Democratic Nassau County executive candidate Laura Curran proposed Thursday strict limits on government mailings that she would implement if elected.
Through an executive order, Curran said, she would restrict the content and timing of mailings from county government offices, which she cast as unnecessary, taxpayer-funded self-promotion for elected officials.
“These mailings are egregious, they’re useless, and when I’m county executive, we’re going to put a stop to it,” Curran, a second-term county legislator, said at a news conference outside her Baldwin home.
Under Curran’s proposed policy, mailings from the county executive’s office and its departments could only contain “objective information” about upcoming events, public safety concerns and changes to county policies or initiatives; and must explicitly say that taxpayer money funded them.
The county budget would have to allocate funds for mailings, and any money given to county legislators would have to be equally distributed, Curran said.
Mailings could not contain any elected official’s photograph, only mention the official’s name once and could not be sent fewer than 60 days before a primary or general election, Curran said.
The county Board of Ethics could give fines up to $10,000 to violators of the policy, Curran said.
An executive order containing the new rules would only apply to the county executive’s office and the departments within its purview.
The Legislature would have to approve a local law to apply them to legislators and other elected countywide officials, such as the comptroller and district attorney. Curran said she would also push for such a law.
County officials regularly send mail touting their policy accomplishments or criticizing other officials. Mailings are generally funded by official government offices or lawmakers’ political campaigns — but it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference, Curran said.
The latest mailing from Curran’s legislative office, which bears a photo of her, advertises an April 5 forum about storm resiliency and economic development projects in the Baldwin area.
The Legislature spends about $1 million annually on postage for mailing, Curran said. Design and printing services add to the cost.
Curran accused Edward Mangano, the current Republican county executive who is facing federal corruption charges, of including “alternative facts,” or misleading information “that would make you think our county government is shangri-la.”
Nassau’s GOP lawmakers came under fire in 2015 when they sent a postcard saying they had not raised property taxes for five years, when they had in fact increased 3.4 percent for that year. A tax rebate later offset the hike.
The Legislature’s GOP majority would not support a law containing Curran’s rules because existing mailings already follow state and county laws, Matt Fernando, a spokesman for the caucus, said.
“Nothing says, ‘vote for this person,’ nothing is overtly political like that,” Fernando said.
The two legislative caucuses get funds for mailings based on how many members they have, Fernando said, and the majority and minority leaders decide how it’s distributed.
Brian Nevin, a spokesman for Mangano, said Curran “must be referring to her own mailings as all of the county executive’s mailings are informative and include every legislator’s name.”
Curran is facing a three-way Democratic primary for county executive against state Assemblyman Charles Lavine and Nassau Comptroller George Maragos, a former Republican.
Mangano, who pleaded not guilty last October to federal corruption charges, has not said whether he will seek re-election, and the Nassau GOP has yet to name another candidate.
Curran is backed by the Nassau Democratic Committee, but Lavine was endorsed Wednesday by Robert Zimmerman, a Democratic National Committee member and the owner of the Great Neck public relations firm Zimmerman/Edelson.
Lavine’s “deep understanding of the issues that face Nassau County residents and record of leadership in Albany and on Long Island makes him a strong candidate for the future,” Zimmerman said in a statement.
Maragos also announced endorsements Thursday from 12 Hispanic pastors, continuing his efforts to win support from ethnic minority groups and community leaders.
“Mr. Maragos is a man of integrity and has demonstrated his honesty and transparency in running the County’s finances as well as being interested in the well-being of Hispanics,” Pastor Lazaro Rodriguez of Freeport said in a statement.
