Mineola, N.Y- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today urged Nassau's Republican Party State Senators to pass Nassau's Sewer & Storm Water proposal that will save the financially strapped county $25 million a year.

Suozzi also warned that without the $25 million savings, all of the county's sponsored health and human service agencies "would be in danger of losing all their county funding and might not be able to continue their organization."

These agencies would include Veteran's Services, Nassau's Department of Senior Citizen Affairs, the Office of the Physically Challenged, the Youth Board and hundreds of anti-drug and Mental Health programs.

In addition, Suozzi said "the failure of the Senate to pass this proposal could also mean civil-service layoffs."

"When I first came into office, I proposed a multi-year plan to pull Nassau County out of its fiscal mess. That plan included a Sewer and Storm Water Authority. The plan, and the Sewer and Storm Water proposal has been endorsed by everyone," said Suozzi.

"Today, I am asking, I am urging that the Republican members of the State Senate pass our proposal. Help me to help Nassau County recover from a decade of mismanagement. Help me to help maintain the quality of life in Nassau County," stated Suozzi.

"This plan has been unanimously endorsed by NIFA, which include appointees from Governor Pataki's Office, Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, State Comptroller Alan Hevesi. They support the plan," exclaimed Suozzi.

"In addition, the plan has received the backing of the Majority of the Nassau Legislature, Newsday, the New York Times, The Long Island Association, The Association for a Better Long Island, The Nassau County Citizens Budget Committee, The League of Conservation Voters, and all of the top Wall Street Credit Rating Agencies," added Suozzi.

"Since January, 2002, my administration has balanced the budget, eliminated more than 1,000 County jobs, cutting the workforce by more than 12%. We have cancelled expensive "politically-connected" contracts, cleaned up scandal-ridden departments and rooted out 30 years of one-party machine waste, fraud and abuse. 'Smart government initiatives' have saved nearly $100 million in taxpayer money."

"I am not raising property taxes again. We already asked the people of Nassau County to help contribute to the recovery of this broken government. We challenged our Police Unions to contribute. We are negotiating well with our Civil Service Union, asking them to pitch in too."

"And, now we need the Republican State Senators to do their share." said Suozzi.

"The Sewer & Storm Water plan has been debated, discussed, and dissected since it was first proposed in April, 2002. In the last 14 months, we have traveled to Albany a dozen times, met with Legislative staff, answered every question, addressed and countered every objection, made changes in the bill and even today stand ready, willing and able to make this happen," said Suozzi.