Yes, it's only a website now but there are alot of angry grass-roots republicans upset over another State-wide GOP loss. Mondello has had his ass handed to him in election after election from Nassau up to the North Country. I reported the grumblings and mis-givings of republicans who didn't see Mondello as the right person for State Chairman.
There is a group forming to get rid of Mondello as State Chairman. Check out Change-NYGOP.
I for one hope that Mondello remains State and Nassau Chairman for many years to come.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Welcome National Republican Congressional Committee Visitors
Nice of you to be dropping by all of my sites!
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| Time of Visit | Feb 27 2008 11:48:06 am |
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Upstate Upset Puts Skelos One Step Closer to Obscurity
Boss Joe Mondello seems to have lost another one tonight with the victory of Democrat Darrel Albertine in the NYS Senate special election. According to our friends at The Albany Project, Aubertine beats Barclay handily on a very snowy day in a republican-leaning district.
Skelos and his party of do-nothings now have a one vote majority that rumors say might disappear before november with at least two republican state senators switching parties.
In the next couple of days you will be hearing Skelos and Fuschillo and Hannon and Marcellino whine on about how New York City will control everything when the Democrats take over the state senate. Don't believe the hype.... or rather the fear-mongering.
It's time for new blood in the state senate and we got some this time last year when Craig Johnson won his seat. In Nassau, we need to get rid of the self-serving and quite frankly historically under-performing state senators we have now.
We need a fair and equitable school funding formula in Albany. That is not going to happen with Skelos and crew. The plans put forth by Skelos and crew are going to do more damage to Long Island schools. In the next couple of days I will be posting my plans to right the ship in Albany. We need comprehensive top-down reform of a budget system that is failing all New Yorkers from the North Country to Montauk.
We need new leadership with new ideas unencumbered by petty politics and the only goal being re-election.
It's time to do great things.
Skelos and his party of do-nothings now have a one vote majority that rumors say might disappear before november with at least two republican state senators switching parties.
In the next couple of days you will be hearing Skelos and Fuschillo and Hannon and Marcellino whine on about how New York City will control everything when the Democrats take over the state senate. Don't believe the hype.... or rather the fear-mongering.
It's time for new blood in the state senate and we got some this time last year when Craig Johnson won his seat. In Nassau, we need to get rid of the self-serving and quite frankly historically under-performing state senators we have now.
We need a fair and equitable school funding formula in Albany. That is not going to happen with Skelos and crew. The plans put forth by Skelos and crew are going to do more damage to Long Island schools. In the next couple of days I will be posting my plans to right the ship in Albany. We need comprehensive top-down reform of a budget system that is failing all New Yorkers from the North Country to Montauk.
We need new leadership with new ideas unencumbered by petty politics and the only goal being re-election.
It's time to do great things.
Monday, February 25, 2008
TOBAY Councilwoman Rose Walker Stumps for Upsate Senate Candidate and Says Dumb Things
Boss Joe Mondello is on the verge of losing the GOP Majority in the State Senate so he sends his army north to help witless Will Barclay keep the seat republican. This is the only way Dean-O and Chuckie keep leadership posts.
From Newsday "Republican activist Rose Marie Walker is spending the second weekend in a row handing out campaign brochures - more than 300 miles from her Hicksville home - in a special election for State Senate that could determine whether her party holds on to its last power base in state government.Walker is among a group of volunteers who traveled six hours by bus from Long Island to canvass for votes in the state's northwest corner. This time of year, frigid temperatures and piles of snow are a certainty here.But Walker is undeterred, seeing a GOP victory in Tuesday's election as shoring up the dwindling Republican majority in the Senate - which has championed the interests of Nassau and Suffolk counties over New York City. A poll last week showed the race as a dead heat, which is surprising given the district has never been held by a Democrat.
"It's very, very important for us to keep the Republican majority in the Senate because we don't have the majority in the Assembly and the governor is a Democrat," said Walker, an Oyster Bay Town council member. "The Senate Democrats, most are from the city ... They don't care about Long Island."
Walker wants divided government.
I guess then she advocates for divided government in Oyster Bay where the republicans control everything, right?
Nah, Probably not.
