May 8, 2008

Weitzman gratified by DiNapoli’s removal of professionals
& rescinding of credits from State pension system

Abuses were revealed by Weitzman’s  2005 audit of Sanitation District One

Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman said today that he is gratified that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has removed a Sanitation District One attorney from the State pension system and rescinded pension credits from a treasurer in the same district after an investigation revealed that they were improperly reported as employees by the districts.  

These abuses and inappropriate classification of professional consultants were revealed by Weitzman in a 2005 audit of the Town of Hempstead’s Sanitary District One. Weitzman reported these questionable practices to the then-State Comptroller Alan Hevesi.

The County’s 2005 audit was cut short, however, when the sanitation district officials refused to cooperate with the auditors.

“The exploitation of Nassau County taxpayers and of the state pension system by special districts and the professional consultants who work for them is coming to a screeching halt,” said Weitzman. “We are anxiously awaiting the completion of the State Comptroller’s investigation of Albert D’Agostino whose similar actions have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousand of dollars.”

Last month Comptroller Weitzman asked that New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office repay Nassau County taxpayers $102,246 that was inappropriately charged in 2000 to pay for over 21 years’ worth of retroactive pension credit for a D’Agostino, who did not work for the county as an employee.