Be Careful What You Wish For

You May Just Get It

When the counting is finally over at the Nassau County Board of Elections (do you think they use fingers as well as toes?), Ed Mangano may just be Nassau's next County Executive.

Who would have thunk it? Certainly not Tom Suozzi, the pundits, the pollsters, or the Nassau County Democratic Committee.

No matter. It is what it is. The question now to be asked, what will it become come January 1?

With the Republicans in the driver's seat in all major branches of Nassau government (but for District Attorney) -- County Exec, Comptroller, County Clerk, and Legislature -- clearly the agenda (as well as the crises they will inherit, many of which resulted from the failures of the last Republican administration) will be theirs.

Good luck with that!

Anger over property taxes, big government, and too much talk, too little action, precipitated a change in party control. And yet, 500-some odd votes does not a mandate make.

What will be the GOP priorities for Nassau County? Just what is Ed Mangano's "plan" to "fix" Nassau?

Lower taxes? Certainly, the pledge to repeal the 2.5% energy tax is a given. Beyond that, do Mangano or the Republicans in the County Legislature have actual plans -- or any thoughts, for that matter, beyond, "now what do we do?" -- for lowering property taxes ala the platform of the Tax Revolt Party, for which Ed Mangano served as poster boy?

What of efforts to consolidate local government, including the hundreds of special districts that tax Nassau County residents to debt? Will the new County Exec use his power under the law to initiate either consolidations or, dare we say, disolutions?

Where will projects to revitalize and re-energize the county, such as the Lighthouse, be under a Mangano/Schmitt administration? What of efforts to renew our county parks and preserve Nassau's few remaining green spaces?

Will the Environmental Bond money, on projects still lagging, be utilized as the current administration, by legislative mandate, intended, or will there be further delay, and prehaps diversion of funds, all to the detriment of land preservation, watershed rehabilitation, and passive park redevelopment?

Where will Mr. Mangano, should he be our County Executive, stand on affordable housing, school finance reform/school district consolidation, and the "broken" assessment system, which the GOP has promised to "fix", or worse, to "freeze," leaving us with the old, if not cold, status quo? Will he "stop wasteful spending" and "create jobs and opportunities" (other than patronage) in Nassau?

We are linking here to Ed Mangano's campaign website (for as long as it remains active), just so you can hold Ed to his own words, whatever intrinsic meaning they may have or plan of action they may portend.

We wish Ed Mangano the best of luck (after all, his success would, presumably, bode well for all of us) should he prevail in his quest to become Nassau County's chief cook and bottle washer. Same for the members of the NC Legislature.

Just one more question, though: Who will Nassau Republicans point their fingers at, should, two or four years hence, we be no better off than we are today?

Public Authorities To Get Greater Oversight

Maybe We Should Have Asked For The Winning Mega Millions Numbers! ;-)

We asked for it, and the NYS Assembly delivers. Accountability and transparency -- well, at least a bit -- at New York's multitude of Public Authorities.

With billions in debt, and millions in unaccounted for tax dollars, the Public Authorities have pretty much had their way, since the days of Robert Moses, in secretly spending New Yorker's money, and indebting residents, to the accumulated tune of $150 billion.

The Assembly has acted to curb the enthusiasm at many of these quasi-state agencies, overseeing contracts, and opening up the authorities to public audit.

The NYS Senate is expected to follow suit in passage of the measure.

The legislation is far from perfect, and still leaves New Yorkers with far too much government, and way too much debt to pay off, but it is a welcome start.

As Governor Paterson suggests, "today we're turning the lights on" at Public Authorities, which, since inception, have largely operated in the dark.

It is still a pretty dim bulb, but given Albany's propensity to perpetuate the status quo, the move to open up the Public Authorities -- making them more public and less authoritative -- takes New York light years in the right direction.

And what next for this special session of the NYS Legislature? School finance reform? Property tax relief? An even bigger and still better bottle bill?

Don't stop now, folks. You're on a roll!
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From the Governor's office:

GOVERNOR PATERSON AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON PUBLIC AUTHORITIES REFORM LEGISLATION
Governor’s Program Bill Establishes Independent Budget Office to Improve Oversight; Sets Higher Standard for Authorities’ Operational Transparency
Agreement Protects Authorities’ Ability to Promote Economic Development

Governor David A. Paterson and Legislative Leaders today announced an agreement on legislation to reform New York’s public authorities. The measures include the creation of an independent Authorities Budget Office with expanded regulatory responsibilities and subpoena power to improve the oversight of authority operations. The New York State Comptroller will also be empowered to review certain noncompetitively procured contracts for more than $1 million. The reforms, while raising transparency standards, will maintain the authorities’ ability to promote economic development.

“For too long, public authorities have operated in the dark, under little or no public scrutiny. Today, we turn the lights on,” Governor Paterson said. “The reforms will ensure that authorities have an independent auditor to examine how they operate and that they best serve the interest of the public. While achieving greater oversight, we also preserve and even enhance the authorities’ critical powers to promote economic development throughout the State. The people of New York deserve to know that their government is operating transparently and effectively. I thank my partners in government for working to finalize these significant reforms.”

The reform legislation will:
-Establish the creation of an independent Authorities Budget Office to oversee authority operations;
-Allow for Comptroller review of certain noncompetitively procured contracts for more than $1 million;
-Mandate enhanced financial reporting, mission statements and measurement reports by public authorities, so that the State and the public know what authorities are doing, as well as their financial condition;
-Strengthen the rules governing the disposal of property by public authorities to prevent the give-away of public property to private developers;
-Strengthen the rules governing contact between lobbyists and employees of public authorities;
-Regulate the formation of subsidiary corporations and the issuance of debt by subsidiaries in order to place limits on the amount of debt issued by those corporations;
-Require board members of a public authority to perform their duties in good faith, in the best interest of the authority, its mission and the public in order to ensure that public authorities act responsibly; and
-Create a Whistleblower Access and Assistance Program to protect those individuals who report wrongdoing.

A number of cases of misconduct at public authorities that occurred earlier in the decade made it clear that many of these entities were operating without adequate accountability mechanisms. A public outcry led to the passage of the Public Authority Accountability Act, which Governor Paterson helped push through as Senate Minority Leader in 2005. Soon after passage, though, the Commission on Public Authority Reform found that the 2005 law, while a good foundation for greater oversight, did not go far enough. Many of the Commission’s suggestions were included in the Governor’s program bill and in those that passed the Senate and Assembly earlier this year.

Ira Millstein, who led the Commission on Public Authority Reform, said: “I congratulate the Governor and the Legislature for having agreed to this historic legislation, which will benefit the citizens of the State of New York. I do so on behalf of all those who have worked so hard over the years to bring this legislation into being.”

Conjure Up A Vision Of Community

To Create Sustainability, Livability, And "Smart Growth," You Must First Envision The Possibilities

We take you back to the founding days of The Community Alliance, somewhat after the Neanderthals roamed the central plains [and before they de-evolved for a more sendentary -- and, apparently, permanent -- life (if you can call that living) on the Hempstead plains].

Okay. So we've been "visioning" in these parts for more than a decade now, and about the only things we've found to be "sustainable" are the blight, outrageously high property taxes, and the utter unwillingness of our elected officials to give us anything more than lip service.

Even when we've envisioned exactly what we want, other than nifty artists' renderings of what could be, the results, for the most part, are nil.

Ahh. Perhaps some re-envisioning is in order, and a persistance on our part to turn vision into reality.

Some words to contemplate, to ideate, and to necessitate a course of action (key word, action)that ushers in an era of rebirth and renewal -- economic, social, cultural, and infrastructural -- for our Long Island.
- - -
IT'S THAT VISION THING
The Community Alliance - 09-08-2004

Often, in discussing what it takes to create and maintain a "sustainable community" -- a community that fulfills our many and myriad quality of life expectations -- we filter through a seemingly endless stream of catch words: Assessment, planning, advocacy, action, result.

We follow a prescribed timeline designed to take us from haphazard and habitually unrestrained development to the perceived end-all, "Smart Growth." Classic textbook schemes -- the stuff that a Master's Thesis is made of -- relied upon by planners; bandied about by community advocates; adopted by the elected; dissected by the academics.

We look to, and attempt to document, so-called "quality of life indicators" and "healthy community indicators" -- the likes of which would spin the head of Hazel Henderson, a futurist of international renown. We define. We Redefine. We develop models and attempt to manage results -- especially when they are not to our liking.

In travels around the civic circles here on Long Island, the discussion almost always gravitates toward perceived quality of life issues, with "sustainability" and "healthy community" almost always cast aside as ancillary, if not unnecessary. The focus is on the particular problem at hand at the given point in time, with resolution narrowly construed -- a band-aid applied to a slash through the femoral artery. And having stopped the bleeding, albeit temporarily, we wonder why the tightly wound tourniquet has not abated the hemorrhaging elsewhere in town.

Have we "dumbed-down" "Smart Growth" by taking on the local issue while overlooking, conveniently, perhaps, the more global aspects of the problem?

At The Community Alliance, we believe that the heart of "Smart Growth" and planned development is vision. Our mission, among other goals both grand and mundane, is to provide communities, through their local advocacy groups, with the tools, information, and resources that can be effectively used to develop a vision which, once implemented, will enhance their quality of life, ensure their economic and social competitiveness, and build a stronger sense of community.

We need to understand the connection between the kind of place we want our communities to be and the policies and frameworks that will support our shared vision of community. Of course, before you can begin to build upon that vision -- to assess, to plan, to advocate, to act, and, ultimately, to achieve result -- you must have a vision. A vision free from both blinding myopia and the insular effect that often supplants out-of-the-box thinking so critical for success on the local scene.

Step one: Develop a vision of community, for community and by community. That vision thing. That's where "Smart Growth" and sustainable communities truly lie. That's where we, as community advocates, must begin.
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The Community Alliance is a watchdog group comprised of civic and community minded individuals and organizations whose objective is to promote and enhance the quality of life of every Long Islander.

For more information, or to join The Community Alliance, e-mail thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

Fire In The Belly Of The Beast

Students At Risk In Illegal Basement Apartments

Illegal accessory apartments. Long a scourge in towns and hamlets across our island. A clear and present danger to their occupants. An onerous tax burden to law-abiding homeowners. A chronic problem for our schools. A major dtractor from our suburban quality of life. The raison d'etre for establishing The Community Alliance.

The battle to eradicate illegal rental apartments in single family homes, or at least to stem the tide of proliferation throughout Long Island's townships, waxes and wanes with public sentiment, and the pressures of other issues that crowd residents' plates.

We're up in arms, flailing away at elected officials, and then, just as suddenly, when the immediate furor of the front page news of twenty beds in a basement apartment or a family trapped below grade in a fire with no means of egress fades, the uproar subsides, and we go back into hibernation. [Much as we do, come to think of it, after every election cycle.]

The response from officialdom, be it to make it easier to identify and summons illegal accessory apartments -- codifying the "indicia", such as multiple utility meters or a half dozen mailboxes and door bells, and legislating "nail & mail" service upon errant homeowners -- has done little to hold back the influx of unlawful rentals, basement apartments being the norm (particularly in a bad economy) rather than an aberration.

The problem, as we've intimated all along, is multifaceted.

1. Inadequate enforcement. No law on the books will make a difference if it is overlooked, or only enforced by town building departments after the fact, as when a fire below brings word of an underground dwelling place to the surface.

2. Too few building inspectors. An excuse, rather than a reason. With all the people on payroll at the Town, surely there should not be a personnel issue.

3. Lack of affordable housing, particularly in the rental market. Single-family homes will barely make a dent in the dearth of affordable residences needed to house those who now seek refuge -- or an inexpensive roof overhead (typically not up to code) -- on Long Island. Multiple dwelling units, in and around "downtown," are critical, as is the need to increase density and, in some instances, go vertical.

4. A "that's just the way it is" attitude among residents. Indifference. Apathy. "There's nothing we can do," are the thorns in the side of progress, and certainly, a major roadblock to remedying the illegal accessory apartment crisis. A constant, pounding force exerted upon our elected representatives to tackle this pressing concern once and for all -- with more than just lip service or the occasional summons -- is required. The once-in-a-blue-moon moan, or the here-and-again din will simply not move the mountain.

