Long-running contract disagreements between the administration of Thomas Suozzi and the Police Benevolent Society flared up again during the county executive's recent State of the County address.

In a speech given at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Suozzi said that cooperation from police union leaders is needed to solve the county's financial problems and he called upon the PBA to "abandon their hostile posture and do their fair share." Concerning contract negotiations, Suozzi said that the county was willing to grant the police force 3 percent raises for the next three years, but he opposed retroactive raises for 2001, 2002 and 2003.

The average pay for Nassau County police is now $103,000. In 2001, that number was $101,000. When prospective officers enter the Police Academy, their starting pay is $20,800. After seven years on the force, their base pay is $73,859. Contract talks are currently in arbitration. In 1997, the last time an arbitrator ruled on such matters, the police union received a significant 24 percent increase over five years.

Gary DelaRaba, president of the PBA, said that a gag order imposed by arbitrators prevents him from speaking out about ongoing negotiations. However, he was critical of Suozzi's references toward the union.

"The hostile environment he's talking about is one he's created," DelaRaba said. "To him, the issue is over money. To us, it is over the police department."

DelaRaba said the police department is not responsible for the county's fiscal problems. He added that there are "less dollars" going toward the police department than ever before, while at the same time, the department, DelaRaba said, is "running out of officers" and having less resources for such pressing needs as gang patrols. "He didn't like us going to the public," DelaRaba said.

Most of Suozzi's address was upbeat, as he noted that the county was able to have a balanced budget last year, while also receiving a bond rating upgrade from Moody's Investors.

As he has often done, Suozzi recalled the difficult circumstances he inherited upon taking the county executive's job. "Machine politics pervaded every department," he said. "Politically connected firms and high priced consultants padded county costs. Personnel decisions were based on politics, not policy."

Suozzi defined his job as one that would "root out waste, fraud, and abuse and to change the county government's culture of putting self-interest before the public's interest."

Toward that end, Suozzi touted numerous cost-saving measures taken by his administration and passed into law by the county legislature. Among them were cutting the size of the county workforce; cutting capital borrowing; freezing purchasing, supplies and equipment; and reducing contractual services. Over the past year, the county has also increased revenues by $48 million through litigation settlement, increased operational effectiveness, and improvements in billing.

Mostly, he praised several county bureaucracies for implementing Smart Government Initiatives, which he said have reduced costs and increased services. The Health and Human Services group, for instance, saved over $10 million by partnering with community based organizations, increasing accountability, and consolidating operations.

The result of such measures has been both a balanced budget and the bond upgrading from Baa3 to Baa2. Suozzi said that Moody's actions represented the first such upgrade in Nassau County's long history.

At the same time, Suozzi called on the state government in Albany to assist with the county's financial struggles. Specifically, he asked the State Senate and Assembly to pass legislation that would create a Sewer and Storm Water Authority for the county. Such a department, Suozzi said, exists in counties and municipalities all throughout the state and having one in Nassau would ease pressure on the county's general fund while achieving savings of $25 million a year.

Suozzi also asked Albany to adopt a Medicaid cap on the amount of costs that local property taxpayers pay into the federal program. Suozzi said that Medicaid payments currently cost Nassau property taxpayers $280 million a year --- a number that may increase in coming years. If the state paid for such Medicaid costs, then the county government could reduce property taxes by a good 40 percent. Suozzi noted that in most states, the state government does indeed pay for certain Medicaid costs.

Looking toward the future, Suozzi listed six economic development initiatives for the county: Attracting additional high-skilled, high-tech industry, revitalizing traditional downtowns, recycle and reuse existing brownfields, building affordable housing for seniors and young people, preserving open space, and encouraging sports, entertainment, and tourism. He outlined plans for a $10 million parks revenue and improvement plan, a building consolidation plan, and a new economic development plan establishing 35 separate economic development zones.

The county executive's speech focused on spending restraints and reductions. Meanwhile, the response by Minority Leader Peter J. Schmitt centered on recent tax increases.

"For the past four years, the Democratic Party has been firmly in charge of Nassau County," Schmitt said. "During that time, they alone have controlled three county budgets that have increased county spending by a staggering half-billion dollars, created seven new county departments, and raised our county property taxes more than 60 percent."

While reiterating the Republicans' opposition to "massive increases in taxes and spending," he also said that tax increases could be considered as a last resort, but not as a first one.

"We advocate [a] simple premise: cap spending and cut it where possible," Schmitt said while laying out the Republicans' program. "Use any and all surplus funds to pay down the county's existing debt. Consolidate --- let's reduce the number of county departments instead of increasing them. Reach out aggressively to our towns and villages and seek agreements for the provision of services such as snowplowing, road maintenance and other municipal tasks."

Schmitt also said the Republicans would oppose any proposal to create a Sewer and Storm Water Authority. Such a department, he added would be a "massive and costly new bureaucracy," with the power to "independently tax and spend."

In addition, Schmitt claimed that Republican legislators have not been obstructionists, but in fact have "cast the votes needed to pass over 100 emergency proposals crucial to the operation of the county government." Schmitt noted that there has been bipartisan action on laws concerning senior citizens, the disabled, and various environmental issues.