*Check out Walker comparing her constituents to nursery school students.
Then as all weak-minded republicans do, she plays the New York City card to little effect. I bet that her guy Will Barclay doesn't care about Long Island either. You see, he's from the North Country and they are fighting for the same money the Long Island republicans are fighting for.
Democrat Aubertine is already pointing out that Barclay may very well be beholding to Long Island at the expense of the North Country. Aubertine won't stand for that at all.
"I would just tell all our school officials to lock up the safe for the next few days, because the same people who have taken our school funding away for years are here to help Will Barclay," said Aubertine for State Senate campaign manager Cathy Calhoun. "These Long Islanders owe the Senate Republicans for the millions more they sent to their schools. Will Barclay wants to keep that spigot open and running. He should know that those millions came at the expense of our children, and that we aren't going to let it happen again."The article reports that the Long Island volunteer corps is in town as payback to the Republican Senate leadership, which has "championed the interests of Nassau and Suffolk counties." These interests included funneling more than $220 million in new school funding to Long Island schools last year. This funding came at the expense of rural and small city school districts in the 48th Senate District and across Upstate New York. "What we did, what the Republican senators did, was to drive aid to suburban school districts," Senator Dean Skelos, leader of Long Island's Senate Republican Delegation, gleefully told the New York Times in the weeks after last year's budget was passed.Skelos has also given the maximum allowable contribution to Will Barclay's campaign.Despite this strategy, the Newsday article quoted one "volunteer," Rose Marie Walker - an elected official in Nassau County, mother of a Long Island Assemblyman, and a card carrying member of Nassau County's infamous machine cynically stating that Long Islanders and residents in the 48th Senate District "share a common bond" and should "stick together." "The only common bond is that we're both paying taxes to support wealthy Long Island school districts," said Calhoun. "Central and Northern New York schools have been shortchanged for too long. Darrel Aubertine will fight to make sure we get our fair share."
From Newsday "Republican activist Rose Marie Walker is spending the second weekend in a row handing out campaign brochures - more than 300 miles from her Hicksville home - in a special election for State Senate that could determine whether her party holds on to its last power base in state government.Walker is among a group of volunteers who traveled six hours by bus from Long Island to canvass for votes in the state's northwest corner. This time of year, frigid temperatures and piles of snow are a certainty here.But Walker is undeterred, seeing a GOP victory in Tuesday's election as shoring up the dwindling Republican majority in the Senate - which has championed the interests of Nassau and Suffolk counties over New York City. A poll last week showed the race as a dead heat, which is surprising given the district has never been held by a Democrat.
"It's very, very important for us to keep the Republican majority in the Senate because we don't have the majority in the Assembly and the governor is a Democrat," said Walker, an Oyster Bay Town council member. "The Senate Democrats, most are from the city ... They don't care about Long Island."
Walker wants divided government.
I guess then she advocates for divided government in Oyster Bay where the republicans control everything, right?
Nah, Probably not.
*Check out Walker comparing her constituents to nursery school students.
Then as all weak-minded republicans do, she plays the New York City card to little effect. I bet that her guy Will Barclay doesn't care about Long Island either. You see, he's from the North Country and they are fighting for the same money the Long Island republicans are fighting for.
Democrat Aubertine is already pointing out that Barclay may very well be beholding to Long Island at the expense of the North Country. Aubertine won't stand for that at all.
"I would just tell all our school officials to lock up the safe for the next few days, because the same people who have taken our school funding away for years are here to help Will Barclay," said Aubertine for State Senate campaign manager Cathy Calhoun. "These Long Islanders owe the Senate Republicans for the millions more they sent to their schools. Will Barclay wants to keep that spigot open and running. He should know that those millions came at the expense of our children, and that we aren't going to let it happen again."The article reports that the Long Island volunteer corps is in town as payback to the Republican Senate leadership, which has "championed the interests of Nassau and Suffolk counties." These interests included funneling more than $220 million in new school funding to Long Island schools last year. This funding came at the expense of rural and small city school districts in the 48th Senate District and across Upstate New York. "What we did, what the Republican senators did, was to drive aid to suburban school districts," Senator Dean Skelos, leader of Long Island's Senate Republican Delegation, gleefully told the New York Times in the weeks after last year's budget was passed.Skelos has also given the maximum allowable contribution to Will Barclay's campaign.Despite this strategy, the Newsday article quoted one "volunteer," Rose Marie Walker - an elected official in Nassau County, mother of a Long Island Assemblyman, and a card carrying member of Nassau County's infamous machine cynically stating that Long Islanders and residents in the 48th Senate District "share a common bond" and should "stick together." "The only common bond is that we're both paying taxes to support wealthy Long Island school districts," said Calhoun. "Central and Northern New York schools have been shortchanged for too long. Darrel Aubertine will fight to make sure we get our fair share."
