More Issues

My first step is to open the process of the Legislature to the public. Unless you have the time to attend a meeting or hearing on a weekday during the day, which most people do not, you have to rely on a short newspaper account or a biased self-congratulatory mailing from your legislator. I want all meetings and hearings recorded and broadcast on cable and on the County website. I want transcripts available so that taxpayers know what is being said and done in their name. It has been said that if voters actually saw what went on in the legislature, they would want to disband it. Only true openness will help bring civility of discourse and honesty to County government.

We face the daunting task of keeping Nassau County finances in the black while avoiding increasing taxes and providing needed services. County mandated costs are spending that is required such as payroll, pensions, and medical insurance. Discretionary spending for the County is very low compared to the mandated spending. The rising cost of medical insurance will continue to be a problem for the County unless we address it now. I believe that it is necessary for public employees of the County to contribute to their medical coverage the same way that private sector workers do. At some point, a decision will have to be made on medical insurance coverage and its affordability for the County. I do not want County employees to lose any coverage and a way to do that is for them to contribute to their existing coverage. Otherwise, the County will have to either find some way to get more money to pay for the coverage (read: cut other services or raise taxes) or move to a less expensive insurance. Unfortunately, with rising medical insurance costs, we need to act NOW.

I have always stood fore-square against patronage and will do so in the legislature. Of course, positions in government are filled by friends of the powerful. But are those jobs needed? We have less patronage from the executive office than we had in previous administrations. Those costs are actually down. We need to look at qualifications and necessity when hiring. We also need to keep those salaries realistic. My opponent has a part-time spokesperson who was a defeated legislator, making more than the Presiding Officer of the Legislature and slightly less than the County Executive. It is a bi-partisan problem and as a true independent, I will make an issue of it.