Nassau Comptroller To Audit County's Office Of Consumer Affairs

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips announced that her office would be conducting an audit of the county's Office of Consumer Affairs, citing a backlog of pending licenses that Phillips says piled up during the previous administration.

According to Phillips, the Office of Consumer Affairs has a backlog of pending applications that have left some business owners waiting months to begin seeing clients, and also prevented existing businesses from renewing licenses they had.

“The frustration and complaints I have heard from business owners regarding the apparent mismanagement of the Department of Consumer Affairs was reinforced at a meeting of the Nassau County Legislature in September 2021," Phillips said. "Under the previous administration, there was a backlog of hundreds of new applications and thousands of renewals, which cost the county millions of dollars in economic stimulus, at a time when it was needed most. The role of my audit is to assist the current administration to better serve consumers, business owners, and residents.”

Among many other things, the Office of Consumer Affairs is responsible for licensing certain businesses so they can work in Nassau County. Those include home improvement and service businesses, ATMs, appliance repair, health clubs, locksmiths, dry cleaners, laundromats and more. Without the proper licenses, businesses are not supposed to operate in the county.

According to Phillips, the office has already started to address the backlog of licenses. Her audit will try to identify what caused the backlog in the first place, and make recommendations to stop it from happening again.

“As the independent protector of Nassau County taxpayers and residents it is my responsibility to ensure county departments operate efficiently and effectively," said Phillips. "We need a Consumer Affairs Department that allows businesses to operate, hire and rebuild the economy. I am keeping my promise to taxpayers to improve transparency and make sure that county government works for them.”