Statement from Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton – ARPA Funds Must Pay for Pressing Needs, Not A Yearlong Party
(MINEOLA, N.Y.) – On Thursday, Jan. 4, County Executive Bruce Blakeman held a press conference to announce initial plans for Nassau’s yearlong 125th anniversary celebration – events which are to be staged and promoted using $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) pandemic recovery funds.
Following today’s press conference, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) issued the following statement:
“Although it is important to recognize historic milestones, we cannot support the Blakeman administration’s plan to spend $10 million in federal pandemic aid on a yearlong party when our constituents are faced with real and pressing needs in their lives,” Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) said. “We must first invest in programs and institutions that will provide lasting enhancements to public safety, bolster youth services, fight hunger, and strengthen mental health and substance abuse care.”
“Moreover, the administration’s failure to include the Minority Caucus in any meaningful discussions regarding the events unveiled today is another example of the Blakeman administration’s disregard for the Legislature as a fiscal watchdog and a coequal branch of government,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton added.
“The Minority Caucus will closely monitor all event-related contracts that come before the Legislature to ensure that the procurement process does not devolve into taxpayer-funded sweetheart deals for the County Executive’s cronies and political allies,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton concluded.