Nassau County slow to pay 3 new workers, letter alleges

Three people who work for Nassau County's Democratic minority caucus have been waiting more than a month as their first paychecks have been held up by the Republican administration of County Executive Bruce Blakeman, according to a letter obtained by Newsday.

In what she calls an "abuse of power" and "bullying," Minority Leader Legis. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) accuses the administration of withholding the checks until the Democrats support Blakeman's capital plan for the 2024 fiscal year.

"These individuals—two interns and one full-time legislative assistant—have already begun working, yet their hiring paperwork, health insurance and paychecks have been unjustifiably delayed by your office since July," DeRiggi-Whitton wrote in a Sept. 4 letter to the administration's Chief Deputy County Executive Arthur Walsh. 

"Your actions are deeply troubling and suggest a blatant abuse of power," she wrote.

When asked, Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle told Newsday Friday that the Democratic caucus exceeded its budget, suggesting that a lack of funds was the reason the county's Office of Management and Budget has yet to process the paychecks.

"The Democrat minority has tried to hire two individuals whose salaries would cause the caucus to exceed their budgeted amount of funds," Boyle said in an email. "The minority leader has repeatedly been told to get her budget affairs in order and upon doing so the two individuals would be added to the county payroll."

Democrats assert that they are on track to end the year with a surplus even after factoring in the new hire salary and intern stipends. 

DeRiggi-Whitton wrote in the letter that there is enough money in the budget and said the actions "not only violate the county charter and infringe upon a coequal branch of government, but also suggest a pattern of intimidation and bullying that is highly concerning." 

Michele Darcy, director of finance, law and operations for the Democratic caucus, told Newsday on Friday that the allocated budget for personnel this year was $2,404,051 and the spending projection through the end of the year is $2,350,426.

The legislative assistant's salary is $55,000, and the interns are supposed to be paid $19 per hour. All three are entry level positions in government working for legislators who represent districts with large communities of color.

The move is the latest in the tug-of-war between county Democrats and the Blakeman administration over the function of Nassau's government. 

At the end of July, Democratic legislators vowed to block Blakeman's requests to borrow money for big, countywide infrastructure projects as a last resort to get discretionary funding promised for their communities. 

While Republicans hold a 12-7 majority in the legislature, Blakeman needs a supermajority of 13 votes to approve finance requests for larger countywide projects such as road repair.

Democrats say Blakeman is withholding over $800,000 in discretionary funding for first responders — including firefighters, EMS, and local police — which would provide essential equipment like new turnout gear and breathing air compressors for volunteer firefighters in Port Washington and Glen Cove.

Boyle said Blakeman has sent the legislature an amendment to add additional funding for projects "including many in Democrat districts."

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.