DHC's Weingartner Pens Op-ed in Today's Newsday

August 15, 2024 -We’re speaking up on behalf of our nonprofit clients in Suffolk County, after legislators proposed limiting funding for organizations whose CEOs earn more than the New York State Governor.

DHC Director of State Government Affairs Nicole L. Weingartner (the “Long Island Lobbyist”) addressed the issue in a letter to the editor of Newsday on August 15, arguing the “bill would create a mass exodus of large, hardworking nonprofits from doing business with and within Suffolk County. It potentially would force Suffolk to contract only with smaller nonprofits that may not be equipped for the large population of Suffolk and its unique needs.” 

The reality is that today’s non-profit CEOs are masters of multiple and complicated tasks, from running complex organizations to possessing well-heeled networks of donors, which fund the overwhelming majority of non-profit budgets.

The DHC Government Relations team knows that allowing nonprofits to function at their peak is critical to maintaining a community that takes care of our most vulnerable and deserving members.

“While the intent to save taxpayer money might be understandable, it is unfeasible and carries unintended consequences both for nonprofits that operate in the county and the individuals they serve,” wrote Nicole.