Lost amid the non-stop coverage of the presidential race as well contested contests for Congress, the state Senate and Assembly is a single election for the Nassau County Legislature that could have significant consequences for county residents.
The race pits Democrat Arnold Drucker, a lawyer from Planview and Republican Louis Imbroto, an associate general counsel for Nassau Health Care Corporation also from Planview, who are vying to fill the 16th Legislative District seat left vacant with the death of longtime Democratic Legislator Judy Jacobs.
With the Legislature currently divided between 12 Republicans and six Democrats, the race will determine whether Republicans can achieve a supermajority, which would allow them to pass large spending measures without a Democratic vote.
In a Legislature that frequently casts votes along party lines that is not an empty threat.
Hence the importance of a district which takes in part of Roslyn Heights, Old Westbury and parts of the Town of Oyster Bay.
Drucker, who has never run for office before, said his No. 1 concern was corruption in county government, which he blamed on Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Republican legislators.
He said he favored the appointment of an independent inspector general “separate from Mangano” to oversee county contracts because “otherwise it’s like having a wolf guarding the chicken coop.”
Democratic county legislators as well as Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas have called for an inspector general since former Republican state Sen. Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, were convicted last year of using political influence to secure a $12 million Nassau contract for a company for which Adam Skelos worked.
This followed revelations in 2013 that a $200,000 no-bid contract was awarded to a firm operated by former Republican state Sen. Michael Balboni without legislative approval because the Legislature failed to conduct a review within 45 days as required by law.
And that the Legislature stood by as hundred of contracts were approved by Mangano that fell just under the $25,000 threshold for its review before eventually lowering the limit to $1,000.
Deputy County Executive Rob Walker is also reportedly under investigation for signing an amended $12 million contract with VIP Splash Waterways Recovery Group on the same day the firm donated to his Republican political committee.
This in a county whose finances have been under state supervision since 2000.
Republican legislators have opposed an inspector general, saying there was sufficient oversight under a county commissioner of investigations appointed by Mangano. They also pointed to a package of reforms including the approval of a $1,000 threshold for reviewing county contracts.
Imbroto, who unsuccessfully challenged Jacobs in 2013, said he would be an independent voice on the Legislature, not tied to the Republican majority.
But he said he would not support an inspector general. At least for now.
Instead, he said, he believed enough had been done to fix the county purchasing system and he would like to await the impact of the Republican reforms before making a determination about the need for an independent investigator.
Imbroto also praised Mangano and Republican legislators for their handling of county financing, noting that the Legislature had raised property taxes only once in the last eight years.
Drucker has criticized Mangano’s past borrowing to balance the budget and called the current budget “ridiculous.” He also called his proposal to raise ticket and public resource fees a sleight of hand.
We agree.
Both Imbroto and Drucker praised Jacobs for her service to the district.
But the only way to honor that service — and to provide at least some check against Republican legislators — would be to elect Drucker.
Our Views: Right way to honor Jacobs