Friday, February 22, 2008
More on the South Farmingdale Water District Lawsuit Settlement
From the Farmingdale Observer..
"The lawsuit was filed right before the election by challenger Craig Heller. Heller, a North Massapequa resident, is also a partner at Heller & Verdi law firm in East Meadow...."
"The purpose in the end of the lawsuit really was so that we can have this issue come to the floor and so it would show certain things are going on in the special districts," he [Heller] explained. "While I still believe that the cost to the taxpayer was significant, this would've taken a lot more legal work to get to that point. The point has been made."
"Counsel to the SFWD, Gregory Carman of Carman Callahan & Ingham, LLP in Farmingdale said, "with respect to the newsletter, the commissioners feel that the newsletter is an important and professional tool and should include information about policy and elected individuals who represent the district."
"The district is very enthusiastic about the quality and level of service it provides its residents and the credentials of those who serve as commissioners in the district," he added."
"Carman said the commissioners agreed to settle because "They recognize that lawsuits are expensive and while there is no admission of any wrongdoing, the commissioners decided to settle the matter to avoid costly litigation."
"Heller, during his campaign for commissioner, stated, "This is exactly the kind of waste and abuse that caused me to run this race in the first place. This special district believes that they can spend our taxpayer dollars however they please to satisfy their own interests. My opponent has allowed the taxpayer to pay for a campaign ad on his behalf. What makes this act even more blatant is that the water district normally issues two newsletters in a calendar year. This year they sent one out in spring 2007 and in October 2007 they sent out a fall edition. This newsletter is an extra edition, clearly done to attempt to re-elect my opponent."
"The lawsuit was filed right before the election by challenger Craig Heller. Heller, a North Massapequa resident, is also a partner at Heller & Verdi law firm in East Meadow...."
"The purpose in the end of the lawsuit really was so that we can have this issue come to the floor and so it would show certain things are going on in the special districts," he [Heller] explained. "While I still believe that the cost to the taxpayer was significant, this would've taken a lot more legal work to get to that point. The point has been made."
"Counsel to the SFWD, Gregory Carman of Carman Callahan & Ingham, LLP in Farmingdale said, "with respect to the newsletter, the commissioners feel that the newsletter is an important and professional tool and should include information about policy and elected individuals who represent the district."
"The district is very enthusiastic about the quality and level of service it provides its residents and the credentials of those who serve as commissioners in the district," he added."
"Carman said the commissioners agreed to settle because "They recognize that lawsuits are expensive and while there is no admission of any wrongdoing, the commissioners decided to settle the matter to avoid costly litigation."
"Heller, during his campaign for commissioner, stated, "This is exactly the kind of waste and abuse that caused me to run this race in the first place. This special district believes that they can spend our taxpayer dollars however they please to satisfy their own interests. My opponent has allowed the taxpayer to pay for a campaign ad on his behalf. What makes this act even more blatant is that the water district normally issues two newsletters in a calendar year. This year they sent one out in spring 2007 and in October 2007 they sent out a fall edition. This newsletter is an extra edition, clearly done to attempt to re-elect my opponent."
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Blind Item: Adult Reading Material Edition
What local republican elected official whose campaign last fall was all wet in his special district found his way into the curtained section of a business just one town over?
The choice of material must have been big because it was a long visit.
Maybe wifey has spyware on the family computer?
And USED PORN????
Come on.
The choice of material must have been big because it was a long visit.
Maybe wifey has spyware on the family computer?
And USED PORN????
