As a legislator who served during the height of corruption in Nassau County and the indictment of former County Executive Ed Mangano, I know firsthand how important it is to have mechanisms in place to ensure that we protect our taxpayers’ money.
During the past few years, the Minority Caucus has worked diligently to establish a procurement system that makes awarding County contracts as secure and transparent as possible. For example, we strengthened the County’s vendor disclosure forms by requiring the names of all principals within the company, provide a list of any violations the company received, and any political contributions they have made. Shortly thereafter, we created the Office of the Inspector General and appointed the County’s first IG – a proud moment in my legislative career.
The Inspector General is an independent official, whose responsibilities include providing increased accountability and oversight of County operations, detecting, and preventing waste and fraud, while promoting transparency. The continued support of the IG’s office is critical to further the integrity of our procurement process. However, I am saddened to report that the IG has been working without a contract since January. This incredibly important office is facing an uncertain future, and leaves Nassau County, once again, vulnerable. Without proper resources and backing, this office simply cannot continue to meet its mission as an independent watchdog for Nassau County taxpayers.
For these reasons, the Democratic Minority Caucus of the Nassau County Legislature has filed a resolution to reappoint the current Inspector General Jodi Franzese. Without the passage of this resolution, the IG will continue to serve as a hold over with limited power and oversight.
We worked hard to improve the procurement process and restore integrity in Nassau County, having these safeguards in place helps to continue to protect our taxpayers while ensure elected officials have all the information required to make informed decisions.
Sincerely,
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton
Nassau County Legislator
11th Legislative District