And it's not just college students who are living in often substandard illegal rentals. It's our young workforce, mom, dad and the kids, and seniors forced from their homes by increasing taxes and diminshing incomes.

Long Islanders need to wake up to the fact that "nuisances" such as illegal accessory apartments are not only the fodder for more cars on our residential streets, more trash at the curb, over usage of our water supply, and too many kids in the classroom. Illegal accessory apartments are as much a part and parcel of the property tax dilemma as are school budgets, special districts, and too many governmental hands in our pockets.

Add to this the risk to both life and property, and illegal rentals are, indeed, the recipe for disaster.
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From Newsday:

Hofstra students escape blaze in Uniondale house
by EDEN LAIKIN AND LAURA RIVERA / eden.laikin@newsday.com, laura.rivera@newsday.com

A fire in a Uniondale house occupied by several Hofstra University students prompted the Town of Hempstead to issue three summonses to the landlord for violations involving illegal use of a single-family house.

No one was hurt in Tuesday's fire, which was started by an unattended candle in the basement, a Uniondale fire official said.

But the blaze illuminated what fire officials and neighborhood residents call an ongoing problem: the influx of illegal student rentals in the area.

Hempstead building officials issued the court appearance tickets to Francisco Iannucci, who owns the Meadowbrook Road home, for code violations including creating separate living quarters with locks on bedroom doors and allowing tenants to sleep in the basement.

Iannucci could not be reached for comment.

Uniondale Assistant Fire Chief Howard Long said department members arrived shortly after the 8:40 a.m. call to find "a lot of smoke" in the basement and a "working fire about to take off."
He said one tenant living in the basement said she had left a lit candle on a table while she took a shower. The flame ignited "some contents on the table," Long said. Six people were exiting the house when firefighters arrived, he said, and three others had left earlier for classes.

Tenant Melissa Feil, 21, said she was roused from sleep in her second-floor room by wailing fire alarms. "We were definitely scared because everyone that lives in the house, we were all sleeping in our own bedrooms, so we didn't really know where it [the fire] was coming from," she said.

She said she rushed down the stairs to the first floor, where the smoke was thickening, then ran out of the house with some of her house mates.

Long said the fire was contained in the basement, but the upper floors were damaged by smoke.

Feil and another occupant, Casey, 22, who declined to give his last name, both seniors at Hofstra, said they've rented the two-story house for a year with three other friends, all seniors at the college. Hofstra officials said they're working to secure emergency housing for students who request it.

Uniondale civic activists say they've been complaining for years about absentee landlords buying houses in the area and renting out rooms to Hofstra students with what they say is little concern for the neighborhood.

"Why are we allowing our community to become a renter's paradise?" asked Melvyn Harris, president of the Nostrand Gardens Civic Association. "If you're going to rent out your house like that, how come you're not paying commercial taxes?"

Harris said he gets complaints from other residents every month about loud parties and underage drinking in the rental houses.

Town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby said she has forwarded residents' complaints to town building officials about seven other student houses.

If The Town Can Raise A Wall In Elmont. . .

Why Can't They Raze A Blighted Movie Theater Or A Hotsheet Hotel?

Kudos to the Town of Hempstead for lending a hand to Habitat of Humanity here in Nassau County, raising a wall on a new home being built in Elmont.

The more affordable housing starts, the better, for Hempstead Town, Nassau County, and Long Island.

We applaud Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Town Councilmen Ed Ambrosino and Jim Darcy, and Nassau County Legislator John Ciotti, for rolling up their sleeves on this important initiative.

When the reporters and the photographers (hope Kate wore her hardhat) have cleared, however, and the sheetrock has covered the 2x4s, the question remains, "Why can't the Town of Hempstead move with at least as much determination as it does to raise a wall, in razing the blighted brownfields that dot and detract from the landscape (not to mention property values and our communities quality of life) here in western Nassau?"

What of Elmont's Argo, or West Hempstead's Courtesy? Monuments to blight, decay, and neglect that stand in contravention to everything we cherish in suburbia.

What of Baldwin's Grand Avenue?

What of the promises made, but not kept, to revitalize Main Street, to improve the business districts of the town's unincorporated areas, to give residents that entire "package" which Supervisor Murray, upon her victory at the polls on November 3rd, called her "mandate?"

It is not only the property tax that is doing us in here on Long Island. No, we must add to our burden the neglect -- benign and otherwise -- of Town Hall in reviving our downtowns, in embracing smart growth, and in reinventing the suburban dream in ways that are so much more than brick pavers and Victorian-style street lamps.

Not only has the Town of Hempstead lost sight of the big picture -- ala figuring out how to move forward with mega-projects such as the Lighthouse. It's the little things along Main Street that the Town seems incapable of accomplishing as well, like tearing down what once was a movie theater for a much-needed supermarket; applying the principles of smart growth anywhere along the 20 miles of ugly that is Hempstead Turnpike; or razing a no-tell hotel in favor of a beneficial mix of housing units, retail stores, and recreational space.

As per the Town's press release, West Hempstead, Franklin Square, and Elmont are "among the communities where revitalization activities are taking place."

Are they? Really? Is there a cloak of invisibility hiding these activities? Can redevelopment and revitalization be had in absentia?

We will believe it when we see it!

Know when to raise 'em, Madam Supervisor, and know when to raze 'em!
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From The Town of Hempstead:

Supervisor Murray And Habitat For Humanity Raise Wall For New Elmont Home

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray and Councilmen Ed Ambrosino and James Darcy joined Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, Inc., President Lee Hymowitz and a host of volunteers to celebrate the wall raising of a new affordable home that is now under construction at 25 Louis Avenue in Elmont. Also present at the ceremony were local community leaders and Nassau County Legislator John Ciotti.

The wall raising event celebrates a significant step in the construction of the single-family home and marks the beginning of construction. The project is the result of close cooperation between the Town of Hempstead and Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, Inc. The home is being built by volunteer construction workers on a parcel of property that the town conveyed to Habitat for Humanity for $1.

"It is gratifying to see so many volunteers working to transform this property into a wonderful new home. Working with Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County has assisted us to meet our goal of providing more affordable housing for local residents. Now that this project is under way, it won't be long before one family's dream of owning a home will come true," said Supervisor Murray.

"Our mission at Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County is to provide affordable homes for families in need. We had the support of Supervisor Murray necessary to acquire the property for this home last June. It has been important for Habitat for the Humanity to work with town government and volunteers to make this project possible," said Lee Hymowitz, President of Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, Inc.

"I am pleased that Hempstead Town has been able to play an important role in building this affordable home by contributing the property that is being built upon for only $1," said Ambrosino.

"This project will complement the affordable senior homes that the town has just completed in Elmont along with the downtown beautification work we have performed," added Darcy."

Working together, various levels of government, Habitat for Humanity and local neighbors are undertaking meaningful community enhancement projects, and Elmont residents can be proud of the improvements that are taking place," observed Ciotti.

In an agreement between Hempstead Town and Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, Inc., the home must be built using sustainable building practices and materials as well as the installation of energy-saving appliances. When completed, the home will be United States Green Building Counsel LEED-certified.

This commitment to the environment only enhances the priority of affordability shared by the town and Habitat for Humanity. Low cost home ownership will be provided to the new homeowner as a result of a unique collaboration between several parties. The town's provided the property for the project at a $1 fee while a no-interest thirty-year mortgage will be held by Habitat for Humanity. Volunteer labor and donated materials will also help to facilitate a home purchase price that is projected to be less than half of the market value of $300,000. In fact, the property alone has an appraised value of approximately $75,000.

Town officials also recognized the assistance and participation of National Grid, LIPA and the United States Green Building Council in making the construction of this affordable and green home possible.

Federal and New York State funds secured by the Town of Hempstead Department of Planning and Economic Development are utilized to develop plans for projects that will positively impact residential and commercial environments. The goal is to generate economic vitality and improve the quality of life of those who live, work or play in communities within the town. Roosevelt, Inwood, Oceanside, West Hempstead, Franklin Square, Levittown and Elmont are among the communities where revitalization activities are taking place.

The Town of Hempstead offers a variety of economic development opportunities for businesses and residents that include affordable housing, loan and grants for senior citizens and physically challenged individuals, streetscapes and facade improvements and more. For information about these programs, visit the Town of Hempstead's website at www.toh.li or call (516) 538-7100.

About Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County: Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, established in 1990, is a local nonprofit 501(c)3 affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County is an ecumenical organization that seeks to address affordable housing needs by providing homes for deserving families in Nassau County. Persons of all beliefs are encouraged to join its efforts. The organization is committed to the development of local communities and the empowerment of families through its housing ministry. The organization relies on individuals, corporations and foundations for financial support and accepts government assistance. For more information, visit www.hfhnc.org.

Albany Must Cut Where It Hurts The Most

Close To Home In Legislators' Pocketbooks And Pork Barrels

If the State of New York is, indeed, running out of money, as Governor David Paterson contends (and as the numbers so reflect), just where in the budget does the State Legislature cut?

Health care? Education? Those who rely on State funding the most, just to survive from day-to-day?

No!

Health care and aid to education have already been cut back to bare bones. Leaving New Yorkers sick, and our school children, from pre-k through college, behind, is certainly not the answer.

Assuming we're $5 billion behind the eight ball right now, with an additional $10 billion shortfall come April 1, just where do we close the gap?

How about those public authorities, all 1098 of them? You know, the folks who have been sucking up tax dollars for generations, then bonding us to long-term debt that our great-grandchildren will still be paying.

Zero funding for all but the essentials, and elimination of agencies whose functions are superfluous or can readily be assumed by other entities.

Pick and choose, if you'd like, as to which ones get the axe. We're certain reasonable minds could put together a package of across-the-board cuts totalling several billion.

Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund
Battery Park City Authority
Battery Park City Parks Conservancy Corporation
Capital District Transportation Authority
Access Transit Services
Capital District Transit System
Capital District Transit System Number 1
Capital District Transit System Number 2
CDTA Facilities Incorporated
Central New York Regional Transportation Authority
Centro Call-A-Bus, Inc.
Centro of Cayuga, Inc.
Centro of Oneida, Inc.
Centro of Oswego, Inc.
Centro Parking, Inc.
CNY Centro, Inc.
Designated Recipient Services, Inc.
Intermodal Transportation Center, Inc.
Dormitory Authority of the State of New York
Facilities Development Corporation
New York State Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency
Environmental Facilities Corporation
Executive Mansion Trust
Hudson River-Black River Regulating District
Industrial Exhibit Authority
Long Island Power Authority
LILCO dba LIPA
LIPA Resources, Inc.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Excess Loss Trust Fund
First Mutual Transportation Assurance Company
Long Island Rail Road Company
Metro-North Commuter Rail Road Company
Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority
MTA Bus Company
MTA Capital Construction Company
MTA Capital Program Review Board
New York City Transit Authority
Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority
Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority
Natural Heritage Trust
Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Operating Corporation
New York Convention Center Operating Corporation
New York Job Development Authority
Empire State Local Development Corporation
New York Liberty Development Corporation
New York Local Government Assistance Corporation
New York State Bridge Authority
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
New York State Foundation for Science Technology and Innovation
New York State Housing Finance Agency
Homeless Housing Assistance Corporation
Housing Trust Fund Corporation
New York State Affordable Housing Corporation
New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority
New York State Sports Authority
New York State Theatre Institute
New York State Thoroughbred Breeding Development Fund
New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund
New York State Thruway Authority
New York State Canal Corporation
New York State Urban Development Corporation
106th Street Houses Incorporated
125th Street Mart Incorporated
260-262 West 125th Street Corporation
42nd Street Development Corporation
900 Woolworth Redevelopment Corporation
Apollo Theatre Redevelopment Corporation
Apple Walk (Grote Street) Houses Incorporated
Archive Preservation Corporation
Arverne Houses Incorporated
Ashland Place Houses Incorporated
Averill Court Houses Incorporated
Beaver Road Houses Incorporated
Borinquen Plaza Housing Company Incorporated
BPC Development Corporation
Briarcliff Manor Houses Incorporated
Broadway East Townhouses Incorporated
Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation
Buena Vista Houses
Buffalo Waterfront Homes Site 2 Incorporated
Buffalo Waterfront Phase Houses
Buffalo Waterfront Phase III Houses
Canisteo Homes Incorporated
Carlken Manor Houses Incorporated
Carousel Park Houses Incorporated
Cathedral Parkway Houses Incorporated
Cedarwood Towers Houses Incorporated
Centerville Court Houses Incorporated
Charlotte Lake River Houses Incorporated
Cherry Hill (Houses Incorporated) Corporation
City-State Development Corporation
Claremont Gardens Houses Incorporated
Clifton Springs Houses
Clinton Avenue Paul Place Houses Incorporated
College Hill Houses Incorporated
Comfort Street South Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site 17 Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site 1824 Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site 1A Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site 4A-1 Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site 4A-2 Houses Incorporated
Coney Island Site Nine Houses Incorporated
Cosgrove Avenue Houses Incorporated
Creek Bend Heights Houses Incorporated
Dutcher House Incorporated
Edgerton Estates Incorporated
Ellicott Houses Incorporated
Elmwood-Utica Houses Incorporated
Ely Park Houses Site I Incorporated
Ely Park Site II Houses Incorporated
Empire State Allsub Corporation
Empire State Community Development Corporation
Empire State New Market
English Road Houses Incorporated
Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation
Erie County Stadium Corporation
Excelsior Capital Corporation
FDA Headquarters Incorporated
Fordham Commercial Redevelopment Corporation
Frawley Plaza Houses Incorporated
Friendly Homes Houses
Fulton Park 4 Sites Incorporated
Fulton Park Site 2 Houses Incorporated
Genesee Gateway Houses Incorporated
Gleason Estates Houses Incorporated
Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
Governors Island Redevelopment Corporation
Grasslands Houses Incorporated
Hampton Houses Incorporated
Harborview Houses Incorporated
Harlem Canaan House Incorporated
Harlem Community Development Corporation
Harlem River Park Houses Incorporated
Harriet Homes Incorporated
Harriman Research and Technology Development Corporation
Harrison House Incorporated
Highland Canalview Houses Incorporated
Hillside Homes (Wellsville Houses) Incorporated
Horizons Waterfront Commission Incorporated
HUDC 323 St. Nicholas Realty Corporation
Ithaca Elm-Maple Houses Incorporated
Jespersin-Rochester Houses
JUMA Development Corporation
Kennedy Square (Syracuse Hill I) Houses Incorporated
LaMarqueta Redevelopment Corporation
Liberty Senior Citizens Houses Incorporated
Lindsay-Bushwick Houses Incorporated
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
Malone Town Houses Incorporated
Marcus Garvey Brownstone Houses Incorporated
Marinus Houses Incorporated
Melrose Site D-1 Houses Incorporated
Metro North Riverview Houses Incorporated
Metrocenter Development Corporation
Moynihan (Pennsylvania) Station Development Corporation
New York Convention Center Development Corporation
New York Empowerment Zone Corporation
New York State Mortgage Loan Enforcement Corporation
Newburgh Houses on the Lake Incorporated
Nodine Terrace Houses Incorporated
North Town Phase II Houses Incorporated
North Town Phase III Houses Incorporated
Oak Tree Development Corporation
Ogdensburg Crescent Mall Development Corporation
Painted Post Village Square Apartments Incorporated
Park Drive Manor Houses Incorporated
Parkedge House Incorporated
Parkside Houses Incorporated
Peekskill Plaza Houses Incorporated
Penview Houses Incorporated
Perinton-Fairport Houses Incorporated
Phillips Village Houses Incorporated
Pilgrim Woods Houses Incorporated
Presidential Plaza Apartments Incorporated
Queens West Development Corporation
REBRAF Development Corporation
Rochester-Downtown Center Incorporated
Rockland Manor Houses Incorporated
Roosevelt Island Development Corporation
Rutland Road Houses Incorporated
Schemerhorn Houses Incorporated
SE Loop Area Three B Houses Incorporated
Seaport Redevelopment Corporation
Seven Pines Houses Incorporated
South Fallsburgh Houses Incorporated
Southeast Loop Phase IIA Houses Incorporated
Spring Valley Homes Incorporated
St. Paul's Upper Falls Housing Company Incorporated
Stanwix Houses Incorporated
State Street Houses Incorporated
Statewide (Downhill) Local Development Corporation
Syracuse Intown Houses Incorporated
Ten Broeck Manor Houses Incorporated
Times Square Hotel Incorporated
Tompkins Terrace Incorporated
Twin Parks NE Site 2 Houses Incorporated
Twin Parks Northeast Houses Incorporated
Twin Parks Northwest Incorporated
Twin Parks SE Modular Houses Incorporated
Twin Parks Southeast Houses Incorporated
Twin Parks SW Houses Incorporated
UDC Nonprofit Houses Incorporated
UDC Special Development Corporation
UDC Utica Redevelopment Corporation
UDC/ALBEE Square Redevelopment Corporation
UDC/Commercial Center Incorporated
UDC/Commodore Redevelopment Corporation
UDC/Harlem Incorporated
UDC/Love Canal Incorporated
UDC/St. George Incorporated
UDC/Ten Eyck Development Corporation I
UDC/Ten Eyck Development Corporation II
UDC/Ten Eyck Development Corporation III
Ulster Senior Citizens Houses Incorporated
Unity Park Houses Incorporated
Unity Park II (Niagara Park) Corporation
Upaca Terrace Houses Incorporated
Upstate Empire State Development Corporation
USA Niagara Development Corporation
Valley Vista Houses Incorporated
Van Rensselaer Village Houses
Vark Street Houses Incorporated
Vernon Avenue Houses Incorporated
Village Manor Houses Incorporated
Warburton Houses Incorporated
Woodbrook Houses Incorporated
Woodrow Wilson Houses, Incorporated
World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Incorporated
Wright Park Houses, Incorporated
Wright Park Phase II , Incorporated
Young Manor, Incorporated
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Niagara Frontier Transit Metro Systems, Incorporated
Power Authority of the State of New York
Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority
Batavia Bus Service, Inc.
Genesee Transportation Service Council Staff Incorporated
Lift Line, Inc.
Livingston Area Transportation Service, Inc.
Orleans Transit Service, Inc.
Regional Transit Service Incorporated
Renaissance Square Corporation
RGRTA Maritime Development Corporation
Seneca Transit Service, Inc.
Wayne Area Transportation Service, Inc.
Wyoming Transportation Service, Inc.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corporation
Roswell Park Alliance Foundation
State of New York Mortgage Agency
State of New York Municipal Bond Bank Agency
Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation
State University Construction Fund
United Nations Development Corporation
Adirondack Park Institute Incorporated
Aging Research Incorporated
Albany Port District Commission
Auxiliary Campus Enterprises and Services SUC at Alfred Incorporated
Auxiliary Enterprise Board of Hunter College
Auxiliary Enterprise Board of New York City College of Technology Incorporated
Auxiliary Services Corporation of SUNY at Farmingdale New York
Auxiliary Services Corporation of SUNY Cortland
Auxiliary Services State University at Oswego Incorporated
Bernard M. Baruch College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Borough of Manhattan Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Brockport Auxiliary Services Corporation
Bronx Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Brooklyn College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority
Campus Auxiliary Services (New Paltz)
Campus Auxiliary Services Incorporated at SUC Geneseo New York
City University Construction Fund
College Association at Delhi Incorporated
College Association at Utica/Rome Incorporated
College Association Incorporated of SUNY College of Technology at Canton
College Auxiliary Services of SUC at Plattsburgh Incorporated
CUNY Graduate School and University Center Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Development Authority of the North Country
Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority
Erie County Medical Center Corporation
Faculty Student Association of SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse
Faculty-Student Association of Downstate Medical Center Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUC at Buffalo Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUC at Cobleskill Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUC at Fredonia New York Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUNY at Buffalo Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUNY at Stony Brook Incorporated
Faculty-Student Association of SUNY Maritime College Incorporated
Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Health Research Incorporated
Hostos Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Hudson River Park Trust
John Jay College of Criminal Justice Auxiliary Services Corporation Incorporated
Kingsborough Community College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Lehman College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Life Insurance Company Guaranty Corporation
Medgar Evers College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
Morrisville Auxiliary of SUC of Agriculture and Technology
Municipal Assistance Corporation for the City of New York
Municipal Assistance Corporation for the City of Troy
Nassau County Interim Finance Authority
Nassau Health Care Corporation
Long Island Medical Foundation, Inc.
Nassau Health Care Corporation, Ltd.
New York Racing Association
New York State Archives Partnership Trust
New York State Health Foundation
New York Wine/Grape Foundation
Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority
Organization of Auxiliary Services of SUC at Oneonta Incorporated
Port of Oswego Authority
Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services Incorporated
Purchase College Association
Queens College Auxiliary Enterprise Association
Queensborough Community College Auxiliary Enterprise Association Incorporated
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene
Research Foundation of CUNY
Research Foundation of SUNY
The City College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
The College of Staten Island Auxiliary Services Corporation Incorporated
University Auxiliary Services at Albany Incorporated
Welfare Research Incorporated
Westchester County Health Care Corporation
York College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation
125th Street Local Development Corporation
163rd Street Neighborhood Local Development Corporation
40th Street Local Development Corporation
79th Street Local Development Corporation
Albany City Industrial Development Agency
Albany Community Development Agency
Albany Convention Center Authority
Albany County Airport Authority
Albany County Industrial Development Agency
Albany County Local Development Corporation
Albany Light, Heat, and Power Authority
Albany Local Development Corporation
Albany Municipal Water Finance Authority
Albany Parking Authority
Albany Water Board
Alfred, Almond, Hornellsville Sewer Authority
Allegany Industrial Development Agency
American Museum of Natural History Planetarium Authority
Amherst Industrial Development Agency
Amsterdam Industrial Development Agency
Amsterdam Parking Authority
Amsterdam Urban Renewal Agency
Antioch Development Corporation
Apple Industrial Development Corporation
Arbor Hill Local Development Corporation
Arden Local Development Corporation
ATC of Buffalo and Erie County, Inc.
Au Sable Valley Local Development Corporation
Auburn Industrial Development Agency
Auburn Local Development Corporation
Babylon Industrial Development Agency
Beacon Community Development Agency
Beacon Industrial Development Agency
Bedford Stuyvesant Urban Development Corporation
Bethel Local Development Corporation
Bethlehem Industrial Development Agency
Bi-County Development Corporation of Long Island
Binghamton Local Development Corporation
Binghamton Parking Authority
Binghamton Urban Renewal Agency
Bolton Local Development Corporation
Boonville Housing Authority
Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation
Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency
Brookhaven Resource Recovery Agency
Brooklyn Community Development Corporation
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
Broome County Resource Recovery Agency