Come on.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Upstate Republicans Use Mondello Playbook - Attack New York City
Looks like Long Island republicans aren't the only ones that make NYC a scapegoat for their inability to do their jobs.
From the Bill Hammond at the NY Daily News (h/t Albany Project)
"The award for the slimiest campaign tactic of the year - so far, anyway - goes to the state Senate GOP.
Desperate to win a Feb. 26 special election in northern New York - and keep Republicans in power - Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's forces are going negative.
And what red-meat issue are they using to inflame the people of the 48th Senate District, way, way upstate along the St. Lawrence River? Is it gun control? Abortion? Gay marriage?
Nope. They're playing the New York City card. They're accusing the Big Apple of draining away upstate's tax dollars.
And they're lying through their teeth.
The clumsy attack on behalf of GOP candidate Will Barclay took the form of a mock postcard mailed to voters last week. "Greetings from New York City!" it says on the front, above a photo of the Manhattan skyline. On the back is a message to the Democratic candidate, Darrel Aubertine, from his "friends" in the city who are "thrilled" he's running for Senate....."
"In fact, the opposite is true. That giant sucking sound you hear is New York City tax dollars rushing north to make life easier for folks in places like the 48th Senate District.
A 2004 study by the Center for Governmental Research (based in upstate Rochester, by the way) estimated that New York City taxpayers sent Albany about $11 billion a year more than they got back in state services. Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley were also net losers. Only upstate came out ahead.
It makes some sense that downstate, which has a strong economy, would shoulder most of the burden of state government. But state lawmakers take the redistribution thing too far, lavishing money on upstate while giving the city the shaft......"
"New Yorkers should remember those downstate-bashing postcards this fall, when GOP Sens. Frank Padavan and Serphin Maltese of Queens, Martin Golden of Brooklyn and Andrew Lanza of Staten Island come looking for votes."
From the Bill Hammond at the NY Daily News (h/t Albany Project)
"The award for the slimiest campaign tactic of the year - so far, anyway - goes to the state Senate GOP.
Desperate to win a Feb. 26 special election in northern New York - and keep Republicans in power - Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's forces are going negative.
And what red-meat issue are they using to inflame the people of the 48th Senate District, way, way upstate along the St. Lawrence River? Is it gun control? Abortion? Gay marriage?
Nope. They're playing the New York City card. They're accusing the Big Apple of draining away upstate's tax dollars.
And they're lying through their teeth.
The clumsy attack on behalf of GOP candidate Will Barclay took the form of a mock postcard mailed to voters last week. "Greetings from New York City!" it says on the front, above a photo of the Manhattan skyline. On the back is a message to the Democratic candidate, Darrel Aubertine, from his "friends" in the city who are "thrilled" he's running for Senate....."
"In fact, the opposite is true. That giant sucking sound you hear is New York City tax dollars rushing north to make life easier for folks in places like the 48th Senate District.
A 2004 study by the Center for Governmental Research (based in upstate Rochester, by the way) estimated that New York City taxpayers sent Albany about $11 billion a year more than they got back in state services. Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley were also net losers. Only upstate came out ahead.
It makes some sense that downstate, which has a strong economy, would shoulder most of the burden of state government. But state lawmakers take the redistribution thing too far, lavishing money on upstate while giving the city the shaft......"
"New Yorkers should remember those downstate-bashing postcards this fall, when GOP Sens. Frank Padavan and Serphin Maltese of Queens, Martin Golden of Brooklyn and Andrew Lanza of Staten Island come looking for votes."
Friday, February 15, 2008
Marcellino Takes the Side of Drug Dealers
Sometimes it's just really hard to believe the people elected by the voters, given an enormous responsibility to keep the state running well and provide needed services for their constituents would just be so stupid. Or maybe it's just out and out lying.
At some point - and I hope it is soon - voters will get sick and tired of the same old political hacks and toss them out.
Case in point: Senator Carl Marcellino.
Marcellino in a recent press release attacking Governor Spitzers budget bemoans the tax increases supposedly in the budget. Remember the "crack tax" which would be a fine on drug dealers? Marcellino adds that in to his attack on Spitzer "*Establishes a so-called "Crack Tax" on illegal drugs ($17 million)"
In other words, Marcellino is saying that taking illicit revenue from drug dealers IS WRONG!!!!!
