Nassau County Democrats accused County Executive Ed Mangano on Monday of discouraging homeowners from filing tax grievances under a new tax assessment reform plan initiated last year.

Attacking Mangano’s revised tax assessment and grievance system at a press conference in Mineola Monday, Democrats Wayne Wink of Roslyn and Dave Denenberg of Merrick were accompanied by homeowners frustrated with the new plan.

According to the Democrats, thousands of county residents are still waiting for notice from the Department of Assessment stating their homes’ assessed value while being forced to grieve their assessment without knowing their property’s real value.

“Residents need more critical information regarding assessed value, the result of last year’s grievance and comparable sales the county used to calculate a home’s value,” said county legislator Dave Denenberg. “Without information, residents are being left in the dark.”

Under the current system, taxpayers are apparently not provided with the proposed assessed values, comparables and result’s of last year’s challenges.

“Mangano promised reform, but all we are getting is regression,” said Denenberg.

As of Monday, Rep. Wink had not received his letter through the mail but was able to find it on the Internet.

“I was able to print my letter online,” said Wink at the press conference. ” But the fact of he matter is, the typical homeowner is not sophisticated enough to necessarily know that’s how they can go about getting the letter.”

In a statement to Blank Slate Media, the Brian Nevin, Mangano’s senior policy advisor, called the news conference “partisan politics to grab a quick headline.”

“The county executive has implemented numerous reforms to the system to correct the problems and stop the waste. Legislator Denenberg and his Democrat colleagues messed up the system so badly that it cannot be corrected overnight,” said Nevine.

According to Nevine, the former Democrat majority failed taxpayers by sitting idle for a decade as the system got worse and wasted taxpayer money.

“Legislator Denenberg had the power to fix the system but instead sided with wealthy special interest groups who got rich and filled the Democrat campaign coffers while they were robbing taxpayers,” said Nevin

A Port Washington resident said the new plan consists of a veiled transparency

“Can you imagine be arrested an charged with a crime but there not going to tell you what the crime is or what they based it on?”

Nevine said the Department of Assessment’s provides a link to the county’s Assessment Review On the Web online site that provides this information.

Long Island resident Joe Anderatta from Seaford said he has received reductions over the last few years but has had to split them with the lawyers.

“It’s insanity, we have to stop the merry-go- round. It’s not fair to the taxpayers.”

Homeowner’s tentative values are posted on the county’s DOA website each year on Jan. 2 and a copy of the annual notice also appears as a PDF online, according to Nevin.

The office of the Nassau County District Attorney woke up last week in the middle of a nightmare that might not be over for years.

District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that the drug testing section of the county’s police lab, already under probation, may have produced false positives that were used in criminal prosecutions. Rice called this news “deeply disturbing.”

We agree.

Aggressive law enforcement, accompanied by education and treatment, is a critical tool in the battle against drug abuse in Nassau County. But the enforcement of the state’s drug laws has been compromised by bad laboratory work.

The cases in question involve drug arrests that occurred between 2007 and 2009 involving Ketamine, known as Special K, and MDMA, known as ecstasy.

Both are popular “club drugs” that in large doses can be deadly. Ketamine can produce a “near death” experience and has been used in date rapes.

Now all of the convictions in Nassau County for the possession or sale of these drugs may have to be reopened. Even cases that resulted in guilty pleas will be reexamined. Such pleas are often based to a large extent on lab results. Defense attorneys will counsel defendants to take a plea offer if the evidence against their client appears strong.

But the nightmare doesn’t end with ecstasy and Special K.

Although Rice did not release details about the questionable tests, it’s safe to assume that the testing for other illegal drugs will also be challenged.

In the wake of this revelation, Rice has ordered that the county’s drug testing lab be closed immediately. She reasoned correctly that the mistakes “make it impossible for our prosecutors to offer narcotics evidence to the court with the fairness and integrity that I believe are required of us.”

What about other testing done by this lab? How far might this nightmare extend? Were the false positives the result of sloppy procedures? Did technicians deliberately cut corners to produce expected results? Are the problems limited to drug testing or might all of this lab’s work come under question?

