Robert Wild resigns Nassau finance oversight post

Robert Wild has resigned from the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, creating another vacancy on the seven-member state board in control of the county's finances.

Wild, a health care lawyer and past chairman of United Way of Long Island, said Wednesday that he has moved into the city from Manhasset and spends weekends at an upstate home. Combined with his work commitments, he said he can no longer devote the necessary attention to NIFA.

"I don't think I can give it the time it requires and I don't want to shortchange it. It's good people doing good work," said Wild, who submitted his resignation letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Aug. 9.

Cuomo has yet to announce a successor to NIFA board member Thomas Stokes, who resigned in March. The governor's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment Wednesday about appointments to NIFA.

Wild, who is not affiliated with a party, was named to the state board in 2010 by then-Gov. David A. Paterson. He has been serving as a holdover since his term expired at the end of 2010. Four registered Democrats and one registered Conservative remain on the board that is overseeing the budget of County Executive Edward Mangano, a Republican.

The NIFA board put out a statement thanking Wild for his service. "He has been a diligent and productive contributor to the work of NIFA over the past two years," it said.

Wild voted with the board to take control of the county's finances in January 2011. He also voted to approve Mangano's budget plan for this year, which relies on the county executive cutting $150 million in recurring labor savings, even though he expressed skepticism about the county's ability to balance the $2.7 billion spending plan.

Mangano declined to comment on Wild's resignation.