I just received a news flash from the New York Times that the State of New York has officially taken control of Nassau County's finances. Nassau is one of, if not the, richest county in the state (first place probably goes to Westchester).
Nassau County was a perfectly-oiled Republican political machine from 1971 until 2001, when Democrat Tom Suozzi was elected. A major reason he was elected, aside from his considerable personal charm and political skills, was that the County had been run into the ground financially by a Republican machine that kept increasing services, hiring its own to provide them, without raising taxes. Suozzi turned all that around.
So it was surprising when he went down to defeat in the 2009 election, which was so close that it took weeks to figure out who won.
Less surprising is the fact that Nassau County began to sink into financial collapse yet again. More below the fold.
I think this has national implications.
The Republican who won the contest, Ed Mangano, immediately started cutting taxes, despite the fact that the economy didn't support the cuts, and faking that he was balancing the county's budget.
Here's what the Times says happened:
he eliminated a tax on home heating fuel that would have reaped $40 million in revenue. His 2011 budget also counted on $60 million in phantom concessions from labor unions, more than $20 million in state aid that has not materialized, and $100 million in new borrowing for operating expenses.
In December, he also unsuccessfully lobbied the Legislature for approval of a quarter-percent increase in the sales tax, which would have raised $60 million.
Yet Mangano was apparently telling the residents of Nassau County that although there was trouble, he had in fact closed a $350 million deficit last year.
This is only the SECOND time in New York history that the State has taken over a county's finances. The first time was also recent, but involved Erie County, which has half the per capita income of Nassau.
To me, the national implications of this are that all this talk of cutting taxes and other Tea Party-related rhetoric is smoke and mirrors that the public will not buy once it gets a dose of what it's really like with these clowns in office.
The people expect government services, in some areas more than others, and if you get into office and cut taxes irresponsibly, you will sink your own government and piss off the electorate along the way. The Gallup Poll on the front page here supports that argument.
We'll see if Suozzi runs again in the next election. I hope he does.