Marc Gann, the president of the Nassau County Bar Association reasoned that “The entire credibility of the lab is undermined.”

He warned that last week’s revelation is just “the tip of the iceberg.”

Beyond the expense of the mountain of litigation that this news will create, there are two frightening possibilities: The first is that there may be innocent people in the Nassau County jail or in state prison who were convicted by false evidence. The second is that dangerous drug dealers will be handed a “Get out of jail free” ticket.

This is a bad day for law enforcement in Nassau County.

Blank Slate Media Editorial

Nassau County’s narcotics Crime lab has been shut down due to errors in analysis related to the testing of controlled substances, and a search for an independent firm to take over its work has begun.

In a statement released last Thursday County Executive Edward Mangano said he agreed with District Attorney Kathleen Rice that the crime lab must be shut down immediately due to recent findings from cases analyzed between 2007 and 2009.

“Until further notice, forensic analysis of narcotics will be conducted by an independent agency,” Mangano said, adding, “Detectives currently working in the drug chemistry section of the crime laboratory will be reassigned to each precinct. Mangano also announced there will be a “root cause” investigation into the situation.

The statement came only a day after District Attorney Kathleen Rice called for the immediate shutdown of the lab, citing a series of revelations concerning errors in analysis related to the testing of controlled substances in the lab.

“The closing of this section of the lab cannot be delayed.. Any continuation of this practice could compromise the fair administration of justice in our county and require costly re mediation in the near future,” Rice said in a statement released Thursday. Rice stated that due to these errors it makes it “impossible” for prosecutors to offer narcotics evidence to the court with the fairness and integrity she believes is required of them.

In December, a state forensic oversight agency released their audit report of the Nassau County Crime Lab documenting a series of procedural and policy violations related to the drug chemistry section of the police department lab. Since that time the lab has been placed on probation by a national lab accreditation group. Director of laboratories for the Nassau medical examiners office Dr. Pasquale Buffolino was assigned by Mangano to run the crime lab.

Recent developments showed that the medical examiner’s office learned that six prior cases involving the drugs MDMA and Ketamine were the subject of inaccurate testing results. Suffolk county tests showed that Nassau County incorrectly measured the purity and amount of drugs in pills seized by police, officials said.

Since the credibility of the crime lab has been questioned, criminal defense lawyers have been begun filing lawsuits on behalf of their clients to review cases involving evidence handled by the lab.

I am writing to express my support for Community Party candidates, Dave Tanner for mayor and Bonnie Parente and Bobby Shannon for village trustees.

All three candidates bring with them a strong dedication to the Village of East Williston as well as the experience and backgrounds that would serve our community well.

Since I often attend village meetings, I can readily attest that Dave Tanner possesses the personal and professional qualities we need to take us forward. He has good leadership skills, is responsive and a good listener. Finally, he has a balanced and reasoned approach which is very effective, especially when dealing with controversial matters.

Dave has been a trustee for 13 years and he has clearly demonstrated his value to the village. He was the genesis of the village master plan and he has worked tirelessly with the other board members to bring the project to fruition. Dave’s background as a financial consultant proved invaluable in securing financing for the project that was beneficial to the village.

Bonnie and Bobby also are very active in the community and possess the skills and dedication we need from our Board members.

I have interacted with Bonnie on the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) and have found her to be effective in maintaining village standards while being responsive to the needs of our residents. She is a labor attorney and HR director with New York Racing Authority. Bonnie is active with the cub scouts and girl scouts and is a member of Saint Aidan’s Parish Council.

Similarly, Bobby is an attorney and a successful business owner as well as president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Willistons. He is also a boy scout den leader and a CYO basketball coach.

In summary, Dave, Bonnie and Bobby have what it takes to guide our community going forward. Clearly, they are dedicated and capable individuals who will promote the best interests of our community and I strongly encourage you to support them on election day, March 15, 2011.

Philip Chappo

East Williston

On the subject, obviously the New Hyde Park Herald Courier has every right to its opinion but a little perspective might be appropriate.

Nassau County’s financial mess didn’t commence with (Nassau County Executive) Ed Mangano’s election. Rather it has been incubating for at least two generations, primarily attributable to venal politicians who are purposefully illiterate in basic economics and voters unable or uninterested in holding them to account.

