Mangano proposes fee increases for county services

Nassau County residents may soon see an increase in user fees to many county services, including golf courses, beaches and swimming at the Nassau County Aquatic Center.

A proposal by County Executive Ed Mangano would allow the parks department to increase ordinance fees up to 8 to 10 percent, according to Deputy County Executive Tim Sullivan.

County officials said it has yet to be decided what services would see a fee increase, but County Legislator Kevan Abrahams, a Democrat from Freeport who is the Legislature’s minority leader, said the proposal would raise fees “across the board.”

The proposal has been submitted to the Legislature, but may not be voted on until next month, said Abrahams. Other potential fee increases in the proposal, he said, include Nickerson Beach Park, Cantiague Park in Hicksville, Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn, and golf at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. “All of the user activity fees in regards to our parks are all being increased,” Abrahams said.

According to Sullivan, the fee hikes would put the county on par with what other municipalities charge for their services. “It simply provides flexibility to remain competitive with surrounding municipalities while ensuring proper investment in the facility,” said Sullivan, who said recent upgrades were made to Nickerson Beach, as well as the county’s golf courses.  

“This is not a tax increase,” Sullivan said.

County spokesman Brian Nevin said the fee increases would raise $15 million, when combined with fines related to unpaid traffic tickets. The money, he said, would be “factored into the county’s updated multi-year-plan and budget.”

Since Mangano took office in 2010, he pledged to not raise property taxes, a promise he has upheld. But Abrahams said the fee increases accomplish the same thing as raising taxes. “Fee increases, from our perspective, is nothing more than a backdoor tax increase,” he said.

Abrahams said all Democratic legislators intend to reject the proposal, which would require a majority vote. There are 11 Republicans and 8 Democrats in the Legislature.

Cristina Brennan, a spokeswoman for the Republican Legislature, refuted the claim that the fee increase is a backdoor tax. “Fees are associated with implementing whatever service they’re connected to,” Brennan said. “And are incurred by those who utilize the service. It’s not a blanket tax increase.”