She is one of the country's leading career, retirement and personal finance authorities.

The state allowed the city to borrow up to $7.5 billion beyond its debt limit for construction projects through that finance authority.

At the finance authority, which provides low-interest loans for home mortgages, the average work week is 37.5 hours.

An analysis by the finance authority found the shortfall could swell to more than $208 million by 2005.

Nassau officials are planning to deliver their four-year financial plans to the finance authority on Wednesday.

"We had no road map on how to do this," said Ted Chapler, head of the state's finance authority.

The state's public finance authority sold $2 billion in bonds for unemployment benefits, and it's authorized to sell $1.5 billion more if necessary.

It would flow through a special finance authority, and the City Council would have to approve any use of the money.

The Legislature attached relatively few strings to the new Finance Authority.

Now, county lawmakers have to retool the budget so it is balanced to the satisfaction of the interim finance authority by Oct. 30.