Broome County Sports Center Authority
Broome Industrial Development Agency
Broome Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Brownsville Restoration Local Development Corporation
Buffalo and Erie County Industrial Land Development Corporation
Buffalo and Erie County Regional Development Corporation
Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation
Buffalo Inner-City Land Development Corporation
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
Buffalo Municipal Water Finance Authority
Buffalo Niagara Regional Development Corporation
Buffalo Sewer Authority
Buffalo Urban Development Corporation
Canandaigua Housing Authority
Canastota Development Corporation
Canton Local Development Corporation
Cape Vincent Local Development Corporation
Capital District Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation
Carthage Industrial Development Corporation
Catskill Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation
Catskill Watershed Corporation
Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency
Cattaraugus Local Development Corporation
Cayuga County Development Corporation
Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority
Cayuga Industrial Development Agency
Cayuga Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Central Mohawk Valley Alliance Local Development Corporation
Central New York Enterprise Development Corporation
Central New York Regional Market Authority
Chadwick Bay Regional Development Corporation
Champlain Industrial Development Agency
Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
Chautauqua Region Industrial Development Corporation
Chautauqua Sports, Recreation and Cultural Authority
Chautauqua Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany and Steuben Southern Tier Extension Railroad Authority
Cheektowaga Economic Development Corporation
Chemung Industrial Development Agency
Chemung Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Chenango Industrial Development Agency
Cicero Local Development Corporation
City of Albany Housing Authority
City of Amsterdam Housing Authority
City of Auburn Housing Authority
City of Batavia Housing Authority
City of Beacon Housing Authority
City of Binghamton Housing Authority
City of Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency
City of Cohoes Housing Authority
City of Cohoes Renewal Agency
City of Corning Housing Authority
City of Corning Urban Renewal Agency
City of Cortland Housing Authority
City of Dunkirk Housing Authority
City of Fulton Community Development Agency
City of Fulton Housing Authority
City of Geneva Housing Authority
City of Glen Clove Housing Authority
City of Glens Falls Housing Authority
City of Gloversville Housing Authority
City of Hornell Housing Authority
City of Hudson Housing Authority
City of Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency
City of Jamestown Housing Authority
City of Kingston Housing Authority
City of Kingston Local Development Corporation
City of Little Falls Housing Authority
City of Lockport Housing Authority
City of Long Beach Housing Authority
City of Mechanicville Housing Authority
City of Middletown Housing Authority
City of Mount Vernon Housing Authority
City of New Rochelle Housing Authority
City of Newburgh Housing Authority
City of Niagara Falls Housing Authority
City of North Tonawanda Housing Authority
City of Norwich Housing Authority
City of Ogdensburg Housing Authority
City of Olean Housing Authority
City of Oneida Housing Authority
City of Oneida Industrial Development Agency
City of Oneonta Housing Authority
City of Oswego Housing Authority
City of Peekskill Local Development Corporation
City of Plattsburgh Housing Authority
City of Port Jervis Housing Authority
City of Poughkeepsie Housing Authority
City of Rensselaer Housing Authority
City of Rensselaer Industrial Development Agency
City of Rochester Housing Authority
City of Rome Housing Authority
City of Rye Housing Authority
City of Salamanca Housing Authority
City of Saratoga Springs Housing Authority
City of Schenectady Industrial Development Agency
City of Sherrill Housing Authority
City of Tonawanda Housing Authority
City of Troy Housing Authority
City of Utica Industrial Development Agency
City of Watertown Housing Authority
City of Watertown Local Development Corporation
City of Watervliet Housing Authority
City of Watervliet Local Development Corporation
City of White Plains Housing Authority
City of Yonkers Education Contruction Fund
Civic Center Monroe County Local Development Corporation
Clarence Industrial Development Agency
Clayton Local Development Corporation
Clifton Park Industrial Development Agency
Clifton Park Water Authority
Clifton-Concord Local Development Corporation
Clifton-Fine Health Care Corporation
Clinton County Industrial Development Agency
Clyde Industrial Development Corporation
Cohoes Industrial Development Agency
Cohoes Local Development Corporation
Cohoes Parking Authority
Colonie Industrial Development Agency
Columbia County Development Corporation, Inc.
Columbia Economic Development Corporation
Columbia Industrial Development Agency
Columbia Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
COMCO Development Corporation
Community Development Corporation of Upstate New York
Community Fund for Manhattan
Concord Industrial Development Agency
Coney Island Development Corporation
Corinth Industrial Development Agency
Corning-Painted Post High School Development Corporation
Cortland County Agricultural Local Development Corporation
Cortland County Business Development Corporation
Cortland County Local Development Corporation
Cortland Industrial Development Agency
Cortland Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Cortlandt Manor Local Development Corporation
Crossroads Incubator Corporation
Delaware County Industrial Development Agency
Delaware County Local Development Corporation
Development Chenango Corporation
Dolgeville Community Development Agency
Downtown Brooklyn Waterfront Local Development Corporation
Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation
Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation
Downtown Manhattan Community Development Corporation
Dryden (Town of) Industrial Development Agency
Dunkirk Industrial Development Agency
Dunkirk Local Development Corporation
Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation
Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency
Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency
Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority
Dutchess Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Eastern Rensselaer County Solid Waste Management Authority
Economic Development Corporation - Warren County
Elmhurst Economic Development Corporation
Elmira Housing Authority
Elmira Parking Authority
Elmira Urban Renewal Agency
Emerald Corporate Center Economic Development Corporation
Endicott Parking Authority
Erie County Industrial Development Agency
Erie County Water Authority
Erie Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Essex County Industrial Development Agency
Essex Solid Waste Management Authority
Fairport Industrial Development Agency
Fiscal Year 2005 Securitization Corporation
Flatbush Development Corporation
Flushing Local Development Corporation
Flushing Willets Point Corona Local Development Corporation
Franklin County Industrial Development Agency
Franklin County Local Development Corporation
Franklin County Solid Waste Management Authority
Franklin Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Freeport Community Development Agency
Fulton County Economic Development Corporation
Fulton County Industrial Development Agency
Fulton Parking Authority
Genesee County Industrial Development Agency
Genesee County Local Development Corporation
Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation
Genesee Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority
Geneva Industrial Development Agency
Glen Cove Community Development Agency
Glen Cove Industrial Development Agency
Glens Falls Civic Center Authority
Glens Falls Industrial Development Agency
Glens Falls Urban Renewal Agency
Gloversville Community Development Agency
Gloversville Economic Development Corporation
Grace Multi-Community Development Corporations
Greater Brockport Development Corporation
Greater Cicero Local Development Corporation
Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corporation
Greater Jamaica Local Development Company
Greater Lockport Development Corporation
Greater Rochester Sports Authority
Greater Troy Area Solid Waste Management Authority
Greece Economic Development Projects, Inc.
Green Island Industrial Development Agency
Green Island Power Authority
Greene County Industrial Development Agency
Greene Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Griffiss Local Development Corporation
Guilderland Industrial Development Agency
Hamburg Industrial Development Agency
Hamilton County Industrial Development Agency
Harrison Parking Authority
Haverstraw Urban Renewal Agency
Hempstead Industrial Development Agency
Herkimer County Area Development Corporation
Herkimer Industrial Development Agency
Herkimer Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Heuvelton Development Corporation
Highland Community Development Corporation
Highland Facilities Development Corporation
Highland Falls Local Development Corporation
Hilton Local Development Corporation
Historic Rome Development Authority
Hornell Industrial Development Agency
Hornell Industrial Development Corporation
Horton Local Development Corporation
Hudson Development Corporation
Hudson Industrial Development Agency
Hudson Parking Authority
Hudson River Local Development Corporation
Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation
Hudson Valley Local Development Corporation
Hudson Yards Development Corporation
Hudson Yards Infrastructure Corporation
Hudson-Mohawk Urban Cultural Park Commission
Huntington Community Development Agency
Incorporated Village of Hempstead Community Development Agency
Islip Industrial Development Agency
Islip Resource Recovery Authority
Ithaca Housing Authority
Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency
Jamestown Center City Development Corporation
Jamestown Local Development Corporation
Jamestown Parking Authority
Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency
Jay Street Development Corporation
Jay Town Housing Authority
Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation
Jefferson County Job Development Corporation
Jefferson Industrial Development Agency
Johnson City Parking Authority
Johnstown Economic Development Corporation
Kingston Parking Local Development Corporation
Kiryas Joel Municipal Local Development Corporation
Lackawanna Community Development Corporation
Lackawanna Housing Authority
Lake Area Development Corporation
Lake City Local Development Corporation
Lake Placid Village Housing Authority
Lakefront Development Corporation
Lancaster Industrial Development Agency
Laurelton Development Corporation
Lewis County Industrial Development Agency
Lewis Industrial Development Agency Community Development Corporation
Little Falls Urban Renewal Agency
Livingston County Industrial Development Agency
Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority
Livingston Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Local Development Corporation of Laurelton, Rosedale, and Springfield Gardens
Local Development Corporation of Mount Vernon
Local Development Corporation of the Town of Union
Local Development Corporation of the West Bronx
Long Beach Community Development Agency
Long Beach Parking Authority
Long Island Development Corporation
Long Island Job Development Authority
Long Island Market Authority
Long Island Regional Ashfill Board
Lumber City Development Corporation
Madison County Industrial Development Agency
Main & Clinton Local Development Corporation
Mamaroneck (Village) Housing Authority
Manhattan Borough Development Corporation
Massena Housing Authority
Mechanicville Community Development Agency
Mechanicville-Stillwater Industrial Development Agency
Metro Community Development Corporation
Middleport Development Corporation
Middletown Community Development Agency
Middletown Industrial Development Agency
Middletown Parking Authority
Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission
Monroe County Airport Authority
Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation
Monroe County Sports Development Corporation
Monroe County Water Authority
Monroe Industrial Development Agency
Monroe Newpower Corporation
Monroe Regional Parking Authority
Monroe Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Montgomery County Industrial Development Agency
Montgomery, Otsego, Schoharie Solid Waste Management Authority
Mount Kisco Housing Authority
Mount Kisco Parking Authority
Mount Pleasant Industrial Development Agency
Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency
Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency
Multi-town Solid Waste Management Authority
MUNIPRO, Inc.
Nassau County Bridge Authority
Nassau County Industrial Development Agency
Nassau County Sewer and Storm Water Finance Authority
Nassau County Tobacco Settlement Corporation
Nassau Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation
New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency
New Rochelle Local Development Corporation
New Rochelle Parking Authority
New York City Capital Resource Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Educational Construction Fund
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
New York City Housing Authority
New York City Housing Development Corporation
New York City Industrial Development Agency
New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority
New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation
New York City Public Development Corporation
New York City School Construction Authority
New York City Sports Authority
New York City Sports Commission
New York City Sports Development Corporation
New York City Transitional Finance Authority
New York City Water Board
Newburgh Community Development Agency
Newburgh Industrial Development Agency
Niagara County Brownfields Development Corporation
Niagara County Development Corporation
Niagara County Industrial Development Agency
Niagara Falls Parking Authority
Niagara Falls Public Water Authority
Niagara Falls Urban Renewal Agency
Niagara Falls Water Board
Niagara Power Coalition
Niagara Region Certified Development Corporation
Niagara Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Niagara Town Industrial Development Agency
North Buffalo Community Development Corporation
North Country Community Development Corporation
North Greenbush Industrial Development Agency
North Hempstead Solid Waste Management Authority
North Tonawanda Parking Authority
Nyack Parking Authority
Nyack Urban Renewal Agency
Olean Urban Renewal Agency
Oneida County Industrial Development Agency
Oneida County Sports Facility Authority
Oneida Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority
Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency
Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency
Onondaga County Solid Waste Disposal Authority
Onondaga County Water Authority
Onondaga Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Ontario County Four Seasons Development Corporation