The inept and irresponsible Gulotta tenure ushered in a major financial shock setting off clanging alarm bells. Next came the beyond reckless Suozzi Administration and a wail of sirens joined those alarm bells.

Yet those selfless public servants at NIFA (Nassau County Interim Finance Authority) uttered nary a discouraging word of warning over the decade past. Perhaps they were in a prolonged coma. So now that the orchestra has stopped playing; all the dancers are throwing sharp elbows as they desperately look for chairs, in order to avoid the camera and the questions. How utterly predictable.

Obviously, Nassau County’s finances are under serious stress. However the number of qualifiers in your editorial, such as likely, maybe, could be, perhaps, possibly etc. are metaphors for doubt rather than certitude.

As such, one prudent option suggests a pause and careful reflection over Mangano’s plan rather than throwing it in the trash bin notwithstanding NIFA.

If we have learned anything during the Great Recession, it’s that the so called experts core competency is always knowing which way the wind is blowing.

Moody’s Investors Service is a case in point. In their opinion, County finances are worthy of a major downgrade, now that the Mangano administration has had the gall to challenge the wise men of NIFA in court.

This coming from a firm whose performance in assessing sub-prime credit risk during the housing market fiasco, was eons beyond abysmal, if not criminally negligent.

As such, their judgment of Nassau County’s creditworthiness should give those, not grinding their ax, extremely deep concern. More importantly, both S&P as well as Fitch have given the county a contrary guarded yet positive opinion.

Like his predecessors, Ed Mangano is ultimately responsible to the voters, not to unelected and connected political appointees. In fairness, he deserves the same opportunity as his predecessors, to make his case and implement his plan.

T. Vincent Coffey

New Hyde Park

East Williston needs the independent voice of Caroline DeBenedittis on the village board!

My wife Agnes, two children and I have had the pleasure of calling East Williston our home for the last 12 years, and we’ve lived in the area (formerly in Mineola and Williston Park) for basically our entire lives.

My family and I have known Caroline and her family for most of my 12 years in the village, and have worked with her and witnessed her strong organizational skills and effective leadership in activities including little league, village get-togethers on the Village Green, the annual Memorial Day 5-K run, Easter egg hunt, and other recreation committee events, and events in our public schools.

While she may not currently run a business or have a legal background, I can tell you firsthand that she is someone who knows how to work with people, get things done, and is fiscally prudent to the point of treating the village’s money (when running village events) like it truly was her own.

When I think of Caroline, words that immediately come to mind include “interested,” “caring,” “great listener,” and. “the real deal.”

While many of us (including me) volunteer our time to activities our own children participate in (little league, CYO, etc.), Caroline has demonstrated her active commitment to our community for years by continuing to devote significant time and effort to causes which her children are no longer part of (since no longer age-appropriate), including movie/game nights at the Village Hall and the annual “Spooky Walk” at Willets Road School.

Caroline truly brings a genuine and refreshing (and contagious) enthusiasm to everything she gets involved in, and her service on our village board will be no exception. She actively participates in Village meetings, loves nothing more than to take on a challenge and figure out a way to creatively resolve it, and will embrace the opportunity to listen to you, her fellow residents of the village we all love, and be your independent voice in Village Hall regarding the things that are most important to you – what more could you want from an elected official?

To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln’s quote on the sign by our Village Green, “I like to see people proud of the place in which they live,” and nothing would make me more proud than to see Caroline get the chance to serve the residents of our village as a trustee. Please spread the word and make sure to join me and get out and vote for Caroline DeBenedittis on the Involved Party line on Election Day, March 15.

Kenneth Kirschner

East Williston

The new branch at the station is beautiful. Lots of space and good design. I asked how many people actually belong to the library. It turns out, the staff tells me, that old names have not been purged from the list and they do not know.

The library is in its third location at that shopping center. They went from a storefront to the basement. When I wrote to tell them that basements flood I got a quick response – that basement never flooded. Well it just took a few months and there was a flood. They went back to the storefront with a better layout.

