July 30, 2008

Schmitt: “Shame on Suozzi Spending Spree”

Nassau County Legislator and Minority Leader Peter J. Schmitt fired at County Executive Tom Suozzi today questioning Suozzi’s use of Industrial Development Agency (IDA) funds to throw a $130,000 press conference.     

“Nassau County residents are facing the most difficult financial burdens in a generation, and the message from their County Executive is that he does not care.  And, to top it off, he is wasting county resources by spending $130,000 to take NYC tourists on a spending spree across the north shore,” said Legislator Schmitt.

Tom Suozzi held a press conference in New York City on Tuesday to announce his promotion of Nassau County tourism, but this publicity stunt has turned out only to frustrate taxpayers and elected officials.  Suozzi hired a local recording artist and took 16 tourists from Manhattan to four different locations in Nassau, including Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay and the exclusive Americana shopping mall in Manhasset.  Apparently, Suozzi used surplus funds from the county’s IDA fee collections to finance this jaunt. 

“I think this is a flagrant misuse of funds on shameless self promotion.  Who does he think he is, Paris Hilton?  If there is ever a surplus of funding, it should be allocated to one of two things – either to reduce taxes or to pay down debt,” said Schmitt.  “Tom Suozzi is the master of one-shot publicity stunts.  Whatever happened to ‘Green Levittown’ or making the Belmont Stakes like the Kentucky Derby?  I wonder what Tom Suozzi’s next meaningless press conference will be about?” questioned, Legislator Schmitt.  “Spending $130,000 to take 16 people to four places in Nassau is wasteful.  Regardless of gas prices, who can afford to spend $8,000 per person on a one-day excursion?”