What is Laura’s position on police worn body cameras to protect the integrity of investigations into excessive force abuses by police officers against Nassau County residents who taxes pay their salaries and lawsuits(!) Then ask her about Naasau County’s (former) Executive leader Thomas Gullota’s federal order, following the Thomas Pizzuto’s death (1999) that implemented new reform policies that DA Dennis Dillon proposed to the legislature. Surveillance Cameras estimated to cast in excess of $2-million tax-payers dollars. Thomas Pizzuto, like Darryl Woody, was begging for his (prescribed) medications, when he too was attacked, beaten, brutalized by jail guards at NCCC. Darryl Woody was attacked by seven correctional guards that claimed that he had attempted suicide by slashing his wrists and neck , while on 1to1 constant-watch (suicide supervision) in a suicide prevention cell(!) Darryl was beaten and repeatedly tortured four separate instances that lasted seventeen hours before he was transported to NUMC’ s Mental health wing. Day’s later, Darryl Woody, while “still” on 1to1 constant-watch; under doctors care, was said to have been “Found Hanging!” The medical examiner ruled it; Death by asphyxiation_hanging(!) How is an innocent, mentally-ill pre-trial detainee who was denied medications and medical treatment at the jail Found Hanging” when he was under 24 hours constant watch following two earlier (reported) attempts and a mental history? This is a homicide that’s being cover-up as a suicide by hanging at NUMC. All caught on Video Surveillance Cameras at NUMC and at NCCC. The jail blames NUMC. The Medical Center blames NCCC. Both conspire to violate Darryl Woody’s Human and Civil Rights by [hiding the truth] about Darryl Woody’s death by asphyxiation. Darryl’s [suspicious] death was captured on Video Surveillance Cameras That (former) County Executive Thomas Gullota was ordered installed by the feds following Thomas Pizzuto’s beating death. (federally indicted) Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano breached his duties by conspiring to obstruct justice in Darryl Woody’s death investigation using his office to manipulate and deny access to the damning evidence that proves Darryl Woody’s January 3, 2011 death, while on suicide-watch at NUMC, is a homicide being covered-up as a suicide NUMC, NCCC, and Nassau County’s [corrupt] Executive and legislative members that on the jails Advisory Board and failed to produce or review the government [ordered] installed, Da requested, legislature approved, government protected files_ the Video(s)! Malicious Tampering is a felony in New York State!. What’s NUMC, NCCC, Nassau County’s (federally indicted) racketeering ‘Boss Ed sticky-fingers – Mangano and his crony appointed operatives and cohorts on the bench,”Have To Hide?” “We Can Handle The Truth!” “Release The Video(s)!” “Now!” This is a “Major Scandal! How did Nassau County’s homicide Squad fail to review then take into evidence_the Video Surveillance Recordings? So what is Laura Curran’s position on this Matter Of Darryl Woody’s Human and Civil Rights to a Due process and a fair trial in Nassau County’s (corrupt) Supreme Courts that’s represented by all the states evidence testimonies, witnesses and Video Surveillance Files. Darryl Woody “Can’t get Justice in Nassau County Courts where motions for review of Darryl’s Video Surveillance Files are being injudiciously denied by the presiding justice. This is a political hit-job by a corrupt regime operating out of Nassau County’s Sheriff’s Department aided, abetted, and facilitated by Norma Gonsalves and her politically compromised associates on the Committees that over-sees the jail. They are all complicit in this cover-up for fail to show Due Diligence in this Matter Of Darryl Woody. Pizzuto’s death got Cameras installed in NCCC and in NUMC’s prison medical wing. Darryl Woody’s death, while “still’ on 1to1 suicide-watch, was captured on these Video Cameras approved by the legislature. This is a “Major Scandal!” This is a homicide! Trial Date: April of 2018, Yes, seven years ‘still’ no closer to the truth! Index: 017721/2011. Ask Laura Curran to “What About Darryl Woody!” His death was caught on Video(s)! Ask that she as Executive Candidate can make her stand by filing a FOIl Request at Nassau County’s Sheriff’s Department where Sheriff Michael J. Spasato’s wife Elizabeth Loconsolo heads the FOIL Request Appellate Division_A Conflict Of Interest! ‘Talking about integrity(!)’ From Thomas Pizzuto’s death (1999) to Bartholomew Ryan death (2012)… “What About Darryl Woody! January 3, 2011 at NUMC/NCCC. Index: 017721/2011.