When the Democrats gained the majority last year in the Nassau County Legislature it set into motion an aggressive agenda to restore fiscal stability to a county teetering on the brink of insolvency and to systematically root out the elements that created that situation. That effort was continued last week when the Democratic Majority released a comprehensive report outlining its goals and initiatives in 2001.

During the past year the Democratic Majority cut wasteful spending, particularly in the area of employee perks; initiated the elimination of high salaried patronage positions; and saved thousands of taxpayer dollars by carefully reviewing and ultimately rejecting or amending numerous contracts proposed by the county executive that granted sweetheart provisions to outside firms. In addition, we helped develop the county's first ever four-year financial plan, refused to adopt a fiscal 2001 budget that contained fiscal gimmicks and inflated and unrealistic assumptions, and approved a smart re-assessment plan that will reduce the county's tax certiorari borrowing costs by millions of dollars annually.

Though most of the year was spent focusing on fiscal matters, the Democratic Majority also reformed other aspects of county government. We passed a landmark human rights law, which outlaws discrimination against a host of individuals in the community. We opened up county government to the people by holding a greater number of public hearings and inviting public comment at committee meetings. In addition, we improved cooperation between levels of government, by granting financial assistance to villages, as had been previously done with towns and cities.

Although we consider the last year a great triumph for the residents of Nassau County, this is no time to rest on our laurels and become complacent. The truth of the matter is, Nassau County is still in the midst of a fiscal crisis, and many of the systemic problems contributing to that scenario still exist. The initiatives outlined in our ambitious agenda for 2001 further incorporates responsible budgeting practices, coordinated management of services and government and the humane delivery of social services.

In 2001 we will continue to reform the county's budgeting process as we introduce legislation to mandate a capital planning budget and four-year financial plan, allow for the transfer of funds between departments, and make it illegal for the county executive to impound funds appropriated in the adopted budget.

As a cost-saving initiative, the Democratic Majority will work with local municipalities in eliminating duplicative services. An advisory panel already convened last fall to examine areas where municipal services overlap. This initiative could save millions per year.

We will also call upon the State Legislature to shift control of the dysfunctional Traffic and Parking Violations Agency from the Board of Judges back to the county executive and the Legislature, as well as calling for the removal of its director Thomas Carroll, who has been leading the troubled agency since its inception.

Other initiatives include: Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee legislation that will facilitate the county's protection of land, as well as the development of an overall open space planning strategy; reform of the county's real property assessment grievance process and tax certiorari reform; contract reforms that would streamline a cumbersome approval process that alienates prospective contractors; county employee contribution for healthcare premiums; revising the county's eviction process, so that an evictee's belongings are stored for a short period of time rather than left on the street; and continued oversight of the Nassau University Medical Center and its satellite clinics.

The mention of these proposed and successful initiatives was not done to impress the reader of this column, they were merely done to assure you that there is someone out there leading our ship to safe passage in these difficult times.

For a more detailed description of the initiatives discussed you can access our full report on the web page of any Democratic legislator on the county web site at www.co.nassau.ny.us.