Way to Go, Carl!
Take the side of drug dealers!
At some point - and I hope it is soon - voters will get sick and tired of the same old political hacks and toss them out.
Case in point: Senator Carl Marcellino.
Marcellino in a recent press release attacking Governor Spitzers budget bemoans the tax increases supposedly in the budget. Remember the "crack tax" which would be a fine on drug dealers? Marcellino adds that in to his attack on Spitzer "*Establishes a so-called "Crack Tax" on illegal drugs ($17 million)"
In other words, Marcellino is saying that taking illicit revenue from drug dealers IS WRONG!!!!!
Way to Go, Carl!
Take the side of drug dealers!
Who's That Looking Me Up?
IP Address 204.97.104.# (New York State Assembly/NYSERNET)
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City : Albany
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Visitor's Time Feb 15 2008 9:34:53 am
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Visitor's Time Feb 15 2008 9:34:53 am
Fuschillo Doesn't Want to Give the Full Story
State Senator Fuschillo writes to the Farmingdale Observer this week about the tax on drugs we talked about two weeks ago when Nassau Young Republican Prez Andy Stream went a little nuts.
Like Stream, Fuschillo grabs the wheel and takes the car over the edge.
Click here to read why Fuschillo like Stream is so wrong.
Below is Fuschillo who is either willfully ignorant of the facts or more than willing to deceive the readers of the Farmingdale Observer. My comments are in red.
"Among the many absurdities proposed by New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer in his 2008-09 Executive Budget is a plan to tax illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana. The governor is hoping to use the revenue collected from drug dealers to help close the state budget deficit.
Fuschillo writes of "absurdities" in his letter in the Feb, 15th issue while making absurd
comments himself. Like a typical lying politician, Fuschillo spews forth hoping that the readers of his letter don't bother to check the veracity of what he writes.
Under his proposal, drug dealers would voluntarily purchase tax stamps through the State Department of Taxation and Finance and affix them to the drugs they sell.
Why doesn't Fuschillo mention the fact that the Governor does not expect drug dealers to pay pre-sale tax on their drugs by buying the tax stamps. I hope Fuschillo doesn't really believe that drug dealers will come forward to pay taxes.
It's absurd that Governor Spitzer is relying on the sale of illegal drugs to balance the books in New York State. If the governor wants to raise revenues from drug dealers then instead of advocating this bizarre and convoluted plan, he should work with the legislature to increase the fines and penalties imposed on dealers when they are convicted.
Like the twenty-nine other states which have the same law, drug dealers will be fined after they are arrested. The point is to makethe drug dealers pay for their crimes on top of going
to jail. And even if the dealer gets a light sentence, they will still have to pay the fine. This system works quite well in states like Texas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Georgia and Utah. In Tennessee, the state generated $6million since 2006.
The governor's so-called "crack tax" proposal also provides a confidentiality clause to protect drug dealers. Under his plan, drug dealers who pay the tax would not be turned over to the police by state tax officials.
The "confidentiality clause" is there to protect the constitutionality of the law. In the other states, there have been attempts to over-turn the existing drug tax law because of double jeopardy claims. Maybe Fuschillo knows that already but decided deception is the way to go when writing to his constituents. And again, no one expects drug dealers to pay their taxes. In North Carolina, the only people buying the tax stamps are stamp collectors.
The governor needs to refocus his attention to real proposals that will save taxpayers money, provide students with a quality education and protect our citizens, not put them in further danger.
I'm trying to figure out how as Fuschillo says that this plan will put citizens "in further danger." Most likely it's just hyperbole someone who would rather use scare tactics than the facts. Instead of attacking a proposal that will penalize drug dealers and make money for the state, Fuschillo can come up with his own plan for increasing revenue without taxing honest working people.
Like Stream, Fuschillo grabs the wheel and takes the car over the edge.
Click here to read why Fuschillo like Stream is so wrong.
Below is Fuschillo who is either willfully ignorant of the facts or more than willing to deceive the readers of the Farmingdale Observer. My comments are in red.
