Exec. Mangano stresses his term’s successes

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Repeating similar points to his 2012 State of the County address, Mangano also said he reduced the size of the workforce in an effort to implement standards of efficiency.

“When I took office, Nassau government was bloated and needed to lose weight,” said Mangano. “I put it on a diet. Today, Nassau has 1,776 less positions, 33 percent less patronage positions, 6 less departments, 123 less administrators and has maintained an efficient workforce that is 20 percent leaner than we inherited.”

For a significant portion of his speech, Mangano focused on the idea of “reinventing” Nassau, starting from the Nassau Coliseum. He said he envisions a “Rockefeller Center type destination” that will still be used for sports and family entertainment but would be downsized and privately funded. Doing so, Mangano said, would make for a “refreshed hub”. Responses to the already submitted Request for Proposal are expected in April. He also said that twin indoor ice skating rinks are currently being constructed in Nassau Coliseum without any extra cost to taxpayers.

Mangano, who is up for reelection, will face either Suozzi or Roslyn businessman Adam Haber, who is also running for the Democratic nomination. Suozzi responded to Mangano’s address in a statement by contending that Nassau has not been presented with a viable plan for the future by Mangano and that the aid received for Hurricane Sandy must not be used to hide the County’s spending irresponsibility. He criticized Mangano for his “reckless mismanagement” and his administration’s use of borrowing. His biggest point of emphasis was to encourage Mangano to carefully manage the $880 million Nassau County will receive from the federal government for Sandy relief.

“These dollars must be segregated from County operating funds to insure that the Mangano administration does not use the funds to mask actual operating deficits to obscure actual costs and actual revenues [or] to manipulate funds designated for future projects to enhance its 2012 year-end deficit.”

Haber and Democratic Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams echoed similar sentiments about future instability and failed long-term planning in their statements.

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