! I am outraged at County Executive Mangano’s proposed budget for 2011. One shot deals, inflated revenue projections, increased borrowing, selling of valuable public lands – Mangano wants to party like it’s 1999. In his first nine months in office, Mangano has proposed borrowing $500 million (Yes, half a billion!) to balance the budget. Mangano promised to fix the assessment system only to propose borrowing $350 million (obscene) to pay the tax refunds. Mangano’s budget lists $100 million in “cuts to wasteful spending” but gives no details. Under the prior administration expenses were reduced to bare essentials so some very needed services will be getting the axe. Veterans, seniors, youth board look out, the devil is in the details and Mangano has yet to provide those. Mangano’s “order” to take $61 million back from unions is pompous and ignorant. This needs to be watched closely so that Mangano doesn’t mortgage our future for minor concessions now. Mangano campaigned on ending the energy tax and thereby foregoing $40 million in revenue that the County clearly needs. Now he wants the middle class working families of Long Island to pay for his miscalculation and empty promises. We have been down this road before and his name was Tom Gullota. That ended with Nassau County in bankruptcy and a necessary 19 percent tax increase. I look forward to the upcoming budget hearings on this poorly planned hoax of a budget proposed by Mangano. I want to hear what my Nassau County Legislator, Joe Belesi (R-Farmingdale) has to say. Legislator Belesi – will you stand up to you own party like our last legislator had a reputation of doing or will we just have to vote you out too come next November?
Brendan Mahoney
Farmingdale resident
