Mangano Fundraising on NIFA Woes

Just when you thought you couldn't get any more cynical about politics.
Accidental County Executive Ed Mangano vows to fight for Nassau County Taxpayers against the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) take-over of Nassau County finances.
While he is doing that, he wouldn't mind if you donated to his campaign.
That's right, while Nassau's finances are being taken over by a Control Board, Mangano has taken this opportunity to raise some cash for himself. (maybe he wants to go out to eat some more)
So what if the Bond Rating for the county is downgraded?
Who cares if the reputation of the county is made worse by Mangano's ineptitude!
It's all okay 'cause Mangano has money in his campaign account.

I was at a local forum and on the table was a piece of paper signed by Mangano. Mangano was there along with Peter Schmitt to lie to the folks about NIFA.
The handout has a color heading that reads "URGENT: ED MANGANO IS FIGHTING NIFA'S TAX HIKES and he needs your help!"
Now just as an FYI, NIFA can't raise your taxes but that is for another post.
The rest of the handout is the standard line Mangano has been spewing for the past week.
Then all the way at the bottom after his signature is a "P.S." asking for a donation.
Now this this says "Help Ed Mangano stop NIFA's tax hike."
Exactly how in the world would a campaign contribution help his fight?
Isn't it the County as an entity suing NIFA? It's not Mangano personally suing them.
Here is Ed Mangano using a terrible situation for Nassau to make some money for himself.
The bigger problem here is that Mangano was at this forum as his offical capacity as County Executive and he is handing out flyers asking for campaign contributions. Unfortnately someone will be suckered into donating thinking the money is going to help "fight NIFA."
Something seems very unethical about this.

Click to enlarge...

Re-Arranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic - Mangano Replaces Spokesman

It's not the messenger, it's the message. That's what Mangano doesn't get. His spokesman Martino is talented and ran alot of interference for Mangano most of last year. But things are getting tougher for Mangano to handle and Martino came from the outside.
Mangano has circled the wagons and pushed spokesperson Mike Martino to Department of Public Works and brings in Katie Grilli-Robles, a connected local GOPer.
Martino was very adept in his messaging, I don't think Mangano realizes that the problem is he is just not suited to be County Executive.

A picture from happier times...

Newsday Calls for State Control Board Take-over of Nassau County

Newsday joins NYPost in pointing out the failure of Mangano. But the control board take-ver will effectively end Mangano's term as County Executive and put the republicans in the legislature back into the minority.

Mangano needs NIFA control board

"The longer you wait to fix a problem, the worse it gets and the greater the damage. The same scenario applies to a leaky roof or to Nassau County's looming 2011 budget gap.

The speculative budget approved for next year is unsafe for taxpayers. It could put bond ratings at further risk and result in tax increases or draconian cuts in services. But who should execute the fix? Should it be done now or later?

County Executive Edward Mangano doesn't yet have the situation in hand. The Nassau County Interim Finance Authority, the state oversight board, sidestepped a decision last night on taking control. That was the right call. By next week, NIFA should make public its justification for a control period and the urgency for it.

Yet while a NIFA control period isn't the desired solution, it might be the only one.

Mangano's contradictory behavior is eroding confidence in his skills. He alternately claims the budget is balanced and then turns around the next minute to shake his tin cup. His efforts to get concessions from the police unions have been amateurish. He got slapped down by his fellow Republicans when he sought a sales tax increase.

NIFA, which was created for a much greater fiscal crisis in 2000, remains, but with reduced powers. It's clear that state law requires NIFA to take control of the county's finances when there is a substantial likelihood that the budget is out of balance by 1 percent, which amounts to $26 million for next year. While there are estimates that the budget is out of whack by more than $60 million, the law is vague about when the control period is triggered.

A control board would give Mangano the hammer power he needs to freeze wages, reopen contracts and cut staff. Besides, the leaders of the police and civil service unions are reluctant to make any givebacks unless NIFA gives them cover.

Mangano working with NIFA control could be effective. But politically, it's a hit the GOP doesn't want to take in the New Year, when the county legislature is up for election. If Mangano refuses to work with NIFA - or if the legislature refuses to cooperate - NIFA can turn the screws by halting all short-term borrowing, the county's fiscal lifeline.

