An historic outcome to elections Tuesday saw the Nassau County Legislature come under Democratic control and several town boards dramatically altered, after public backlash about the county's budget crisis and tax hikes came across loud and clear.

Local Republican incumbent Edward Mangano, legislator in the 17th district, held on to his office, but several of his colleagues were ousted. As the results were tallied on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, it became clear that the Democrats had gained the majority of the Legislature. They now lead the body, which previously was tightly held by the GOP, by a ratio of 10 to 9. Among those replaced by Democratic challengers was Republican Bruce Blakeman, the presiding officer. With the change, Democrat Judy Jacobs, 16th district legislator and the minority leader, is expected to take on that majority leadership role.

Shock waves were felt in town elections across the county, including the Republican strongholds of the Town of Oyster Bay and Town of Hempstead. For example, Democrats unseated two Republican councilmembers in Oyster Bay and at least two in Hempstead, according to unofficial results obtained at press time, although their incumbent Republican supervisors were returned.

The sweeping Democratic victories across Nassau were unprecedented in a county which has been dominated politically by the Republican party for most of this century. Political observers have attributed the gains to voter discontent with the county's budget deficit, which had ballooned to over $300 million dollars this year, and tax hikes being implemented to plug an over $100 million, year 2000, structural budget deficit. Just last week, the county adopted a budget that raises taxes by approximately 10 percent, on top of a new 1 percent real estate transfer tax.

The mood at Democratic headquarters Tuesday night was jubilant, a sharp contrast to the somber and concerned expressions on the faces of those at Republican headquarters. GOP party loyalists milled around for hours at Levittown Hall, waiting for the final results to come in, until party chairman Joseph Mondello finally arrived with a speech that conceded many losses, at around 1 a.m.

"Let me start off by announcing to the world that the Republican Party is still alive and well, and viable, and will be, when we start the election for the year 2000," he said, flanked by such victorious Republicans as Pontillo and Mangano, as well as Blakeman. "You gave it your all, and you never wavered in your commitment to your candidates and your county." He also blamed Newsday for negative coverage of his party, saying, "We stood up to the Newsday machine, and we gave it all that we had...They're the ones in power now."

Mondello also congratulated Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli, the leader of the Democratic party, on a "fine job," and acknowledged that the voters had expressed discontent with the Republican party's management of the county. "We have heard the voice of the people," he said. "If we have been getting a bit off course, well then we're going to have to adjust ourselves."

Blakeman, who was at the forefront of the Republican legislators' campaign to convince voters that they were not to blame for the deficit, and that they were taking steps to correct it, said he knew that losing was a possibility, because of the public's anger over the issue. "The budget problem was something that was difficult to overcome," he said. "The people have spoken, and they are entitled to that...We are not anointed."

He added, "It's been a privilege to serve the people of the 7th District, and as presiding officer of the Legislature. It's an honor that I will never forget in my entire life."

Upon learning of the sweeping Democratic victories, DiNapoli said, "You've got to believe that you can make change at the voting booths." He added that he believed the Democratic Party put forth solid candidates that ran on strong issues. He also commended Mondello as a great, hardworking political leader who ran a "great campaign."

As the results were still coming in, Jacobs said, "I think people are finally recognizing that you can't have one party in such complete control, for so long, and not expect it will lead to the problems we're seeing now in the county. And I think it's recognition of that fact that has made people support establishing a two-party government, which always should be in any form of government. It's just not healthy any other way."