Government

New York Beach Town Faces Millions in Bills for Mismanaged Past

“If Long Beach was a business, it wouldn’t be in business.”

Long Beach residents are still paying off more than $8 million in debt issued almost seven years ago to cover a budget deficit.Photographer: Johnny Milano/Bloomberg

Long Beach is known for its raucous West End bars, Irish Day parade and two-mile boardwalk. Locally, the city of 34,000 on a barrier island 25 miles east of New York City, is also renowned for fiscal mismanagement.

Residents are still paying off more than $8 million in debt issued almost seven years ago to cover a budget deficit. An investigation last year by the Nassau County District Attorney found that for almost two decades Long Beach had improperly overpaid employees — including the former city manager — millions of dollars for unused vacation and sick days.