Politics & Government

Comptroller: Suozzi is a Liar

The Democratic nominee said the Mangano Administration has ramped up borrowing.

It didn't take long for the mud to start flying in the Nassau County executive's race.

Days after Tom Suozzi locked up the Democratic nomination, he accused County Executive Ed Mangano of being a "compulsive borrower."

"The number one contributing factor to Ed Mangano's dismal mismanagement of our county's finances is his penchant for borrowing," Suozzi said. "He has borrowed more than $2.5 billion."

But Republican County Comptroller George Maragos fired back, questioning Suozzi's math and calling his comments "at best a gross exaggeration, and at worst flat out lying."

"The Mangano Administration in its three and half years in office has borrowed $1.24 billion, primarily for capital projects and to provide residents with relief from Superstorm Sandy," Maragos stated. "The Mangano Administration is further projected to borrow an additional $85 million before year-end bringing its total borrowing over the last four years to $1.33 billion, approximately one third less than the $2 Billion Mr. Suozzi falsely alleges."

Mangano added that Suozzi borrowed $2.62 billion in the last four years of his administration. Suozzi was the county executive before losing his bid for a third term to Mangano in 2009.






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