Now they moved to the second floor, actually two flights up. I was to the branch recently and the elevator was out of commission. I cannot and must not walk up two flights. Did the landlord guarantee flawless functioning of the elevator. His front doors are not compliant and he wants to get the library to pay. I am glad I do not visit that gym in the basement.

What relationship is there between the landlord and the library?

I pay library taxes along with my school tax.

Norman Roland

Great Neck

Christopher Wales wants to give back to the Mineola community in which he’s lived for the past 20 years.

That’s why the dark horse independent candidate, running as member of his own self-styled Mustang Party, said he is making a run for a seat on the Village of Mineola board of trustees.

“Being a resident of the village for 20 years, I thought it would be good to give back a little to a village that’s been good to me,” Wales said, adding that the recent changes to the board following the departure of Mayor Jack Martins to the state Senate also prompted him to join the election fray.

“I figured it would be a good time for a newcomer to come in,” Wales said.

He’s up against two incumbents, Lawrence Werther and Thomas Kennedy, in the March 15 election.

Wales, 49, said he works as a customer service supervisor for a wedding album company. He is a former freelance photographer who still occasionally takes on freelance projects, and said he’s met a number of people in the community in the course of that work. He is also a former member of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce.

Wales spent five years volunteering his time with local cub scout pack 246, rising to the rank of cub master. He said someone else working with the sub scout pack suggested to Wales that he would make a good trustee for the village.

That planted a seed for Wales, who said he also was inspired to run by the success of first-time Republican and Tea Party candidates in the recent general election. He said the Tea Party slogan, “Taxed enough already” resonated with him. While some Tea Party ideals appeal to him, Wales said he’s a registered Republican who expresses his fiscal conservatism with an eco-friendly ethos.

His primary campaign theme is to see Mineola save money by developing more of a “green” infrastructure.

“I feel that Mineola could use a little push toward being a ‘greener’ village,” Wales said.

From April to November, he suggested that electric cars could be used to patrol the village in place of the gas-powered vehicles currently in use. He also said that open space near the municipal pool could be used to install solar panels to provide power for the pool facilities. And he suggested that solar panels might be installed on the roof of Village Hall to provide power for the building.

Wales said he would also seek to develop more activities in the village for youngsters in the community. He offered no specific examples, but said he’s working on developing some concepts for youth recreation.

Although he’s a lone independent candidate, Wales said he’s confident that he could work with the other members of the board.

He said he’s confident that one person can make a difference in the life of the community.

Like many of the residents in East Williston, my family and I moved to this community because of the charming neighborhood, as well as, the idea of being a part of a tight-knit community.

In these uncertain times, I am happy to know that Bobby Shannon is willing to volunteer his time as village trustee. I know Bobby as a friend for many years. He and my husband Chris have been coaching baseball, basketball and soccer together. Bobby is also my oldest son’s Cub Scout leader.

I know him to be a good friend, father and neighbor. Bobby has been connected to the community for some time now and understands the importance of maintaining the integrity of our community, as well as, understanding the varied needs of our residents.

I believe that our village will be fortunate to have someone with his business and legal background serving as trustee. Bobby’s experience managing building projects, minimizing fiscal waste and managing a work force as the owner of Reality Roofing, as well as, his law degree from St. John’s University will help guide our village and keep our taxes low during these uncertain times.

I know Bobby to be a free thinker and capable of making intelligent and well-thought out decisions which will benefit the residents of this community.

Please vote for Bobby Shannon for Trustee of our Village on March 15th. He is running on the Community Party ticket along with Dave Tanner for Mayor and Bonnie Parente for Trustee. All three candidates bring special traits that will help keep our village on the right path.

Alison Vitucci

East Williston

On March 15, East Williston residents will be in the enviable position of selecting two new village trustees from a slate of three candidates for trustee, each of whom has demonstrated their competence and their commitment to serving the residents, young and old, of our village. I am writing to request your support for my friend, Bonnie Parente.

Bonnie’s community involvement is legendary – as leader of Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, softball coach, class parent, member of the St. Aidan’s parish council, East Williston zoning board, and Mercy League – and is testament to her dedication to public service. If you have been lucky enough to serve with Bonnie on a committee, or to have your child in her troop or on her team, you know of Bonnie’s energy, her passion, her uncanny organizational skills and her ability to smooth over sore feelings in order to get the job done.