Ontario County Industrial Development Agency
Ontario Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Operation Oswego County
Orange County Economic Development Corporation
Orange County Industrial Development Agency
Orange County Water Authority
Orchard Park Local Development Corporation
Oriskany Falls Local Development Corporation
Orleans County Industrial Development Agency
Orleans County Local Development Corporation
Ossining Housing Authority
Ossining Urban Renewal Agency
Oswego County Industrial Development Agency
Oswego Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Otsego County Industrial Development Agency
Owego Parking Authority
Peekskill Civic Center Authority
Peekskill Facilities Development Corporation
Peekskill Housing Authority
Peekskill Industrial Development Agency
Peekskill Local Development Corporation No. 2 (subsidiary of IDA)
Peekskill Parking Authority
Penfield Economic Development Corporation
Plattsburgh City Local Development Corporation
Port Chester Community Development Agency
Port Chester Industrial Development Agency
Port Chester Parking Authority
Port Jervis Community Development Agency
Port Jervis Industrial Development Agency
Port Jervis Parking Authority
Potsdam Community Development Corporation
Potsdam Local Development Corporation
Poughkeepsie Industrial Development Agency
Poughkeepsie Parking Authority
Poughkeepsie Urban Renewal Agency
Putnam County Economic Development Corporation
Putnam County Industrial Development Agency
Putnam Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Redevelopment Local Development Corporation
Rensselaer County Industrial Development Agency
Rensselaer County Local Development Corporation
Rensselaer County Water and Sewer Authority
Rensselaer Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Ridge Hill Development Corporation
Riverhead Industrial Development Agency
Rochester Downtown Development Corporation
Rochester Economic Development Corporation
Rochester Urban Renewal Agency
Rockaway Boulevard Local Development Corporation
Rockland County Industrial Development Agency
Rockland County Solid Waste Management Authority
Rockland Economic Development Corporation
Rockland Second Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Rockland Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Rome Industrial Development Corporation
Rome Parking Authority
Rome Urban Renewal Agency
Rotterdam Industrial Development Agency
Route 110 Redevelopment Corporation
Sackets Harbor Local Development Corporation
Salamanca Hospital District Authority
Salamanca Indian Lease Authority
Salamanca Industrial Development Agency
Salamanca Regional Local Development Corporation
Saranac Lake Community Development Agency
Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency
Saratoga County Water Authority
Saratoga Economic Development Corporation
Saratoga Springs City Center Authority
Schenectady County Industrial Development Agency
Schenectady Local Development Corporation
Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority
Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority
Schenectady Parking Authority
Schenectady Urban Renewal Agency
Schoharie County Industrial Development Agency
Schuyler County Development Corporation
Schuyler County Human Services Development Corporation
Schuyler County Industrial Development Agency
Schuyler Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Seneca County Economic Development Corporation
Seneca County Industrial Development Agency
Seneca Knit Development Corporation
Seneca Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Sherburne Area Local Development Corporation
Sleepy Hollow Parking Authority
Southeast Industrial Development Agency
Spring Valley Parking Authority
St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency
St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Local Development Corporation
St. Lawrence County Local Development Corporation
STAR (Sales Tax Asset Receivable) Corporation
Steuben Area Economic Development Corporation
Steuben County Industrial Development Agency
Steuben Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Suffern Parking Authority
Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency
Suffolk County Judicial Facilities Agency
Suffolk County Local Development Corporation
Suffolk County Water Authority
Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation
Sullivan County Agricultural Local Development Corporation
Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency
Sullivan Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Syracuse Economic Development Corporation
Syracuse Housing Authority
Syracuse Industrial Development Agency
Syracuse Parking Authority
Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency
Tarrytown Housing Authority
The Castleton-Schodack Local Development Corporation
The Catskill Local Development Corporation
The City of Newburgh Local Development Corporation
The Development Corporation - Clinton County
The Fort Edward Local Development Corporation
The Hamilton County Local Development Corporation
The Hunter Local Development Corporation
The Local Development Corporation for the Town of Little Valley
The Local Development Corporation of Crown Heights
The Middletown Local Development Corporation
The Nassau County Local Development Corporation
The Philmont Local Development Corporation
The Schoharie Community Development Corporation
The Seneca Falls Local Development Corporation
The Town of Huntington Economic Development Corporation
The Village of Valatie Local Development Corporation
The Village of Waterford Local Development Corporation
The Walden Local Development Corporation
The Warren County Local Development Corporation
Theater Subdistrict Council Local Development Corporation
Thousand Islands Bridge Authority
Tioga County Industrial Development Agency
Tioga County Local Development Corporation
Tioga County R.E.A.P. Local Development Corporation
Tioga Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Tompkins County Area Development
Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency
Tompkins Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Tonawanda (City) Community Development Agency
Town of Albion Housing Authority
Town of Allegany Housing Authority
Town of Amherst Development Corporation
Town of Babylon Local Development Corporation
Town of Cambria Housing Authority
Town of Camillus Housing Authority
Town of Cheektowaga Housing Authority
Town of De Kalb Housing Authority
Town of Dewitt Local Development Corporation
Town of East Hampton Housing Authority
Town of Edwards Housing Authority
Town of Erwin Housing Authority
Town of Erwin Industrial Development Agency
Town of Erwin Urban Renewal Agency
Town of Fallsburg Housing Authority
Town of Fowler Housing Authority
Town of Glenville Housing Authoriy
Town of Goshen Housing Authority
Town of Greenburgh Housing Authority
Town of Harrietstown Housing Authority
Town of Hempstead Housing Authority
Town of Hempstead Local Development Corp.
Town of Hermon Housing Authority
Town of Hoosick Housing Authority
Town of Huntington Housing Authority
Town of Islip Community Development Agency
Town of Islip Housing Authority
Town of Islip Local Development Corporation
Town of Lansing Housing Authority
Town of Lisbon Housing Authority
Town of Lockport Industrial Development Agency
Town of Malone Industrial Development Agency
Town of Mamaroneck Housing Authority
Town of Marion Housing Authority
Town of Montgomery Industrial Development Agency
Town of Moreau Local Development Corporation
Town of Niagara Housing Authority
Town of Norfolk Housing Authority
Town of North Elba Housing Authority
Town of North Hempstead Business and Tourism Development Corporation
Town of North Hempstead Community Development Agency
Town of North Hempstead Housing Authority
Town of Orangetown Housing Authority
Town of Oyster Bay Housing Authority
Town of Patterson Housing Authority
Town of Plattsburgh Local Development Corporation
Town of Queensbury Housing Authority
Town of Ramapo Housing Authority
Town of Riverhead Community Development Agency
Town of Rotterdam Housing Authority
Town of Southampton Community Development Agency
Town of Southampton Housing Authority
Town of Ticonderoga Housing Authority
Town of Tonawanda Housing Authority
Town of Tully Housing Authority
Town of Union Housing Authority
Town of Wallkill Housing Authority
Town of Warwick Housing Authority
Town of Waterford Industrial Development Agency
Town of Wawarsing Local Development Corporation
Town of Wheatfield Housing Authority
Town of Wilna Housing Authority
Town of Yorktown Housing Authority
Transit Construction Fund
Troy Industrial Development Authority
Troy Local Development Corporation
Troy Parking Authority
Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York
Trust for Cultural Resources of the County of Onondaga
TSASC, Inc.
Tuckahoe Housing Authority
Tuckahoe Parking Authority
Ulster County Development Corporation
Ulster County Industrial Development Agency
Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency
Ulster Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Upper Mohawk Valley Memorial Auditorium Authority
Upper Mohawk Valley Regional Water Board
Upper Mohawk Valley Regional Water Finance Authority
Upstate Telecommunications Corporation
Utica Housing Authority
Utica Parking Authority
Utica Transit Authority
Utica Urban Renewal Agency
Victor Local Development Corporation
Victor Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Alexandria Bay Housing Authority
Village of Bath Housing Authority
Village of Canajoharie Housing Authority
Village of Canastota Housing Authority
Village of Canton Housing Authority
Village of Catskill Housing Authority
Village of Chittenango Housing Authority
Village of Chittenango Local Development Corporation
Village of Clayton Housing Authority
Village of Coxsackie Housing Authority
Village of Dolgeville Housing Authority
Village of East Rochester Housing Authority
Village of East Syracuse Housing Authority
Village of Elbridge Housing Authority
Village of Elizabethtown Housing Authority
Village of Ellenville Housing Authority
Village of Ellenville Local Development Corporation
Village of Elmira Heights Housing Authority
Village of Elmira Heights Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Fairport Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Fort Edward Housing Authority
Village of Frankfort Housing Authority
Village of Fredonia Housing Authority
Village of Freeport Housing Authority
Village of Geneseo Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Goshen Housing Authority
Village of Governor Housing Authority
Village of Great Neck Housing Authority
Village of Green Island Housing Authority
Village of Greenport Housing Authority
Village of Groton Housing Authority
Village of Groton Industrial Development Agency
Village of Hempstead Housing Authority
Village of Herkimer Housing Authority
Village of Heuvelton Housing Authority
Village of Horseheads Housing Authority
Village of Ilion Housing Authority
Village of Island Park Housing Authority
Village of Johnson City Housing Authority
Village of Jordan Housing Authority
Village of Kaser Housing Authority
Village of Kenmore Housing Authority
Village of Kiryas Joel Housing Authority
Village of Kiryas Joel Local Development Corporation
Village of Lancaster Community Development Corporation
Village of Lancaster Housing Authority
Village of Le Roy Housing Authority
Village of Liberty Housing Authority
Village of Liverpool Housing Authority
Village of Lowville Housing Authority
Village of Lynbrook Housing Authority
Village of Malone Housing Authority
Village of Medina Housing Authority
Village of Monticello Housing Authority
Village of Montour Falls Housing Authority
Village of New Square Housing Authority
Village of Newark Housing Authority
Village of North Syracuse Housing Authority
Village of North Tarrytown Housing Authority
Village of Nyack Housing Authority
Village of Oriskany Falls Housing Authority
Village of Painted Post Housing Authority
Village of Palmyra Housing Authority
Village of Patchogue Community Development Agency
Village of Pawling Housing Authority
Village of Penn Yan Local Development Corporation
Village of Philadelphia Housing Authority
Village of Philmont Housing Authority
Village of Port Chester Housing Authority
Village of Potsdam Housing Authority
Village of Rensselaer Falls Housing Authority
Village of Riverside Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Rockville Centre Community Development Agency
Village of Rockville Centre Housing Authority
Village of Sackets Harbor Housing Authority
Village of Saint Johnsville Housing Authority
Village of Scotia Housing Authority
Village of Sidney Industrial Development Agency
Village of Skaneateles Housing Authority
Village of Sloatsburg Housing Authority
Village of Solvay Housing Authority
Village of South Glens Falls Local Development Corporation
Village of South Nyack Housing Authority
Village of Spring Valley Housing Authority
Village of St. Johnsville Urban Renewal Agency
Village of Tupper Lake Housing Authority
Village of Waddington Housing Authority
Village of Warwick Housing Authority
Village of Watkins Glen Housing Authority
Village of Webster Housing Authority
Village of West Carthage Housing Authority
Village of West Winfield Housing Authority
Village of Woodridge Housing Authority
Wallkill Industrial Development Agency
Warren and Washington Counties Industrial Development Agency
Warren Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Washington County Local Development Corporation
Washington Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Water Authority of Great Neck North
Water Authority of Southeastern Nassau County
Water Authority of Western Nassau County
Watertown Industrial Center Local Development Corporation
Watertown Urban Renewal Agency
Wayne County Industrial Development Agency
Wayne County Water and Sewer Authority
Wayne Industrial Sustainability Development Corporation
West Brighton Community Local Development Corporation
Westbury Community Development Agency
Westchester County Industrial Development Agency
Westchester Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Westcott Community Development Corporation
Western Finger Lakes Solid Waste Management Authority
Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation
White Plains Center Local Development Corporation
White Plains Urban Renewal Agency
Whitehall Local Development Corporation
Wilmington Local Development Corporation
Wilton Water and Sewer Authority
Wyandanch Community Development Corporation
Wyoming County Business Center
Wyoming County Industrial Development Agency
Wyoming Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Yates County Industrial Development Agency
Yates Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Yonkers Community Development Agency
Yonkers Downtown Waterfront Development Corporation
Yonkers Housing Authority
Yonkers Industrial Development Agency
Yonkers Parking Authority
Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority
Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
New York and New Jersey Railroad Corporation
Newark Legal and Communications Center Urban Renewal Corporation
Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation
Transitcenter Incorporated
WTC Retail LLC

