Nassau residents, did you know that effective Jan. 1, 2008, the county executive took a $65,220 raise, the district attorney got an increase of $16,300, the comptroller received $57,630, the assessor (now retired to Florida) received $66,300 and the county clerk received $66,300? They filled their pockets just before the crisis. In November 2008, the Town of North Hempstead leaders also took large raises.

Responsible leaders would have seen the problems coming in the 2009 budget year. This crew is a mini-version of all those Wall Street and automobile executives who also filled their pockets.

My suggestion to Executive Tom Suozzi and staff is to reduce their raises to a 7 percent increase and help taxpayers by giving the rest back to close the budget gap.

John T. Heslin