The absurd “public hearing” on Oct. 18 over the “tentative” North Hempstead town budget confirmed the ineptitude of Town Supervisor Jen DeSena and her Republican colleagues, in contrast to the thoughtful, earnest and responsible governance of the Democratic councilmembers: Veronica Lurvey (who is running to become Receiver of Taxes), Mariann Dalimonte, Peter Zuckerman and Robert Troiano.
They pointed out that the budget does not provide for the anticipated contract agreement with the CSEA union, which accounts for 75% of the town’s workforce.
Nor does it provide any funding toward the animal shelter, despite having passed a voucher program, and despite DeSena’s claims, does in fact cut funding for services to deliver DeSena the 10% tax cut she can use to campaign for her reelection.
“The administration is unwilling, unable to answer questions about the impact of the agreement reached with CSEA, the impact of the agreement on the budget I’m being asked to vote and certify tonight,” Troiano declared. “This contract may represent material change to budget created weeks earlier.”
Despite DeSena’s claim her proposed 10% cut would not result in reduced services, Lurvey cited the $2 million cut in paving, $1 million cut in tree planting and maintenance, $1 million cut for sidewalks, and $250,000 cut in beautification funds.
She also cited the failure to account for a new CSEA contract, the lack of agreement for the management of Harbor Links golf course, a significant revenue source for the town, and cited concern that DeSena’s tax cut – which would likely deplete reserves – would cause a drop in the town’s bond rating, making capital improvements more expensive.
DeSena’s response: you can’t budget for what you don’t have a number for and, in answer to finding money for the animal shelter so many have been advocating for years, “Oh, we move money around all the time”.
Really? She supposedly already negotiated the union contract but did not provide any details to the councilmembers – so much for her absurd campaign slogan to offer “transparency and accountability” and even more absurd promise to “bridge the partisan divide” which hadn’t existed before she took office.
The performance of DeSena – who couldn’t answer a substantive question about the budget without calling upon Steve Pollack, director of governmental research who apparently is the stand-in controller – screams out for a true public-service-minded leader with experience who actually knows what he is doing and has the record to prove it: Jon Kaiman.
In the upcoming election, these public-service minded candidates deserve the responsibility of serving on North Hempstead’s Town Council:
Mariann Dalimonte (6th District) always has a thorough knowledge of issues and presses to accomplish important things for Port Washington and the town.
She is vigilant about the town’s finances, places the highest priority on protecting and improving our environment – beaches, parks and waterways – and has guarded against overdevelopment while promoting thriving downtowns.
Peter Zuckerman (2nd District) also has worked to maintain vital programs like Project Independence, road resurfacing, beautifying parks and protecting our environment while upholding the fiscal responsibility that has earned the town its AAA bond rating.
Christine Liu is challenging Republican James W. Gounaris to represent the town’s 4th district. She already has served as community liaison for Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti, as vice chair for Nassau County Asian American Advisory Council, co-founder of Herricks Chinese Association, a member of the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Office, and her work as a former attorney for the Department of Homeland Security. She says she would focus on increasing public safety and combating hate crimes and racism, creating more affordable senior housing and services and revitalizing downtowns and businesses.
Veronica Lurvey has been an outstanding councilmember and has proved her dedication, intelligence, and values for the role of Receiver of Taxes. Lurvey has shown she understands the role is way more than administrative: it involves outreach and education, providing bilingual services to accommodate our diverse community.
“Because Blakeman has not fixed the assessment system, taxpayers who hadn’t been grieving their taxes are now locked into paying more than their fair share,” she stated. “All Blakeman did was freeze the assessment (politically expeditious but the unfairness in assessment remains).
“The Receiver of Taxes needs to be community-minded” and educate residents how to grieve, how to qualify for an exemption. “With my experience in the communities that I serve, as well as my connections, I will be able to do that,” she stated.
The town’s receiver of taxes must also be responsible for finding and fixing mistakes, especially, she said, because there is no County Assessor and hasn’t been one for a year. “Nassau doesn’t have anyone running a quality control operation.
Therefore, when mistakes are made, it’s been Charlie Berman who catches them. The Receiver of Taxes needs to be providing important oversight and drive the solution.”
Also essential to the role, she said, is accessibility. “The job of the receiver of taxes has become an ombudsman for the residents, when they have questions or concerns, the office has to be accessible, responsive, and well versed. As a council member, my office has always been accessible and responsive.”
For county legislator, Democrat Weihua Yan is challenging Republican Melesa (Mazi) Pilip to represent District 10 (Great Neck, Manhasset, Lake Success).
In her time in the county Legislature, Pilip has proved herself a champion at “grip and grin” politics – basically smiling, empathizing and then doing nothing.
Her campaign literature is really curious, declaring “her ideas are making a difference” but if you look at the small list, none of them are actually her ideas or her achievements.
Notably, there is nothing about her goals if she continues in the role as our county legislator. She has no actual ideas, no vision, no objectives – she just goes along with her Republican colleagues.
Weihua Yan is promoting having lived the American Dream, having emigrated from China as a teenager, becoming a computer scientist and founding several tech companies and having been elected president of the Great Neck Library Board.
He advocates for fiscal responsibility, public education, public safety, protecting the environment and supporting small businesses.
Siela Bynoe (District 2), Delia DeRiggi Whitton (District 11), Arnie Drucker (District 16) and Josh Lafazan (District 18) have proved outstanding representatives for their districts despite the countervailing forces of the Republican majority and County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Early voting takes place from Saturday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Nov. 5. Great Neck House, 14 Arrandale Ave, Great Neck, is an early voting location. Tuesday, Nov. 7 is Election Day.