Rather than speak in generalities, however, I would like to share with you an example of how Bonnie put her experience and many skills to work to orchestrate the now-famous 2009 Girl Scout Flag Convention.

Under Bonnie’s direction and leadership, a dozen 10-year old girls hosted a Flag Convention to pay tribute to our local veterans, to educate schoolchildren about our nation’s flag and its history, to instill respect for our monuments, and to rally for patriotism.

The Flag Convention was Bonnie’s brainchild and without her tireless efforts would not have been the outstanding event it proved to be. Bonnie’s outreach to the community was key to the convention’s success.

I have to admit, I was skeptical that a Flag Convention inside the VFW hall on a sunny November Saturday would draw much of a crowd, but through Bonnie’s marketing savvy, her ingenuity, and her vision, the convention was as packed as a U2 concert!

Her optimism and enthusiasm never wavered, even when I questioned her prediction that hundreds would attend.

Well, for those few of you who missed it, attendees came from the Willistons and surrounding communities with the crowd at the VFW hall at times shoulder-to-shoulder. The event was hailed by young and old; veterans were genuinely moved, schoolchildren inspired, and all who attended impressed.

Bonnie has repeatedly credited the efforts of the girls for the convention’s success, credit which is indeed well-deserved, but the convention is just one example of the many times in which Bonnie has energized people to come together to achieve great things. As village trustee, Bonnie will put her energy, dedication and passion to work to preserve and improve our village institutions, to keep our village wholesome for our children, to ensure all our residents are treated with respect, and to safeguard our idyllic village lifestyle.

On March 15, please support Bonnie Parente for East Williston Village Trustee.

Noreen D. Arralde

East Williston

My name is Julia Cook, and I am in the ninth grade.

For the past year or so, there have been problems with the kids hanging out at the Village Green at night. Although many parents and other citizens of East Williston and Williston Park do not approve of the kids hanging out there, they should know how the police officers are handling this situation.

This may not be the biggest problem our town has, but people should know what is happening when they see children hanging out at the village green. Police would emerge at approximately 6 p.m.

These officers have been scaring the teens immediately after they make eye contact.

Many teenagers report that once a police officer spots you, he or she asks for their numbers, name, parents name, where they live, and why are they hanging out so late.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, kids are not even doing anything wrong. The police are just assuming that they are up to no good because they are kids.

I heard from several people that cops threatened by them saying things such as, “If I see you here again you are going straight to a juvenile facility” and other serious threats.

What some people may not understand is that police are taking advantage of the children’s youth, and then thinking they could get away with saying such ridiculous things.

The police officers are taking this way out of hand and they think they are doing a good job by scaring innocent kids away. Lately kids have not been hanging out in town simply because they are terrified of the police.

In conclusion, I think the police should introduce themselves and say what they expect of the kids, rather than frightening them.

Another way to address this problem is sending a letter out to the citizens saying what they expect the kids not to do.

Maybe there can be a night at the Village Green for the kids similar to the parties the adults have at the Village Green.

There are many solutions to this ongoing problem but I think the solutions should come from working with the kids not against them.

If you need to contact me, please reach me at the address below.

Thank you for your time.

Julia Cook

Old Westbury

This letter is an endorsement of Barbara Alagna for trustee of the Village of Williston Park. My husband, Jim, and I have known Barbara for more than 10 years. She served as secretary to the board of trustees of the village when I was deputy mayor. Barbara was reliable, well organized and competent at her job. Through this position she learned about village government and the procedures needed to run the village effectively.

Mayor Paul Ehrbar appointed Barbara to serve as village trustee when the position was available in April 2010. For the past year, she has proved to be dedicated and efficient in this position and gives her time and talent freely when needed. A Village Board runs most effectively when all of the members take the time to research and listen to all aspects of a situation and then make an informed decision. Barbara Alagna has successfully proven to do this and to be a valuable member of the board of trustees.

Please join me in voting for Barbara Alagna for Williston Park Village Trustee on March 15. All residents can vote at the American Legion from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Maryann McDermott

Williston Park