Mind boggling, isn't it? And you thought the special districts were wasteful and taxing?

Seems that the State has a quasi-independent agency -- publicly funded, but hardly watched by anyone -- for everything.

Anyone ever hear of consolidation? Does streamlining mean anything to our State Legislature?

Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporations? Do they bundle and sell tobacco futures? Aging Research Incorporated? That's getting old. Long Island Regional Ashfill Board? We wonder who sits on that one? Do they get health benefits? Pensions?

What do you make of STAR (Sales Tax Asset Receivable) Corporation? Is that where our STAR rebates went to? (Sorry. Different STAR. Same solar system.)

Maybe there's money to be had in the Excess Loss Trust Fund? If not, could we possibly dump a few billion dollars of the State's losses in there? Doubtful anyone would ever find it!

Horse Breeding Development Fund? Horse manure, you mean.

Okay. You get the idea. [And you thought we had too much local government. Ha. Can't hold a candle to the debt our State public authorities rack up.

And once you're done slashing away -- with abandon, please -- at New York's public authorities (you may even find a few not on the Comptroller's lists), let's say we go to work on the money our State Legislators spend each year.

No, not just the pork. That's almost passe (and some Italian-American Club in Cohoes may miss out on rebuilding its wine cellar).

We're talking money for television stations, mailings, member items, sweetheart contracts, lobbyists, surplus support staff (with a host of titles that make those held by employees of the special districts and public authorities pale by comparison), and all the perks and emoluments savored by our State Senators and Assemblymembers. [Search for tax dollars spent by your State government at SunlightNY.com.]

Maybe, just maybe, when they begin to feel the pinch, as we, the people, already do, our State Legislators will finally get the message. New Yorkers are overtaxed by way too much spending on altogether too much government. It's time you felt our pain!

When The Pot Calls The Kettle Black

Dumb And Dumber At The New Nassau County Legislature

Forget, for the moment, that, come January, when the GOP regains control of the County Legislature, it will be, literally, back to the past. The same regime, if not the very same people, who brought Nassau to the brink of bankruptcy, rubber-stamped Tom Gulotta's budgets, borrowed with abandon (to avoid raising taxes), bloated County government and those corrupt and wasteful special districts with highly paid patronage hacks, will be riding into town -- on mules, no doubt.

No, that's page 16 news.

Front and center? Peter "full of" Schmitt calling Diane Yatauro, the outgoing Majority leader, "dumb."

Now, we never figured Yatauro to be the brightest bulb -- her lowest moment on the Legislature coming when she nixed the selection of the County's first poet laureate -- but Schmitt calling someone "dumb?"

Why, that's akin to Peter King calling Muslims "nice, decent, peace-loving human beings."

Schmitt's remarks were uncalled for, and sophomoric, at best. But that's Peter Schmitt. Right out of the mold of speak before you think. Then again, thinking was never a strong suit for Schmitt, was it?

On the other side of the aisle, was it really necessary for Yatauro to call a news conference to ask Schmitt to apologize? That's a waste even of Sid Cassese's valuable time.

And, tell us, what would you call Democrat Yatauro's act of advertising for a new legislative budget director -- one that will serve the Republican-dominated body? Premature?

What was Diane thinking? What was Peter thin.... Oh, never mind.

At least Schmitt didn't call Yatauro "fat," ala Corzine's chiding of Chris Christie. ["I know you are, but what am I?"]

Frankly, this is what should make the voters angry (it certainly does us). Blatant stupidity!

The legislature has so many critical issues on the table, and all its ranking members can do is, well, rank on one another.

Juvenile, if not just plain dumb. [And don't bother calling a news conference to demand an apology from The Community Alliance. It ain't happening...]

That we should send Schmitt and Yatauro, and the whole lot of 'em at the County Seat, to their respective corners -- dunce caps and all -- should go without saying.

That voters return these mindless wonders to office year after year, ping ponging back and forth between the hapless Dems and the hopeless GOP, is, well, to borrow the word, DUMB!
- - -
So, now that the Republicans will hold an 11-8 edge in the Nassau County Legislature, and, quite possibly, if the recount numbers hold in Ed Mangano's favor, the Executive's office as well, what can we expect from County government?

For starters, a repeal of the County's 2.5% Energy Tax. Money back in our pocket, which, to fill the gap, will likely have to be picked out of the other pocket.

What else?

Uh. Um. Well. Don't think the GOP has really given it all that much thought, beyond hiking salaries of their own, rebuilding the County's patronage infrastructure, and ushering in the triumphant return of the old Nassau. Could the portrait of Joe Mondello tapping Tom Gulotta on the back be far behind.

Should Mangano outcast Suozzi, becoming the next County Executive, will he call for the dismantling of special taxing districts, as Suozzi has done, and was poised to actually do under the State's new consolidation law? We wouldn't count on it. [And with George Maragos as County Comptroller, doubtful anyone in County government -- except, perhaps, the District Attorney -- will be riding roughshod over the local government shenanigans.]

What of Tom Suozzi's ambitious "New Suburbia," the 90/10 Coalition to rebuild a County that is built out, and in dire need of a seismic jolt in its infrastructural arm? Oh, that can wait, along with the Lighthouse, as darkness descends once again over the blighted brownfields that once were the Hempstead Plains. [Cue the tumbleweeds.]

Will they "freeze" the assessment, as the GOP in absentia has been calling for, declaring a hollow Mission Accomplished to our tax woes?

And what do you suppose the party of bimbo, Limbaugh, and dumbo -- you have your pick for the former and the latter -- will do about the infamous property tax? Tea party? Tax revolt?

Just watch that bottom line, folks. "Dumb" is actually much closer than it appears in the rear view mirror.
- - -
From Newsday:

Yatauro calls Schmitt's remark 'inexcusable'
by SID CASSESE / sid.cassese@newsday.com

An angry Diane Yatauro, the departing Democratic presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, demanded an apology Thursday from her presumptive January replacement, Republican Peter Schmitt of Massapequa, who earlier this week called her "dumb."

"It was inexcusable," she said.

"I'm a lot of things, but I'm always professional," Yatauro, of Glen Cove, said at a news conference she called at the State Supreme Court Building in Mineola.

The brouhaha followed Newsday's questioning of Schmitt, current minority leader, on Yatauro's apparent effort to hire a new legislative budget director before Republicans take over the legislature in January.

That move is an apparent violation of the county charter, which says "the budget review committee," which includes the presiding officer and minority leader, must publish a notice of the vacancy and interview potential candidates for the job.

Instead, Yatauro placed an ad for the job and asked that all resumes be sent to her.

"Even for her, that's a new level of dumb," Schmitt said Tuesday.

Following Yatauro's news conference - supported by various groups and female leaders, as well as Assemb. Charles Lavine of Glen Cove - Schmitt sent out another comment to Newsday. "I did say that lame-duck Majority Leader Diane Yatauro's efforts to hire a new independent budget review director was the dumbest thing I had heard," Schmitt said. "But I was wrong. Her news conference today is by far the dumbest thing I have ever heard of."

Please Don't Drink The Water

On Long Island, When It Rains, It Plumes

For years, we at The Community Alliance have been saying, "There must be something in the water."

Why is it, after all, that we have more than our fair share of kooks, killers, Lolitas, and the lot? And how do we account for the way Long Islanders vote, time and time again?

No, it is not the property tax that drives 'em to the brink, or even the realization of suburbia lost. Damn it. It's the drinking water!

Pesticides. Herbicides. PCBs. MTBE. All leaching down into the aquifers that supply us with our water. Bathing water. Cooking water. Drinking water.

Fifty years of toxic waste on our lawns, in our sewers, down our drains, and just what do you think is coming up from the wells, and out of the tap?

We've blogged about the contamination of our water supply -- more than once -- and yet, we've barely touched what dangers lurk beneath the surface of our Long Island.

The Long Island Press, in an article published last week [Troubled Water], gives credence to our concerns about Long Island's drinking water, as well as the health and safety of those who have been drinking it, cooking with it, and bathing in it, lo these many years.

Carcinogens, from Benzene to MTBE, abound in our water supply, unrefuted by the authorities that watch over such things [but for the local water districts, which, overwhelming evidence notwithstanding, continue to tell residents that their water is safe to drink]

Yeah. "Safe to drink." As long as you don't mind glowing in the dark, or giving birth to kids with 3 arms and six legs!

For all of the designation of SuperFund sites by the State DEC, and the hype of local officials, who tout environmental projects, but literally overlook the water, there has been far too much laxity in oversight and regulation (where there was any at all), and State, County and Town are have done way too little in terms of remediation.

The underground aquifers are Long Island's only source of drinking water (save the bottled stuff that you buy at Costco).

The question is no longer, "Can our water supply, once pristine, be preserved?" It is now, "Is the water that flows from the tap today, already tainted, if not poisoned, safe for us to drink?"

Officialdom says the wells, and the water that flows from them, has not been impacted by the plumes of toxic pollutants. Not yet, anyway.

The fires that burn below -- even when they take the form of H2O -- are raging. How long before the Arsenic and old waste make it to your tap is anybody's guess!
- - -
For more on protecting Long Island's water, visit Citizens Campaign for the Environment and the Long Island Neighborhood Network.

Town Budget: $386 million*

Town Payroll: $74 Million**
Town's proclivity to dupe residents into believing their taxes are "frozen?": Shameless!

*2010 Budget, Town of Hempstead
**2009 Payroll (year to date), Town of Hempstead (2221 employees). Does not include Town Special Districts.

As Town Supervisor Kate Murray says in the 2010 Preliminary Budget, "There's nothing up our sleeves."

Of course not. It's all in your pockets, and out of the wallets of every homeowner, merchant, and property tax payer in Hempstead Town.

Put an end to wasteful spending and the exploitation of the taxpayer. Join The Resistance!

Suozzi: County Exec Should Run Schools

The Community Alliance: State Should Fully Fund Public Education

More fodder for the media, raw meat for the disloyal opposition, and yet another fearless, if but feeble stab to inoculate us from the plague that is upon all of our houses -- the school property tax.

Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi, whose re-election is still up for grabs, and may be for weeks (if only they could count faster at the Board of Elections), has suggested, by way of Newsday Op-Ed piece, that Nassau County's 56 separate and distinct school districts be consolidated and operated by the County Executive.

Considering that district superintendents earn an average of $200,000 per year (we've low-balled that figure for purposes of illustration), that's some $10, 800,000 in potential annual savings right there, without even looking at salaries of assistant superintendents, administrative personnel, and myriad support staff.

A single, centralized school district, administratively, while maintaining the color and flavor of the local school districts.

Seems like a no brainer. Until...

Until one considers that the County has trouble operating passive parks, let alone active schools.

Until one understands the psyche of "local control," drummed into residents -- mostly by local elected officials who are intent on keeping taxpayers under the thumb of the special patronage districts -- who fear not only losing control over "their" schools, but worse yet, losing the identity of the local high school varsity team.

Until one realizes that, given the proclivity of our politicians to dilly dally, point fingers, say "no," and accomplish little to nothing, even the best laid plan (and we're not saying Suozzi has cornered the market) is likely to die in committee.

Until one accepts that Long Islanders are not much for revolutionary change. [Indeed, the majority of LIers, back in the day, opposed the very revolution that gave this great nation its independence. Even then, they said "no."]

Fact is, Tom Suozzi's plan for our schools, without even reaching the merits, has as much of a chance of gaining traction as an elected official has of missing a photo up. Zero to nil.

And that may well be unfortunate, the groundswell of opposition from school administrators aside.

We need to do something -- almost anything, at this point -- not only to stem the tide of burdensome school property taxes (now creeping up to nearly 70% of the property tax tab in Nassau County), but to reverse the trend of school budget increases and hikes in both the tax rate and tax levy.

Of course, all of this talk of consolidation, if not outright takeover, belies the issue at the very heart of the property tax crisis: How do we fund our schools?

Property taxes, with a smidgen of State aid -- ever-decreasing as it is? Or, that system of free public schools that the State, as mandated under New York's Constitution, is required to afford to every child?

We suggest the latter, with New York State funding local public schools to the tune of 100 cents on the tax dollar sent to Albany (rather than the paltry +-15 cents Long Island school districts see now). That, dear friends, would truly be demonstrative of our tax dollars at work. [And it would succeed in lowering our property tax bill by nearly 70%!]

Will it happen? Could it?

Well, with the Governor proposing even more cuts in aid to education -- on top of those previously imposed and now being suffered -- unlikely.

When the fiscal house does come to order, however (and it will, given time, and a conscious effort on the part of our State Legislators to stop hemorrhaging tax dollars), putting education first, by fully funding our public schools (mandates and all) should be -- must be -- priority one.

In the meantime, doing nothing is simply not an option. But place the fate of our schools -- and the taxes that pay for them -- in the hands of the County Executive?

