For Democratic Comptroller candidate Howard Weitzman, experience is the key.
The former comptroller and Great Neck Estates mayor has thrown his hat in the ring to reclaim his old seat, which he narrowly lost to Republican George Maragos in 2009 after a campaign that saw Weitzman battling a rare blood disorder.
But Weitzman is back in politics, and says he’s in fighting shape to challenge Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn) in his party’s primary and Maragos in the general election.
“I think when people vote for comptroller, they vote for someone who is experienced and has the background and credentials,” Weitzman said.
In an interview with Blank Slate Media, Weitzman portrayed himself as a transparent and highly qualified alternative in contrast to what he characterized as Wink’s lack of experience and Maragos’ mismanagement of the office.
Weitzman said he was dismayed by the direction the county has taken since he left office, and said he already had experience helping to fix the county’s finances from his first two terms.
“We had been judged the worst run county in America,” said Weitzman, describing the county’s fiscal state when he first became comptroller. “Basically the county was running on fumes.”
The comptroller’s office in 2001 was riddled with patronage appointments and out-of-date technology, Weitzman said. The former Great Neck Estates mayor said he acted to professionalize the office’s staff and facilities and worked to elevate Nassau’s bond rating.
“I brought in a totally professional staff,” Weitzman said, adding that he is the only CPA to have served as Nassau’s comptroller. “We audited almost every county department.”
The comptroller’s office audited the police, corrections, social services and special districts, Weitzman said.
“We pointed out unbelievable amounts of waste, abuse, fraud and nepotism,” he said.
Programs he spearheaded saved millions, including a county-wide drug discount card and eliminating duplicate health care coverage for employees, he said.
Some of the major fiscal challenges currently facing Nassau also existed Weitzman’s tenure in office, including increasing labor costs and tax-rebate liabilities that have grown to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Weitzman said that Mangano’s proposals to fix Nassau’s finances by changing contracts and ending the county’s tax refund guarantee to schools and special districts – both of which have stalled in the face of court challenges – were poorly conceived.
Contracts must be honored and efforts to change them by legislative act are part of a plan that is “based on empty promises,” Weitzman said.
And the effort to end the county guarantee, which was established by state law in the 1940s at the request of Nassau, was never legally sound, he said.
“I can say honestly that every county executive going back to 1948 probably looked at this issue,” Weitzman said. “It was just a farce on the part of the taxpayers who have to defend [Mangano’s law to end the guarantee.]”
While Maragos has said the Nassau Interim Finance Authority’s criticism of the county’s financial reporting is political, Weitzman endorsed the criticism – specifically, the practice of not counting tax rebate liabilities as part of operating budget. Maragos has said that is normal practice for liabilities that will not be paid immediately, while NIFA and Weitzman allege that the Mangano administration is manufacturing an artificial surplus.
“[Maragos] has become too much of a spokesperson for the administration,” Weitzman said. “How is that being the county watchdog, as opposed to the county lapdog.”
When asked what the Suozzi administration had done to reduce the amount paid out each year in tax refunds, Weitzman said that the county had expanded the amount of time it had to contest tax challenges and disputed that the assessment system was broken, saying that the percentage of revenue paid out in refunds was equivalent to other counties.
“I’d like to see the county develop a long-term financial plan,” Weitzman said.
While Weitzman levied his harshest criticism at Maragos and Mangano, he will have to get through Wink in the primary before challenging the Republican incumbent in November’s elections.
And though Weitzman ran with the support of the county’s Democratic establishment during his first term in office, he may not have that luxury this time: Democratic Party chief Jay Jacobs endorsed Wink in March.
“I am excited to endorse Wayne Wink for Comptroller because he brings to the job a deep understanding of Nassau County government; its finances, debt burden and the problems that are impacting it. Wayne will bring new, fresh ideas and an exciting new perspective on the job of comptroller and the impact it can make on actually solving our county’s problems,” Jacobs said in a statement. “He will be far more than the county’s auditor – he will be an active participant working as a problem-solver. That’s what we need now in Nassau County and that is why I have decided to endorse Wayne Wink.”
Weitzman said he had spoken with Jacobs before the endorsement and was not surprised, chalking the decision up to his office’s occasional criticism of Suozzi’s fiscal policies during his time in office. Suozzi is running again this year, and has Jacobs’ support.
“There’s no question that I ruffled some feathers during my eight years in office,” Weitzman said. “I think the party wanted someone who was less independent.”
Weitzman said that his campaign has been received positively by county residents so far, and that his recent first fundraiser took in more than $200,000. Weitzman also loaned his campaign $110,000 in January and has retained campaign management firm the Parkside Group.