NIFA has armed itself with a powerful law firm and auditors. Mangano responded by hiring his former law firm. Republican leaders are sending out Comptroller George Maragos to bang the partisan drums and discredit NIFA. What we don't need is an ugly, partisan battle and costly litigation. That's a fight the taxpayer loses no matter who wins.

After Tuesday's NIFA meeting, Mangano said he would partner with NIFA unless he got union concessions. That's a step in the right direction. If NIFA needs to execute a hostile takeover, however, it must make a persuasive case that a control period is urgently needed and justified. A control board actually controlling the county puts us in uncharted waters. But a county executive who finds himself lost at sea would be worse. hN"

Mangano has MORE Plans to Raise Taxes

From the NY Post:

That's the depressing message coming from Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, who's reportedly pushing for a hike in the county's sales tax, perhaps by a quarter of a point.

That would bump the local rate from 8.625 percent to 8.875 percent -- tying New York City for the highest levy in the state (and that's saying something).

If that happens, it would stab Nassau residents in the back. After all, they dumped the prior county exec, Tom Suozzi, precisely because they were sick of high taxes -- and Mangano ran on a staunch anti-tax platform"

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/tax_first_cut_maybe_zqccCRvzB4miwh4ny4XIMN#ixzz175ksUjQk

Mangano's Favorite Felon

A reminder of the quality brought to Nassau County by Ed Mangano..

"Of all the appointments made by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano since taking office in January, one in particular is drawing questions: a $90,000-a-year minority affairs job that went to a man convicted of participating in a scam to sell patient information from Nassau University Medical Center.

"Prosecutors said in announcing the arrests in 2004 that three hospital employees were bribed to pass along personal information about patients, mostly Hispanics who were admitted to the emergency room after car crashes.

Flores and the others "solicited accident victims, referred them to attorneys, coached them to exaggerate their injuries and transported them to appointments with attorneys and medical providers," according to the felony complaint.

Flores served as the liaison between the employees and lawyers, prosecutors said. The complaint said Flores "gave a cash payment to . . . a public servant employed by the Nassau University Medical Center. . .with the understanding that. . . would provide the defendant with patient records belonging to NUMC."

He was sentenced on Nov. 9, 2005, to 60 days in jail and five years probation on his plea to a D felony, attempted bribery of a public servant, records show."

This man is allowed to represent Nassau County. How sad. This is patronage at its worse.. payback to a campaign worker who can't be trusted.

Irony Escapes Ed Mangano

There certainly is a disconnect with Mangano going on...
On his desk is a plaque that says "There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit."
How do I know this?
It's in a picture on the full-color, four page mailing that Mangano sent out listing his so-called "accomplishments" in his first 100 days. These brochures are also piled up for the public all over the county.
He doesn't mind who gets the credit, as long as it's him.
Even if Tom Suozzi did it already.




Nothing like a huge banner to prove your humility.

Conservative Columnist Slams Mangano

Raymond Keating in the NY Post let loose a volley of shots against Mangano that should have him and his supporters worried about a primary in a couple of years..

"Are New York Republicans any better than Democrats? It's not looking that way in Nassau County. After six months of GOP control in Nassau, things are largely business as usual. Rather than face the fiscal music, new County Executive Edward Mangano and the GOP-run Legislature are borrowing big-time, mistreating businesses -- and even gambling that gambling will bail out county government...

"In his State of the County Address in March, Mangano criticized the county's growing debt and blamed his Democratic predecessor, Tom Suozzi, for not budgeting enough to cover the annual refund costs. But Mangano is shifting the full cost of the refunds out of the operating budget onto long-term borrowing. That's a return to the bad budgeting of the past...

Then there is Mangano's plan to help the local economy -- or, rather, the lack of any real plan. He made a splash in April by making Nassau another hopeful in the game to get a Shinnecock Nation casino, which he'd put next to a new arena for the NHL's Islanders in Uniondale.

Casino revenues would help in closing the county's annual budget deficit, which is expected to top $200 million next year. But a Shinnecock casino is a long shot, at best -- and wouldn't be in place for years. In any case, gambling facilities come with costs to the community as well as benefits.

Borrowing to fund operating expenses; strong-arming businesses; placing a long-shot bet on landing a casino to close budget deficits: It all points to an unwillingness or inability to do the hard work of reining in county spending. That spells trouble for taxpayers"

Read the whole thing HERE.

