NIFA (Nassau Interim Finance Authority) has been blocked in its attempted takeover of county finances by a judge.
(Courtesy of craignow.blogspot.com )
County Executive Mangano and the county's attorneys had argued that NIFA had breached the state Constitution. Whether right or just lucky, the courts agreed and ordered a stay on the takeover. The Justice Arthur Diamond gave an extension for the county to submit a new budget proposal, and said that the overall ruling would come in advance of March 31st.
This move would almost ensure the County retains control over its finances throughout the length of the trial, though it does little to provide clues as to what the overall ruling may be.
On January 26th NIFA had "seized" the counties finances in response to a deficit of $176 million. With the election of Mangano over Suozzi in the November elections, there was instant tension.
The clash of political parties were fundamental, with Mangano campaigning on and undertaking an immediate "Tax Revolt" that swept in with Tea Party momentum.
(Courtesy of LongIslandPress.com)
There was an immediate repeal of the Home Energy Tax, a move that was seen as "antagonistic" by NIFA. While this immediately saved taxpayers $38 million a year, it dug the county deeper into debt without a way to pay it off, as Mangano had promised to and did prevent an increase of property tax. This dedication to no taxes is admirable, but amidst a financial crisis there has to be something, anything done to handle tough financial issues.
While the story trended as big news at the onset, there seemed to be little interest regarding the potential seizure of the county's funds by a "big brother" type state authority. This blog isn't about defending one politician or condemning another, but in reality it's become pretty clear to everyone that this has spiraled into a partisan battle, very similar to the way that politics are playing out in Albany, across the country and especially in Washington D.C.
There are clearly issues with the economy at all levels, and the vast range of conflicting agendas have caused major rifts in more places than just Nassau County. While Wisconsin's "union busting" is the hot news topic, don't forget about what's happening here right now on the Island.
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