Mangano Gambling on the Shinnecock

Nassau County and the Shinnecock nation are in stages of negotiations regarding a 40 acre plot of land that would be turned into the newest Native American owned casino in the tri-state area. The two parties are close to signing a Memorandum of Understanding to move forward negotiations to the state and federal levels.

(Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons)

The plot is located close to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale and is part of the larger plan of revitalizing the Islanders franchise and stadium with what was once known as the Long Island Lighthouse Project.

Proponents have craved for a new -or at least renovated- Nassau Coliseum along with new hotels, as well as shopping and entertainment facilities that would compete directly with Roosevelt Field or anywhere else on the Island in size. Adding on a casino would only increase revenues, an estimated $2-3 Million per acre and another $30 Million annually.

Not to mention the whole project being given the go ahead much, much faster.

This is not something unexpected though. County Executive Mangano spoke of this less than a year ago, last summer as he asserted that everything could and should be on the table in order to bring down the crippling deficit the county is facing. Last June the Shinnecock Tribe of Suffolk County was recognized federally as a native American tribe.

None of this should be surprising anyone.

However, the partisan nature of not only just the county and island, but the state and federal levels could make for multiple overall outcomes: It could be fast tracked as a money maker by a bipartisan coalition just as easy as a bipartisan coalition could shoot down the project immediately. Just as likely would be the two sides digging into the trenches and arguing to no avail. Democrats would criticize the casino as degrading the community while Republicans would back their Exec and support the fiscally savvy move, even though they might be simultaneously compromising their morals.

Personally, I have mixed feelings, but it would save gas spent on those long trips to Atlantic City or Foxwoods.

NIFA takeover Blocked, For Now

 NIFA (Nassau Interim Finance Authority) has been blocked in its attempted takeover of county finances by a judge.

                          Photo highlighting Nassau County
                         (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.

                                              Photo of County Exec. Edward Mangano
                                                  (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.

Ed Mangano: Making Nassau County Filmmaker Friendly

(Photo courtesy of www.seabythecity.com the unofficial blog of Long Beach)

NIFA (Nassau Interim Finance Authority) might be making its play to take over control of the county finances, but County Executive Edward P. Mangano has found a way to create millions of dollars in business with quite a unique approach.

Nassau County has become a new haven for the film industry. With a County initiative , the film and television industry has been utilizing available County facilities. Thanks to the initiative Nassau County saw a combination of over 30 films and television programs filmed in the 2010 fiscal year. With over $75 million infused into the economy, there was a clear boost to both the local economy and overall County revenue.

There were plenty of celebrities filming on Long Island, Nassau County especially; with A-Lister's such as Angelina Jolie and Samuel L. Jackson among the prolific of the bunch. It's not just about giving incentives to reel in the big fish, it's also about providing upstart opportunities for local filmmakers- not just the recent graduates of NYU's film school- the hardworking creative minds that are searching for opportunities to expand the local film scene.

Local filmmakers have noticed the County efforts. Adam Lawrence, co-founder of local production company Beast of the East Productions has expressed his support for the successful initiative.

"It’s great. They built Grumman Studios in Bethpage. They’ve shot a whole bunch of different stuff there already: those Peyton Manning Sony commercials (See Photo Below), parts of the film Salt, and even parts of the upcoming film The Avengers.  It’s forgotten that Long Island has a huge film community, and seeing Hollywood actors in your neighborhood can really drum up interest at the box office. We [Long Island} seems to fall into the 2^nd tier category under Manhattan in the region. Filming out here is really good business all around. These tax incentives bring jobs, and it shines a light on a county that is always overshadowed by the city."

(Peyton Manning and Justin Timberlake filming 

their Sony commercial at Grumman Studios)

(Photo courtesy of Grumman Studios)

While it doesn't look like Hollywood needs to worry about its place in the film industry, Nassau County is a unique location, providing a vast range of locations: beaches, plains, suburbs; not to mention being close enough to the mountains and of course New York City.  Out of the hundreds of Manhattan based filmmakers, the initiative might prove a haven for the upstart and established alike in an effort to trim costs in the tight economic situation.