For Mangano, the Buck Stops Somewhere Else

Lie #2 is a combo. During the campaign, Mangano took a shot at all the "patronage" under CE Suozzi and Mangano pledged to make cuts, "...Ed Mangano is dedicated to shrinking Nassau County’s bloated patronage system."
Mangano decried the high salaries and how these positions are filled "....the current county executive doubled the size of exempt patronage positions. These positions are highly paid, appointed, and unregulated by civil service exams, many receiving over $100,000 a year...
...these politically motivated appointments are a drain on Nassau County’s resources."

So, how exactly does former (read: defeated) Judge Carnell Foskey fit into all this?
Well, he was appointed to be Parks Commissioner.
Does it matter that he has NO experience running a park system?
Of course not, this is a PATRONAGE job with a salary of $136,000.
What makes it odder is that instead of being replaced, former Commissioner Jose Lopez becomes Foskey's Deputy and keeps his salary of $136,00.
So Mangano ADDS an inexperienced political insider for a high salary and keeps the former commissioner on for the same salary.
This looks like the experienced Lopez will be doing the work and Foskey will be getting a pay check.
Exactly how is that "shrinking the patronage system?"

The second half of this lie is Mangano pledging to cut salaries. How was the Foskey hire a cut?
But there is more....
Three years ago, a commission recommended salary increases for the County Executive, Comptroller, County Clerk and District Attorney. The County Executive salary increased to $174,614.
Mangano opposed the raise and voted against it.
But since January of this year, Mangano has been cashing that pay check happily.
If Mangano was opposed to the raise and says he has "....county payroll by $22 million", why isn't he taking it to the next logical step?
Why doesn't Managno put his money where his mouth is and have the legislature pass a bill that would cut the County Executive salary back to pre-2007?
Managno is laughing all the way to the bank.

A Lie Keeps Growing and Growing Until It's As Plain As The Nose On Your Face.

Republican County Executive Ed Mangano sent out a full-color, 4 page mailing (how much did THAT cost taxpayers) patting himself on the back for things he "accomplished" in his first 100 days in office.
Well, things aren't quite like he says.
We'll be going through his lies here on Nassau GOP Watch and making sure that the truth is known.
This post will start with Day #1 and Lie #1. Right out of the gates, Mangano is not quite telling you the truth.

LIE #1: "Repealed the Home Energy Tax." Mangano said in his inaugural address “The document I just signed makes good on my promise and that of my Republican colleagues, and the home energy tax is hereby repealed.”

Well...No, Not Really.

Sure Mangano signed a repeal but that was on January 1st. The "Energy Tax" stayed in effect until June 30th, a full six months later.
And he repeated the refrain of repeal for those six months and unless you didn't pay attention to your bills, you would never have known he was still collecting your money until the end of June.
When the REAL date of the repeal rolled around, the excuse pushed by Mangano and his republican cohorts was that it was the "earliest" they could do it "by law." And of course they don't say that they can get a waiver and have the repeal begin on DAY ONE.
Hey, how about a refund of all the monies collected from DAY ONE of the "repeal" to when it actually took effect?

Mangano Doesn't Know the Meaning of the word "Plan"

Mangano campaigned on the "Mangano Plan." He says on his website "Ed Mangano has a plan for Nassau County: stop wasteful spending; freeze and fix Nassau’s broken tax assessment system, saving $100 million dollars annually; repeal Nassau’s home energy tax; and, most importantly, create jobs and opportunities in Nassau County."

A "Plan" is defined as: " a : a method for achieving an end b : an often customary method of doing something c : a detailed formulation of a program of action d : a detailed program"

Suddenly after the election, Manganos "Plan" is just some vague ideas.
According to Newsday, at his inauguration, Mangano "...said he would create a "team" to study how to freeze property values for a period of years as he worked to improve the assessment system..."

Now after YEARS of complaining about the assessment system while in the Legislature and campaigning on fixing it, Mangano just shows he HAS NO IDEA what he is going to do. By now he should have had an alternate plan for assessments. He kept talking about his "Plan" but turns out it's all just hot air.
How long will this "team" of his "study" the assessment system?
Why does Mangano need more time?
He ran as a know-it-all and instead we get a know-nothing.

The Accidental County Executive proves me right from Day 1.