Why not? At least, then, he could be held accountable for that which he actually has control over.
- - -
From the Op-Ed Page of Newsday:
OPINION: Let the Nassau executive run the schools
by THOMAS SUOZZI

What a crazy election! I am trying to understand what happened and learn from it. Why did it happen and what good can come of it?

Thinking about these questions over the past few days, I have concluded that something revolutionary has to take place on Long Island. It's this: Give the control of our schools to the county executive.

Yes, this is a radical idea. But there's a model in New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg has full authority over the school system. Here, it would allow us to finally get some control over our school property taxes.

Let me explain how I get to here from the voting results.

Taxpayers are mad. And they should be. I share their anger. The property taxes in Nassau County are much too high. It's clear that my opponent's voters were angry - he did an effective job of promoting a bumper-sticker slogan, "Repeal the energy tax" - and they showed up on Tuesday. Too many of our voters stayed home.

But these results reflect more than just people being fed up with the energy tax - something is amiss in our system of governing. To my great frustration, I have served as a leader of the property tax revolt, yet this year I may end up being a victim of it.

Despite having run for governor on a platform of property tax reform and then chairing the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief, after two terms in office - and literally thousands of hours dedicated to this fight - many believe that as an incumbent, I'm still part of the property tax problem.

How could this happen?

Here in Nassau, for some reason, voters do not distinguish between county property taxes, which make up 16 percent of the overall property tax bill - the county's portion of the tax bill went down from 23 percent when I took office to 16 percent because school taxes were increasing dramatically - and school taxes, which make up over 65 percent of the property taxes we pay, and are growing.

Despite the fact that I have absolutely no control whatsoever regarding school taxes, I believe many voters held me accountable for them.

When I was campaigning at Penn Station on election eve, many voters told me they were fed up with their school taxes. Those who weren't too late for a train - and would stop and listen - seemed appeased when I explained that the schools and county government are separate entities. But many didn't stop, tens of thousands never heard the explanation; many others simply didn't want to hear excuses. "You're the county executive! Solve it!"

Well, under the current system I cannot solve it, other than by leading a state commission to make recommendations, as I did, or entreating state or school officials to recognize that the school property tax system is unsustainable.

Why can't we get the voters and the media to focus attention on the schools, their spending, and the attendant school property taxes if they comprise the bulk of the problem?

I'll tell you why.

During the course of this campaign, nearly $5 million was spent by the candidates and political parties on both sides. TV commercials, radio commercials, literature, signage, door-to-door campaigns, get-out-the-vote efforts, and phone calls, all focused on a great debate regarding a relatively small fraction of the property tax bill.

There is no commensurate political discourse, debate or campaigning regarding school officials or Albany legislators, who mandate a great deal of school spending but don't fund it. Instead of holding school officials and Albany legislators accountable, the voters held the county executive politically accountable because there is no one person who is governmentally accountable for our high school taxes.

The reality is there are hundreds of school board officials in Nassau, alone, and their terms are staggered. And the historically low voter turnout in this recent election seems like a model for participatory democracy when compared with the inexcusable turnout of less than 10 percent for school board elections in May, when the people who will decide upwards of 65 percent of property tax bills are elected.

There's a disconnect in many voters' minds between what our state legislators do in our far-off state capital and the impact of their decisions on our local school property taxes. This is exacerbated by our tradition of "politicians should be hands off" when it comes to educating our children - that education should not be politicized.

I get it. This election requires some purposeful thinking and profound change.

Let's take a lesson from New York City and put the county executive in charge of the schools. After Mayor Bloomberg was given full mayoral control, quality improved. Here in Nassau, if the county executive is going to be held accountable for the high school taxes over which he or she has no control, why not give the county executive control?

The current system costs too much and it is completely inequitable. Tax rates fluctuate wildly from district to district. Quality in some school districts in Nassau is considered among the best in the country; others are among the worst in the state. County executive control, if passed by the New York State Legislature, would both reduce costs and improve educational quality. If the county executive does not deliver on those two measures, simply vote him or her out of office.

If I end up losing this race, it may send a message that dramatic action must be taken and other elected officials must sign on to the work I have done largely alone over the years to fight for property tax relief.

If I win the race, my goal will be to try to channel this voter anger in a movement to address the problem of school property taxes by seeking county executive control of our school districts.

Either way, the people want change - and they are right.

The Resistance Is Coming!

Enlist In The Movement To Take Back Our Town In 2011

Wherever there is blight, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever special taxing districts run amuck, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever zoning is by exception, rather than rule, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever patronage, nepotism, and political favoritism is the order of the day, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever taxpayers are shortchanged by local government, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever evil lurks in the simple minds and frozen hearts of Town officials, The Resistance will be there!

Wherever there is the opportunity to return democracy to your town, our town, America's largest town, The Resistance will be there!

Comming soon... A new blog... A new movement... A new way of thinking... A new beginning for our town.

THE RESISTANCE!

Join The Resistance, and prepare for victory. To become a partisan in the fight for our town's freedom, identify yourselves at TheResistance2011@gmail.com.

THE RESISTANCE

An End To The Futility

The Big Chill At Hempstead Town Hall?

You'd Never Know There's A Tax "Freeze" In America's Most Blighted Township


Wonder where all of your money goes, Town of Hempstead taxpayers? How smiling Kate Murray continues to win election as Supervisor by ever-widening margins? How the faithful are compelled to vote the party line, year after year?

Well, it's simple -- everyone and his cousin is on payroll at Hempstead Town Hall.

Here are the names of Town Hall employees, and their respective paychecks, to date. You can do the math, folks.


What surprises us is that there are only five (5) Murrays on payroll. C'mon, Kate. You can do better than that!


We invite our readers to join the battle, as formidable as it may be, to take back our town. Be a supporter of the resistance movement. Be a friend of your community.


Make contact with The Community Alliance. Write us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

