It was with incredulity that I read in the Levittown Tribune, the new county comptroller's outright fabrication, as reported in the minutes of the Feb. 12 meeting of the Levittown Property Owners Association, that when he assumed office there were no computers. The minutes also reported that Mr. Weitzman indicated that:

"He immediately gave all his supervisors and deputies computers, which he found still stored in boxes in the basement ... "

Pure rubbish. Total lies.

The comptroller's office throughout my tenure was fully computerized; no computers were ever misplaced nor were any ever stored in a basement.

What is the implication of these falsehoods from a public official who is mandated to verify our county finances?

Is Mr. Weitzman alleging that when I was comptroller, I kept my staff from using any computers to do their jobs, perhaps relegating them to analyze a $2.3 billion budget and processing no more than 10,000 employees' payroll and health benefits using sharp pencils and a calculator or perhaps an abacus? To suggest that computers were not in continuous use is ludicrous. How else could my team have compiled consistently correct financial projections and budget numbers that earned the office government accounting awards for each of the eight years of my service there?

Is Mr. Weitzman also alleging that I was in collusion with other departments in the county, characterizing Nassau County personnel as unprofessional and untrustworthy in that we removed and stored these computers so that they would be unavailable when he took office Jan. 2?

Hardly! When Mr. Weitzman's transition team visited the office after the election, the office was functioning, as it had in the last eight years when I was there, with computers. When he toured the office in early December, the office was still functioning with computers. Additionally, on Dec. 31, 2001, the last day of my term, the office was very busy processing all the personnel changes and terminations, again with computers.

At the conclusion of my term and that of a half dozen of my employees, all our keys were turned in for the new administration. If any computers were missing, which would be most suspect, it was done between the close of business Dec. 31, 2001 and the opening of business Jan. 2, 2002. It is inconceivable that all these computers could just disappear without making headlines!

Mr. Weitzman, the election is over, so what is your point: why perpetuate falsehoods that began during the campaign? Do you perceive that the media will support you and that no county personnel would dare speak out against you for fear of retribution because in doing so they would be speaking out against the Suozzi administration as well?

Having worked with Tom Suozzi when he served on the board of supervisors years back, I find it hard to believe that he would sanction your actions much less your assertions.

I have remained silent these many months so as not to interfere with the initiatives of the new administration. However, silence in the face of perverse falsehood is a disservice to the community.

Headlines are not reform. Sadly, the coverage of the forum reflects the lack of new approaches that were promised by Mr. Weitzman.

Example: Three years ago, I proposed the solution to the tax grievance system that has cost the county $850 million ($400 million since my '99 report) that Mr. Weitzman seems to have just discovered. The Democrats in the majority of the legislature have ignored it these past two years as well. At least Tom Suozzi gave me the credit for it in September and is adopting most of it presently.

Example: Mr. Weitzman stated that "tough negotiations" lie ahead with the police unions. Better learn the law. A mediator presented his findings more than two years ago and binding arbitration will dictate the pay increase that will range 4-5 percent per year. Now, Mr. Weitzman will learn what the previous Gulotta administration learned. The law is stacked against the municipality and the only items to negotiate will be how the union receives its money.

Example: Mr. Weitzman has not hired a single CPA amongst his new team and yet during 2001 promised that all of his new policy makers would be certified accountants.

Headlines are not government and promises are not reality.

(Editor's Note: Mr. Parola is the former Nassau County Comptroller.)