I am writing in response to the article, “DA’s contract reforms a smart place to start: Schnirman” (8/22/17) profiling appointed City Manager Jack Schnirman for his upcoming democratic primary on Sept. 12th for Nassau County Comptroller. Once again, the city’s ethically-challenged manager cannot tell the truth. Permit me to fact check the lies and distortions.
Schnirman states that he would implement DA Singas’ list of recommendations for reform of the Nassau County contracting process, and “go down the list” but he has yet to name one original reform of his own.
While my comprehensive plan to prevent corruption and restore the taxpayers trust, which looks to implement some of the DA’s recommendations, earned me the endorsement of the Reform Party.
Legislator Denise Ford and her colleagues in the Legislature have already implemented much of the DA’s reform proposals.
I have on the other hand already announced that I would in my first year in office, create a centralized database that I call the Vendor Experience Database which will satisfy DA Singas’ call for total access to vendors experiences. Schnirman statements demonstrate his lack of experience and ignorance of the county contract process.
In addition, his other glaring blunder is not knowing the difference between GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and the more strict NIFA statutory presentation of the county’s finances (where certain categories of revenues must be excluded).
For the record, GAAP reporting is used by Long Beach and every other municipality in New York State to demonstrate its finances. Until NIFA is removed as Nassau’s financial overseer we must report both findings.
Schnirman states that his municipal record makes him the right choice and that we should look toward his history when grading his readiness for office.
However, his actions of increasing taxes 30 percent, increasing fees, and doubling the debt make a grade of “F” the only appropriate score.
Firstly, he lied about why he was censured and banned for life from the International City Managers Association (ICMA) for his violation of the code of ethics.
He resigned after he was notified of his violation by campaigning for Nassau County Executive and raising over $100,000 from developers and builders, while he was working for the City of Long Beach.
The president of the ICMA called it an egregious violation and stated that the ban for life was reserved for the worst of violations.
When Schnirman was caught with his hand in the cookie jar he resigned from the ICMA.
That’s like the bank robber trying to give back the sack of cash after the cops catch him with the exploding dye!
The next lie from Mr. Schnirman is that he eliminated Long Beach’s $14 million budget deficit by cutting spending.
A fifth grader could tell you that since 2012 he has increased spending by $30 million dollars.
Incredibly he also doubled the city’s debt from $48 million to $113 million.
Mr. Schnirman shrewdly got his cronies in Albany to permit him to roll the city’s deficit into a 10-year long-term bond.
He bonded the city’s deficit and then severely taxed and surcharged taxpayers in order to make the claim he converted a $14 million deficit to a surplus.
This debt is still outstanding and the city is monitored by the state comptroller until it is paid back.
Schnirman is quoted as stating that anyone who believes borrowed money should be counted as revenue is “supremely unqualified to be comptroller.”
Schnirman, by his own statement, has disqualified himself for county comptroller.
He is applying $12,000,000 of borrowed money to claim he has a $9 million surplus.
When Jack lies about my record, I will tell the truth about his.
Steve Labriola, Republican, Reform,
Conservative candidate for Nassau County Comptroller
