While speculation runs wild as to who will be the Republican candidate for Nassau County Executive in November, Plandome resident and financial genius Bruce Bent has announced that he is interested in the job. Bent's announcement last week was unusual in several ways. For one thing, he was not nominated by either political party. For another, he offered to do the job for a dollar a year, to run for only one term and to expect no post-county executive prizes, such as "a judgeship or an ambassadorship," he said. Certainly he does not need the money. He is the founder and chief executive officer of The Reserve Funds, a Manhattan based mutual fund company with more than $9.5 billion in assets. Mr. Bent created the first money market fund in 1970, a revolutionary accomplishment recognized throughout the financial services industry as a major catalyst for the overall acceptance and growth of mutual funds. Total assets in the nation's money market funds now exceed $1.9 trillion.

Like many Long Islanders, Mr. Bent has become disgusted with the condition of Nassau's finances, but unlike most Long Islanders, he wants to take a shot at straightening them out. "I don't want to minimize the job," he said in an interview last week. "It's a business, big business. I've only had access to public documents but it's clear that there is waste. The certioraris are a good example." He went on to say that when home or business owners successfully sue the county because of having been over-assessed, they have been over assessed, not only by the county, but by the town, special districts and school districts. "There are 62 counties in New York State. Sixty-one of them bill those districts for their portion of the payback. We don't. Why not? Because we didn't want to antagonize the voters."

Asked whether he would support a tax raise to get the county's finances in order, he replied "I'll support whatever it takes to get the job done."

Mr. Bent does not think that the fact that he has no strong political affiliation would be a handicap. "I'm a Republican but in Great Neck they've already organized Democrats for Bent. The fact is that everybody's fed up. There's no Republican or Democratic position on garbage or parks. There's no Nassau County Republican or Democratic position on safety or health issues. I was on television with Judy Jacobs (Democratic majority leader of the Nassau County Legislature) and she agreed that there was political posturing over the budget and that it has to stop."

As far as the present county executive, Tom Gulotta, is concerned, Bent said "He's got to be delusional because he's not making any sense."

Although Bent is outspoken and tough talking, he believes that he would be able to get along with the members of the county legislature. "I'll be the bad guy," he said. "I'll make the nasty decisions."

He also believes he will be able to get along with the unions.

"I think there's a recognition that the good fairy doesn't stop here anymore," he said, "but I also believe in employee empowerment. There are ways to share savings." As an aside, the financier who has been enthusiastically praised by The Wall Street Journal and Money magazine among others, said, "I'm pretty good with numbers."

So far there has been no public reaction from Republican Nassau County leader Joseph Mondello to Mr. Bent's announcement. He was said to be away on vacation last week.

Bruce Bent was born in Great Neck in 1937. He attended St. Aloysius Elementary School and graduated from Great Neck High School in 1955. After graduation he attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, which he left in 1957 to serve in the U. S. Marine Corps. Upon honorable discharge from the Marines, he resumed his studies at St. John's University, where he majored in economics, graduating in 1961. He is married to the former Nancy DiGiovanna, a Franklin Square native. They bought their first home in Great Neck in 1968. In 1975 the Bents moved to Plandome where they still reside. They are the parents of two grown sons, both of whom work for The Reserve Funds.