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The state board in control of Nassau’s finances has commissioned a report suggesting the county could cut $87 million in annual expenses through controversial measures such as privatizing ambulance services, defunding school crossing guards and offloading some parks maintenance to towns.
Nassau Interim Finance Authority members on Tuesday approved a resolution to release the report from its consultant, Great Neck-based Capital Markets Advisors, or CMA. The firm was hired in March, when NIFA was projecting that Nassau could end 2017 with a $106 million deficit.
That projection now stands at $54 million, but NIFA is still asking County Executive Edward Mangano to come up with ways that he could reduce spending by 7 percent, or $100 million, from his 2018 budget.
Mangano, a Republican who is not seeking re-election, will submit the proposal to county legislators on Sept. 15. But with all 19 legislative seats up for election in November, it’s unlikely a tax hike to raise revenues would be embraced.
Therefore, the CMA report is a “good starting point” for cost-cutting talks, said NIFA chairman Adam Barsky, even if elements are unpopular with lawmakers and unions.
“Any cut always has a constituency that isn’t going to be happy about it,” Barsky said. “But in an environment where people are not willing to tolerate an increase in taxes, you have to start looking to cut things that are not essential, or shift them to areas that can carry more of the burden.”