As the county works to rebuild its fiscal credibility in the coming years, it will have to effectively address other pressing issues while consistently working to cut costs and streamline government. With a more responsible 2001 budget and a four-year financial plan currently in place, the Legislature has expanded its focus in 2001 to devote more of its attention to other areas in the county.

Throughout the first part of this year my fellow Democratic legislators have undertaken an aggressive agenda, scheduling several legislative hearings on myriad issues.

In December 2000 Legislators Joseph Scannell and Lisanne Altmann, chaired and vice chaired, respectively, a hearing examining the efficiency of the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Bureau, which has been plagued in recent years by delays in collecting fines and in reporting violations and suspensions to the state. Following the hearing, Legislator Scannell called for the replacement of the bureau's commissioner and is expected to release a final report in February.

Last month, Legislator Patrick Williams called a hearing to delve into the causes of increased gang activity and violence in communities throughout Nassau County. Representatives from the Nassau County Police Department, NAACP, American Civil Liberties Union, and numerous villages and cities appeared before the Public Safety Committee.

Legislator Craig Johnson, as the chair of the Towns, Villages, and Cities Committee, is pursuing a plan that would diminish duplicative services, such as road maintenance and park services, between municipalities. Representatives from towns and villages met with county officials in November 2000 to discuss how duplicative services could be consolidated and reduced, and they are scheduled to meet again in early February.

Keeping in faith with this effort to eliminate waste, Legislator Brian Muellers and his Public Works Committee authorized the transfer of several roadways between the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County late last year to better facilitate the efficient management of these roadways.

The effort to create a comprehensive capital project plan in Nassau County was kick-started by Legislator Muellers when he held a public hearing in January to examine the idea. The lack of such a plan has been cited by many as a contributing factor in the county's over-reliance on borrowing funds. The county presently bonds millions each year for capital projects, but there is little if any coordination of these projects. He pointed to a litany of deferred capital projects totaling over $100 million, ranging from the redesign of busy intersections to renovations at museum facilities, as evidence for the need of a cohesive strategy.

Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin has scheduled a hearing on Feb. 13 to examine several issues concerning the Nassau University Medical Center, such as the closed health clinic in Hempstead and the overall financial management of the center, which has come under fire in recent months. Legislator Corbin's logic is that the continued problems at the Medical Center are eroding the quality of service for residents throughout the county.

The actions of these legislators and their committees are representative of a vital and healthy Legislature. In looking for better ways of doing things, they are setting the groundwork for a better tomorrow.