Since taking office on January 1, 2002, I have been working to solve the county's fiscal crisis and dismantle the culture of machine politics that has crippled Nassau County government for the past ten years. My top priorities have been to balance the budget, eliminate the waste, and renew in everyone a new spirit and pride in Nassau County.

Making the pledge that I would work harder and longer and better, toward the goal of making Nassau County the Best County in the Country, I have begun implementing numerous initiatives and programs to streamline County government by creating a blueprint for fiscal recovery in my Four-Year Fiscal Recovery Plan.

Within the first 100 days my staff and I have begun untangling the bureaucratic mess in each county department. More than 75 percent of the deficit will be eliminated through a reduction in the county workforce, cuts in county programs, and debt restructuring.

Addressing each department's problems individually, we have begun getting rid of many of the problems. We have eliminated the contract backlog in the County's Health and Human services agencies; we have begun computerizing and upgrading technology in the County Attorney's office (including the institution of the Lexus Program) and the Probation Department. We have reduced overtime in the County's Recreation and Parks Department (83%) and Department of Public Works (81percent). We have recovered over $6 million in grant money for Health and Human Services and begun consolidating County buildings and eliminated much of our leased property.

With the first positive news concerning Nassau County's credit rating in almost a decade, Standard & Poor's removed Nassau County from its Credit Watch program late last week. Citing the strength of the Four-Year Fiscal Recovery Plan, they have called it "ambitious and complex," adding that the "plan addresses the county's longstanding fiscal issues . . . completing an important initial step on the road to fiscal recovery and warranting a stable outlook."

Removing Nassau County from Credit Watch is a definite step in the right direction, as it sends a signal that Standard & Poor's, along with other financial agencies such as FITCH and Moody's, see the fiscal plan as a viable and workable way of getting through Nassau's financial crisis.

The release from Standard & Poor's said the plan "must attack a wide range of county issues simultaneously-many of which have remained neglected or unresolved for years. The county's new leadership team has laid out a road map and fresh approach for running its government, presenting a plan for its restructuring and a financial plan with a level of comprehensiveness that has been lacking in the past."

The plan received an additional show of support from the Long Island Association and the Association for a Better Long Island, which released statements of overall support for Nassau County Executive Suozzi's recovery plan. "No one realistically thought cleaning up the problems in Nassau County would be painless," said LIA President Matthew Crosson. "But it is time to get moving with that effort, and Mr. Suozzi's plan provides reasonable approach that merits general support." ABLI President Charles Serota echoed the same support for the Four Year Fiscal Recovery Plan saying, "The county executive has drafted a budget plan that seeks to set the foundation for financial recovery."

Throughout my first 100 days we have begun putting people before politics and we will do what is necessary, regardless of politics, to once again make Nassau County the best county in the country.