Subject: [NEXTEL-1] CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS: Nassau legislators settle on spending

From: marcel_rf1 <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 16:34:29 -0000

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS: Nassau legislators settle on spending

BY CELESTE HADRICK
STAFF WRITER
March 24, 2004

After weeks of wrangling over potholes, traffic lights and sewage
treatment, Nassau Democratic and Republican legislators say they 
have reached a compromise on a $158 million long-term capital
improvement plan, including $78 million to be spent this year.
The legislature is expected to meet today to authorize borrowing for
dozens of bricks-and-mortar projects just in time for construction 
season.
The deadlock between majority Democrats and minority Republicans had
threatened some 85 miles of needed road resurfacing in 
Nassau, the completion of a $17.2 million project to improve weak
radio transmission links between volunteer fire departments, and 
the first phase of a new $40 million two-way radio system for county
police.
"It's unfortunate that the process has taken so long to work ... to
try to crunch a deal on projects that the people of Nassau County 
deserve," said Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), chairman of the
county legislature's Public Works Committee. "But in the end 
I'm definitely happy we got something done."
But while the Republican minority has agreed to the amount and number
of projects to be authorized for this year, they still have 
amendments that would give the legislature more oversight in coming
years. "We want greater review of the projects," said Edward 
Ward, GOP legislative spokesman.
County Executive Thomas Suozzi originally had asked the legislature
to authorize the borrowing of $239 million for more than 70 
projects.  Suozzi had planned to spend only $78 million this year and
the rest of the money would have been spent over the years 
necessary to complete the projects.
Republicans objected. Approving that much money over a long period
without further legislative review was tantamount to issuing 
Suozzi "an open-ended check," complained Legis. Edward Mangano
(R-Bethpage), who had headed the public works committee 
when Republicans controlled the legislature.
While Democrats and Public Works Commissioner Peter Gerbasi
disagreed, they couldn't dismiss the Republican objections. 
Democrats hold a 10-9 majority, but any borrowing requires 13 votes.
Republicans two weeks ago proposed paring back the borrowing
authorization this year to $92 million. The Suozzi administration 
came back with a $192 million plan by cutting dollars from future
years.
Again, by cutting money from the projects' future-year cost, the
lawmakers reached the compromise $158 million, with $78 million still 
being spent this year.
"All projects that require additional funding will have to be
approved on their merits," Mangano said. "That's where the public
will be 
protected."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/polit
ics/ny-linass243721106mar24,0,261142.story?coll=ny
-lipolitics-headlines

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