Pictured from left to right: Gina Labriola, daughter; Cindy Labriola, wife; Steve Labriola; Lisa Labriola, daughter and Bocce, family dog.
Chief Deputy Comptroller to accomplish major reforms. Labriola’s plan is simple and involves three main points, which are clearly laid out on his website. First, he wants to create a “Whistle-Blower Hotline,” allowing employees and citizens to anonymously report instances of potential fraud that they notice. Second, he wants to form a skilled Anti-Fraud Unit in order to prevent “shady companies” from taking up residency in the county. And third, he wants to double the number of annual audits to ensure accountability on the part of tax-funded organizations. Additionally, he wants to use social media and the County’s website to show where and how the taxpayers’ money is being spent, in order to restore faith in the local government. As he says on his website, “No one will rip
off the taxpayers on my watch.” Furthermore, Labriola plans to eliminate NIFA, Nassau County’s fiscal monitor, as he no longer sees the need for its oversight. While initially he was part of the group that approved of NIFA, he had not anticipated that it would still be in existence years after its implementation. “One of our goals is to release Nassau County from NIFA,” he said. “It would be a wonderful accomplishment to have NIFA no longer necessary, and the way to do that is to permanently remove the deficit condition which triggers the control period.” He also plans to revise the “County Guarantee,” which provides that should an individual challenge their taxes and win, then the county will return the
money at their own expense, while the municipality that initially received the funds keep them. “That’s a basic unfairness,” he said. Overall, Labriola has big plans, and wants to work alongside the state government in Albany and Nassau County itself in order to complete them. “I want this role in particular because I believe, in this role, I could restore the public’s trust,” he said. “My job will be to create accountability, strengthen transparency, and root out corruption wherever it may exist.” The General Election will be November 7, 2017.
stevelabriola.com
June 2017 | 95