"Among the many absurdities proposed by New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer in his 2008-09 Executive Budget is a plan to tax illegal drugs such as cocaine and marijuana. The governor is hoping to use the revenue collected from drug dealers to help close the state budget deficit.
Fuschillo writes of "absurdities" in his letter in the Feb, 15th issue while making absurd
comments himself. Like a typical lying politician, Fuschillo spews forth hoping that the readers of his letter don't bother to check the veracity of what he writes.
Under his proposal, drug dealers would voluntarily purchase tax stamps through the State Department of Taxation and Finance and affix them to the drugs they sell.
Why doesn't Fuschillo mention the fact that the Governor does not expect drug dealers to pay pre-sale tax on their drugs by buying the tax stamps. I hope Fuschillo doesn't really believe that drug dealers will come forward to pay taxes.
It's absurd that Governor Spitzer is relying on the sale of illegal drugs to balance the books in New York State. If the governor wants to raise revenues from drug dealers then instead of advocating this bizarre and convoluted plan, he should work with the legislature to increase the fines and penalties imposed on dealers when they are convicted.
Like the twenty-nine other states which have the same law, drug dealers will be fined after they are arrested. The point is to makethe drug dealers pay for their crimes on top of going
to jail. And even if the dealer gets a light sentence, they will still have to pay the fine. This system works quite well in states like Texas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Georgia and Utah. In Tennessee, the state generated $6million since 2006.
The governor's so-called "crack tax" proposal also provides a confidentiality clause to protect drug dealers. Under his plan, drug dealers who pay the tax would not be turned over to the police by state tax officials.
The "confidentiality clause" is there to protect the constitutionality of the law. In the other states, there have been attempts to over-turn the existing drug tax law because of double jeopardy claims. Maybe Fuschillo knows that already but decided deception is the way to go when writing to his constituents. And again, no one expects drug dealers to pay their taxes. In North Carolina, the only people buying the tax stamps are stamp collectors.
The governor needs to refocus his attention to real proposals that will save taxpayers money, provide students with a quality education and protect our citizens, not put them in further danger.
I'm trying to figure out how as Fuschillo says that this plan will put citizens "in further danger." Most likely it's just hyperbole someone who would rather use scare tactics than the facts. Instead of attacking a proposal that will penalize drug dealers and make money for the state, Fuschillo can come up with his own plan for increasing revenue without taxing honest working people.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
South Farmingdale Water District Lawsuit Settlement
Back in December, we broke the story of the South Farmingdale Water District using an official taxpayer-funded newsletter as a re-election campaign mailing for Commissioner Kurt Ludwig.
We have a cop of the settlement to the lawsuit initiated by challenger Craig Heller. And it is kinda disturbing.
John Hirt, Ralph Atoria, and Kurt Ludwig have to pay $333.33 back to the district and the Water District cannot send out a mailing/newsletter profiling a commissioner 60 days prior to the election.
The weird thing is that they agree to pay back money to the district, agree to a rule about the newsletters but Ludwig, Hirt and Atoria "do not admit to any wrongdoing or legal liability."
So they are guilty but don't admit guilt.
Here is my problem besides cheating in an election.... the three commissioners who should resign are paying $1000 between them. The mailing cost about 7 times that. Ludwig got off easy. That isn't right. Now he can continue to go on taxpayer funded, paid golf trips.
The question to ask now is was Ludwig getting paid by his job with the Town of Oyster Bay while he was on this paid golf outing.
Here is the Stipulation of Settlement. Click to see larger version.
We have a cop of the settlement to the lawsuit initiated by challenger Craig Heller. And it is kinda disturbing.
John Hirt, Ralph Atoria, and Kurt Ludwig have to pay $333.33 back to the district and the Water District cannot send out a mailing/newsletter profiling a commissioner 60 days prior to the election.
The weird thing is that they agree to pay back money to the district, agree to a rule about the newsletters but Ludwig, Hirt and Atoria "do not admit to any wrongdoing or legal liability."
So they are guilty but don't admit guilt.
