Last week's edition of your paper contained the Legislative Minority Report entitled "Democrats' Income Tax Proposal Targets Hardworking Taxpayers." Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Peter Schimdt's (R-Massapequa) column attempts to cast a wide net that Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and the Democratic members in the county legislature are pushing an income tax as the way to solve Nassau County's fiscal mess. Nothing can be further from the truth!

First off, let me say I am strongly opposed to an income tax in Nassau County. It is a bad idea whose time has definitely not come.

Second, Mr. Schmidt's assertions that "County Democrats" and "Democrat members of the Legislature" are eyeing the income tax are wrong and grossly misleading. The idea of an income tax was proposed by only one, I repeat, one member of my delegation. While it is uncomfortable to speak out of school and reveal the sometimes-not-so-smooth workings of the legislative process, this legislative colleague who floated the income tax proposal did so on her own accord, without speaking with the rest of the legislative majority and certainly without speaking with me!

My position is this: While Nassau County (1) continues to be bled by an inefficient and broken property tax grievance system; (2) suffers through the growing pains associated with bringing long-overdue good government and common-sense reforms to our government put forth by County Executive Suozzi and my delegation; and (3) is still struggling with realist, long-term solutions to entrenched government inefficiency and multi-year deficits, it is irresponsible, distracting and unproductive to suggest new taxing proposals. Instead, we should look to improve our finances through necessary spending cuts, consolidation of services and implementation of cost-saving initiatives.

Our beloved Nassau County is a vibrant and dynamic community with abundant resources - our families, neighborhoods, schools and our civic and religious institutions. It is through continuing investments in these resources that Nassau County will find its long-overdue fiscal salvation. That is the recovery initiative I support.

Hon. Craig M. Johnson (D-Port Washington)

Nassau County Legislator, 11th L.D.