NIFA Shows Its Power

NIFA has just nixed a 26 million dollar plan for improvements to Aquatic Center in Nassau.  It was believed by many that even if last summer's referendum won the election that NIFA would of killed it.  NIFA is a panel put together by Albany to review and approve Nassau's financial decisions, since they in such bad economic shape.

NIFA is the major challenge Mangano faces if he wants to use taxpayers money towards a new Coliseum.  While Kate Murray is the challenge preventing private development at the site with her joke of a zoning.  Ed Mangano is going have to find away to work with or around both of them if he wants to keep the Islanders in Nassau County.

 Nassau 's financial control board has turned down a $26 million plan to refurbish the county's Aquatic Center in Eisenhower Park, but approved a $5.4 million contract to renovate the now-closed police shooting range in Hempstead .

Members of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority questioned the cost of the Aquatic Center project before rejecting a $21.8 million contract with E & A Restoration on Thursday. NIFA staff reported the county had already borrowed $11 million, spent $4 million on new machinery, and wanted to borrow an additional $14.8 million.

Although the center's swimming pool and surrounding building is only 13 years old, high humidity and high air chlorine from an improperly designed heating and air conditioning system damaged the duct work, roof, walls and electrical systems, according to the staff report.

NIFA member Chris Wright said spending that kind of money for a recreation facility is "fiscally imprudent even in a good year." NIFA member Dermond Thomas questioned why the county had not prioritized the work by health and safety issues. Chairman Ronald Stack said the county "could come back with a scaled-down contract, saying exactly what they're going to do."

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I wonder what Chris Wright would have to say about using county money towards a sports arena then.