Here is my problem besides cheating in an election.... the three commissioners who should resign are paying $1000 between them. The mailing cost about 7 times that. Ludwig got off easy. That isn't right. Now he can continue to go on taxpayer funded, paid golf trips.
The question to ask now is was Ludwig getting paid by his job with the Town of Oyster Bay while he was on this paid golf outing.
Here is the Stipulation of Settlement. Click to see larger version.
Friday, February 08, 2008
How Kate Murray Ignores a Community
We Shall Not Stand Idly By
The longstanding sentiment in the West Hempstead community has been to permit the forces of private enterprise and the marketplace to prevail, while keeping the intervention of government at a minimum.
At the same time, the Long Island Index released a study that revealed a majority of Long Islanders in favor of increased housing density in and around "downtown" business districts, as well as the creation of additional rental units, thus easing the affordable housing crunch.
Unfortunately, the voices of reason, smart-growth advocates, and community collectively fell upon deaf ears at Hempstead Town Hall, as members of the Town Board, blindly following the lead of Supervisor Kate Murray as she meanders down that road of suburban blight, voted to adopt the ill-conceived and community-opposed Urban Renewal Plan.
In so doing, the town nixed the Trammell-Crow proposal to build upscale rental apartments on the Courtesy Hotel site, citing its objection to density, and rebuffed the pleas of a community to boldly move forward, not only with the revitalization of its eastern gateway, but with a smart growth initiative that could well serve as a model for the new - and sustainable - suburbia.
In taking a staunch and unyielding position, contrary to both the conventional wisdom on fashioning livable suburbs, and to the will of the community they were elected to serve, Kate Murray and the Hempstead Town Board stood modern precepts of suburban revitalization on head, and negated the very hallmark of representative government - a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The latest skirmish before the Town Board may have dealt a blow to our hamlet's, if not the township's, efforts to rebuild and rejuvenate, but as anyone who has been joined in this battle to take back our town (now going on 13 long years) will tell you, we, as a community, and as the guardians of this hamlet's tomorrows, shall not stand idly by as Kate Murray and company hold hostage our town's future.
The fight will go on, in the trenches along the avenue, at Town Hall, and in the press, for we dare not surrender to those who would usurp local control and undermine the wishes of the governed, under the guise of telling us what is best for our own community.
Seth D. Bykofsky
(The writer is the former president of the West Hempstead Civic Association.)
The longstanding sentiment in the West Hempstead community has been to permit the forces of private enterprise and the marketplace to prevail, while keeping the intervention of government at a minimum.
At the same time, the Long Island Index released a study that revealed a majority of Long Islanders in favor of increased housing density in and around "downtown" business districts, as well as the creation of additional rental units, thus easing the affordable housing crunch.
Unfortunately, the voices of reason, smart-growth advocates, and community collectively fell upon deaf ears at Hempstead Town Hall, as members of the Town Board, blindly following the lead of Supervisor Kate Murray as she meanders down that road of suburban blight, voted to adopt the ill-conceived and community-opposed Urban Renewal Plan.
In so doing, the town nixed the Trammell-Crow proposal to build upscale rental apartments on the Courtesy Hotel site, citing its objection to density, and rebuffed the pleas of a community to boldly move forward, not only with the revitalization of its eastern gateway, but with a smart growth initiative that could well serve as a model for the new - and sustainable - suburbia.
In taking a staunch and unyielding position, contrary to both the conventional wisdom on fashioning livable suburbs, and to the will of the community they were elected to serve, Kate Murray and the Hempstead Town Board stood modern precepts of suburban revitalization on head, and negated the very hallmark of representative government - a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The latest skirmish before the Town Board may have dealt a blow to our hamlet's, if not the township's, efforts to rebuild and rejuvenate, but as anyone who has been joined in this battle to take back our town (now going on 13 long years) will tell you, we, as a community, and as the guardians of this hamlet's tomorrows, shall not stand idly by as Kate Murray and company hold hostage our town's future.
The fight will go on, in the trenches along the avenue, at Town Hall, and in the press, for we dare not surrender to those who would usurp local control and undermine the wishes of the governed, under the guise of telling us what is best for our own community.
Seth D. Bykofsky
(The writer is the former president of the West Hempstead Civic Association.)
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