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Brown, Inskip
13896
Brown, Larry
28365.75
Brown, Nicole
44534.42
Brown, Shirley
70324.01
Brown, Stephen
70630.3
Brown, Timothy
89665.54
Brown, Trina
50405.48
Browne, James
102219.34
Brown-Rosner, Sheree
78411.59
Bruckbauer, James
101052.11
Brunetta, Joseph
22202.03
Brunetta, Michael
63544.23
Bruning, Sean
43199.26
Bruno, Donna
57742.59
Bruno, Suzanne
70069.76
Bruno, Vincent
81261.9
Brussel, Michael
70428.2
Brust, Andrew
75193.61
Bryant, Darren
85129.86
Buffardi, Nicholas
52225.49
Bugge, Chris
24800
Burgess, Darrin
47976.02
Burkart, Barbara
71690.99
Burke, Anne
63486.08
Burke, William
70812.43
Burns, John
71588.46
Burns, Leeshar
18936
Burns, Mary
118567.69
Burris, James
80711.71
Buscemi, James
76630.56
Bush, Anthony
62980.54
Butler, Daniel
67037.61
Butler, Donald
83228.23
Butler, Joseph
13910
Buttafuoco, Brian
56792.68
Buzzerio, Michael
64953.63
Byrnes, Christopher
60153.55
Cacciapaglia, Thomas
104710.07
Cadieux, Philip
116763.9
Cafarelli, Ettore
51822.97
Caines, Marvin
37730.9
Cairo, Anthony
65885.13
Cairo, Sabrina
58784.4
Calderaro III, Joseph
8262.75
Caldwell Jr, Sidney
41343.15
Caldwell, James
9377
Caldwell, Valerie
42995.39
Calia, Richard
78375.27
Califano-Badler, Barbara
78127.05
Caloia, Gabriel
38983.35
Cameron Jr, Errol
5700
Campbell, Karen
110725.47
Candelaria, Jennifer
28001.27
Cangro, Gregory
62603.83
Canino, Maryann
44610.54
Cannizzaro, Joseph
69936.88
Cannizzaro, Susan
74875.04
Cannon, John
99975.54
Canovaca, Jeannette
97406.7
Cantasano, Joseph
78411.59
Cantwell, Joseph
55233.34
Capace, Michael
73799.21
Caparelli, Peter
66907.21
Caperna, Aldo
7142.2
Capitano, Francesca
92160.17
Capobianco, Michael
111246.74
Cappelli, Christopher
85710.89
Capriola, Robert
18260.15
Capuano, James
72083.6
Caputo, Annie
43189.63
Caputo, Eric
29772.19
Caputo, Paul
140093.46
Caracappa, Rosemary
50863.02
Caracciolo, Marianna
72389.2
Caracciolo, Timothy
66884.89
Carbone, Philip
73356.74
Carbone, Theresa
59718.88
Carbone, Thomas
104307.18
Cardone, Anthony
89719.92
Cardone, Laura
86441.49
Carillo, Michael
56897.21
Carillo, Vito
92212.21
Carley, Thomas
52055.25
Carlisi, John
62957.75
Carlock, Walter
86469.46
Carman, James
68656.92
Carman, James
70672.46
Carnevale, Katherine
60145.27
Carnovale, Louis
130460.7
Carpenter, Vivian
48430.4
Carr, James
51922.35
Carswell, James
79733.86
Carter, Christofer
73958.52
Cartolano, Renee
29490.06
Caruana, Philip
77955.06
Casano, David
47580.18
Cassell, Gloria
46268.69
Casta, Frank
97763.68
Castaldo, Jillian
3028.5
Castillo, Andres
7784
Catalano, Patricia
75342.29
Catalanotto, Anthony
94827.25
Catanzano, Frank
97406.7
Caturano, Guy
95123.06
Centore Sr, Stephen
97406.7
Cerniglia, Michael
79870.19
Chang, Lu
66141.19
Chapin, Jacquelyn
55261.22
Chaplin, Corinne
75281.39
Chaplin, Sharisse
70509.7
Chappelle, Devaughn
52397.31
Charles, Lloyd
58055.55
Charles, Michael
54016.64
Chasse, Alma
59574.33
Chebuske, Kay
53575.56
Cheung, Vania
15588.72
Chiari, Christopher
45664.94
Christ, Kevin
85404.62
Christiansen, John
102685.21
Christiansen, John
70747.83
Christoff, Cecilia
2118
Cianciulli, Christopher
79455.93
Cianti, Beatrice
52856.86
Ciappetta, Jonathan
1295
Ciavardini, Lisa
1833
Ciavolino, Steven
59795.34
Ciccimarro, Anthony
71480.28
Ciccimarro, Joseph
49784.59
Cincotta, Thomas
115575.18
Citrano, Joseph
12248.43
Cittadino, Richard
36766.25
Cittadino, Thomas
42971.78
Clark Jr, James
110725.47
Clark, Antonio
49076.1
Clark, Steven
17385.5
Claus, John
94690.4
Clavin, Donald
110000.02
Clayborn, Paulette
4602.5
Clayborn, Wayne
62337.59
Clayton, Sidney
66407.67
Cleary-Harkin, Jo
40770.62
Coaker, David
13980.2
Coburn, John
64504.01
Cockerel, Kenneth
49563.01
Code, Edward
68448.91
Codoluto, Kathleen
63710.23
Codoluto, Michael
68725.08
Coffin, Wayne
73790.43
Cola Jr, Angelo
67415.09
Colamussi, Alexa
7176.5
Colamussi, Nicholas
7875
Coleman, Christine
69216.88
Coleman, Matthew
25253.32
Coleman, Tracy
9744
Collier, George
46198.28
Collins, Chester
81913.08
Collins, Clyde
71826.46
Collins, Paul
115473.9
Colucci, Kirt
83189.54
Colwill, Kathleen
62603.83
Conboy, Scott
58752.87
Condoleo, Nicola
79925.46
Conforti, Joseph
83728.25
Conklin, Timothy
78283.46
Connors, Kerry
67037.61
Conroy, James
54673.54
Conroy, John
110915.27
Conroy, Kevin
109824.12
Conti, Salvatore
62814.67
Contino, Joan
84995.44
Contino, Ronald
99491.21
Conway, Drew
74810.64
Cook, Barry
93676.34
Cook, Gregory
34550.01
Cooksey, Jeffrey
67788.95
Cooper, Gregory
102800.23
Copley, Jane
101638.68
Cordes, Gail
11214.75
Cordiello, Randy
61828.83
Core, Robert
65602.1
Cornetta Jr, Edwin
105837.85
Corr, Daniel
65522.87
Correa, Jairo
74591.46
Corsitto, Michael
34364.83
Cortese, Sergio
63722.73
Costa Jr, James
51775.53
Costa, Christopher
109425.47
Costa, James
112279.28
Costen, Diane
65014.92
Cote, David
13208.58
Cottrell, Shaun
53548.69
Cotugno, Matthew
59280.84
Courtlangus, William
75990.92
Courtney, Christopher
78823.74
Coviello, Gregory
87276.98
Covington, Laura
67612.53
Cozelino, Anthony
75801.18
Cozelino, Matthew
68061.62
Cozelino, Susan
56529.72
Craft, Craig
76647.17
Craven, Francine
35337.88
Creegan, Thomas
89277.4
Crispyn, Eileen
47563.96
Crist, Jonathan
93410.56
Croce, Richard
114255.16
Croker, William
66073.87
Cronin Jr, Charles
82361.52
Crozier, John
43236.04
Cruz, Keith
59431.06
Cruz, Robert
13070
Cumming, Edward
0
Cunningham, Steve
3156
Curatolo, Carmine
76129.02
Curry, Annie
68707
Curry, Dennis
65325.92
Curry, Kathleen
51875.82
Curry, Marianne
74229.77
Curry, Sean
63069.56
D'agostino, Charles
82122.42
Dagostino, Louise
68707
Dahlem, Eileen
52462.93
Dahlem, Steven
108317.7
Dalal, Moumita
14122.5
Dalessandro, Michael
80080.25
Dalessandro, Ralph
74762.38
D'alessandro, Vito
79513.91
Dalpiaz, Carol
70877.18
Dalto, James
110979.28
Daly, Dennis
65363.74
Daly, Sarah
5800
Daly, Sharon
52434.64
Damato, Frank
109970.91
D'amato, Katuria
38000.04
D'amore, Luigia
62603.83
Dandridge, Clifton
53802.61
Danielowich, Lorraine
11746
D'antoni, Rosario
71370.53
Dantuono, Joseph
65768.88
Dapolito, Thomas
115309.87
Dara, Joseph
82165.37
Dara, William
42034.63
Dara, William
92494.66
Darcy, James
61499.93
Darcy, Maureen
48003.47
D'armiento, Claire
46555.39
Darwell, Timothy
56472.17
Dassa, Steven
22062
D'attoma, Joseph
81414.39
D'augustino, David
76019.01
Dauscher, Sheila
68707
Dauscher, Thomas
114509.95
Davenport, Nicole
13785.03
Davis Jr, Roy
143601.22
Davis Jr, Russell
58854.08
Davis, Dennis
78265.08
Davis, Jonathan
36164.74
De Ciantis, Gloriana
29511.36
De Filippis, Michael
80177.94
De La Cruz, Carmen
43793.56
De La Cruz, Christopher
34840.32
De Luca, Jean
40907.9
De Luca, Jeffrey
115814.55
De Luca, John
66374.54
De Luca, Joseph
60917.42
De Luca, Sheryl
44534.42
De Luca, Steven
101444.34
De Lucia, Salvatore
15160
De Mainto, Richard
70811.68
De Maria, Thomas
116893.87
De Nicolo, Jeffrey
66637.8
De Quatro, Michael
81148.95
De Santis, Michael
70950.35
De Simone Jr, Michael
43675.84
De Simone, Salvatore
60480.72
De Stefano, Gina
29899.91
De Vito, Anthony
61375.24
De Vito, Marisa
73613.97
Dean, Robert
98397.21
Decarlo, Dominick
98337.86
Decolator, Josephine
85931.89
Deere, Kenneth
71166.2
Deery, Michael
155810.46
Defalco, Philip
12254.9
Degeilh, John
106231.24
Degen, Frank
30871.14
Degree, Jennifer
739
Delgado-Schutzman, Jo
84113.99
D'elia, Gerard
102025
Dellaro, Charles
103354.11
Delmaestro, Joseph
79278.2
Deluca, Paul
35341.96
Demasi, James
61774.08
Demino, Bradley
67861.64
Demonico, Michael
60971.23
Denicolo, James
105775.89
Denis, Kenneth
81866.09
Dennery, Melissa
10212
Dennery, Roseann
54595.75
Denning, Kevin
110100.16
Depano, Frank
76477.17
Depano, Joseph
41873.82
Derenze, Nicholas
5886
Derenze, Philip
86441.49
Derienzo, John
76549.77
Derner, Russell
36259.34
Desantis, Richard
93505.14
Deseve, Peter
70226.19
Desiderio, Peter
96157.45
D'esposito, Carmen
59561.62
D'esposito, Stephen
101646.53
D'esposito, Timothy
35787.31
Devivo, Kenneth
113098.47
Di Benedetto Jr, Peter
73977.15
Di Ceglio, Thomas
80747.58
Di Fino, Vito
77963.81
Di Gregorio, Dawn
56838.19
Di Iorio, Cosimo
76117.29
Di Matteo, Daniel
48526.59
Di Napoli, Tina
53591.82
Di Resta, Dawn
54285.39
Di Resta, Zachary
69454.07
Diana, Anna
79045.25
Diana, Douglas
38000.04
Dibari Jr, Ralph
86457.99
Dickmann, Philip
89643.56
Didomenico, Jo
80718.69
Dierna, Rita
68126.59
Dimiceli, Justine
68616.53
Dirusso, Maria
94879.8
Disalvo, Leonard
60354.04
Disanza, Robert
80718.69
Divver, Paul
80830.58
Divver, Timothy
21126
Doherty, John
58644.12
Doll, Patrick
83026.99
Domash, Rochelle
114109
Domino, Norene
73413.81
Donahue, Christopher
43002.05
Donovan, Arleen
2910
Donovan, Margaret
68378.63
Donovan, Thomas
26044
Doremus, Bret
52274.41
Dougherty, William
84002.93
Dow, Alicia
19799.5
Dow, Bette
53142.67
Dow, Michele
59082.58
Doyle, Robert
80558.18
Duckett, Natasha
24307.36
Dudick, Anthony
45211.95
Duerr, Christopher
61872.75
Duffy, Dennis
73981.39
Dugas, Alexander
99925.22
Duggan, William
121724.83
Dumpson, Clifford
61828.83
Dunlop, Jennifer
35074.2
Dunne Jr, Dennis
89627.53
Dunphy, Kathy
72341.45
Dwyer, Jeanette
59239.95
Dye, Christine
80585.29
Dye, Kenneth
80718.69
Dyer, Christopher
22558
Easterling, Alexander
66371.37
Eberhart, Darren
84101.35
Eckert, Elaine
33975.58
Eckstein, Robert
14190
Edouard, Donald
19750.5
Edouard, Samuel
58418.28
Edwards, Terry
74749.77
Edwards, Timothy
65360.13
Edwards, Timothy
35286.14
Ellensohn, Nancy
41257.36
Elliott, Valerie
55752.9
Ellison Jr, Robert
95270.41
Ellison, Jessica
13839
Ellison, Thomas
96630.09
Enos Jr, James
82310.78
Enright, Joan
123098.25
Ensley, Joan
83839.74
Enz, Patrick
73981.39
Ericksen, Thomas
82789.65
Errico, Michael
13693.67
Esopa, Carol
57939.95
Esopa, Celeste
63335.94
Esopa, Gary
79368.48
Esposito, James
67572.33
Esposito, Louis
113454.76
Esposito, Richard
107322.51
Estopinales, Maria
60319.53
Estrella Jr, Daniel
49827.2
Eury, Timothy
43233.09
Evans, Brian
63582.75
Evans, Stephanie
52781.65
Faas, Deborah
11229
Fabian, Elaine
4480
Falco, Anthony
34220.45
Falco, Jennifer
33391.37
Falletta, Anthony
63139.21
Falsetta, Gabriel
71028.25
Famiglietti, Eric
97583.07
Familetti, Peter
61512.44
Fanizzi, Antonio
96613.89
Farese, Lauren
50245.09
Farina, Lori
98242.54
Farina, Michael
61945.42
Farley, Jonathan
3910.43
Fassett, Vivian
52275.56
Faulk, Russell
85051.86
Faulkenburgh, James
78889.48
Fay, James
76118.71
Fearon, Frederica
67563.54
Fehr Jr, Leonard
46838.39
Felix, Paul
48945.5
Felix, Pierre
39500.34
Felter, Norman
105318.97
Ferencik, Eugene
128379.52
Ferguson, Anthony
83638.41
Ferman, David
82230.06
Ferrar, John
112659.83
Ferraro, Carmelina
46268.69
Ferraro, Charlotte
33830.87
Ferraro, James
92745.51
Ferrentino, Todd
101028.8
Ferrette, Michael
71939.81
Ferretti, Doreen
51513.37
Ferris, William
66566.48
Ferrizz, Maryann
85263.25
Fessler, Kimberly
35293.08
Fielding, Gregory
78433.59
Fielding, Levi
81853.54
Fielding, Levon
64249.49
Fields, Thomas
17472
Figueroa, David
93131.23
Filandro, Anthony
62890.59
Fili, Santo
61471.2
Filippelli, Joann
46915.25
Fills Jr, Edward
74123.79
Finch, Warren
78775.2
Fineo, Eileen
7180
Finger, Barbara
10460
Finley Sr, Steven
70067.41
Finley, Charles
23901.25
Firehock, William
71410.15
Firmbach, Charles
77133.62
Firmbach, Michael
72556.1
Fisher, Patrick
82098.49
Fisher, Remeika
45488.72
Fitzroy, Christopher
88266.87
Fitzroy, Gabrielle
34482.54
Fitzroy, Keith
80610.93
Flanagan Jr, John
11217.22
Flanagan, John
76774.69
Fleming, Errol
63200.27
Florio, Thomas
89279.72
Foder, Lawrence
49323.52
Fogarty, Glen
71314.61
Fogarty, William
87373.2
Foglia, Patrick
93162.58
Foley, Christopher
54430.56
Foley, John
99894.11
Foley, Michael
138411.18
Fonte, Carlos
88049.31
Fonte, Christopher
73812.01
Foran, Stephen
22080.38
Ford, Richard
67792.57
Ford, Sandra
71153.59
Fornabaio, John
80207.11
Foster, Carol
80951.05
Foto, Frank
38297.44
Fowler Jr, Henry
61303.83
Fowler, Paul
37836.41
Fragola, Elizabeth
61264.41
Francavilla, Christopher
11284
Frank, Patricia
685.2
Frascati, Annette
37851.37
Frazier, Bobby
72804.69
Frazier, Dana
62603.83
Freedman, Irwin
21812
Freville, John
42514.41
Fried, Steven
75288.63
Friedman, Ira
50779.32
Frisch, Howard
89985.56
Fritsche, Stephen
8899
Fritscher, Eileen
70754.07
Fucci, Joseph
79668.24
Furia, Jerome
42628.36
Furman, John
70454.42
Gafney, Mark
90008.33
Gagliano, Barbara
83329.01
Gagliardi, Michael
70410.51
Galasso, Rhea
883.5
Gallagher, Herbert
105794.15
Gallagher, Michael
82810.33
Gallagher-Grieco, Nancy
65604.96
Gallea, Charles
69673.68
Gallina, Alison
20847.76
Gallo, Damien
36821.67
Gallo, John
72073.61
Garcia, Beatriz
56140.68
Garcia, Geralene
81230.35
Garcia, Jaclyn
51266.85
Gargano, Thomas
63002.22
Gargiulo, Joseph
74997.82
Garib, Kevin
16013
Garofalo, Thomas
81967.79
Garretson, John
87171.78
Gaylor, Robert
69008.79
Gayron, Jennifer
1851
Geary, Pamela
85335.44
Gebbia, James
88624.54
Geer, Margaret
68347.59
Geller, Frank
71451.61
Georgia, Francine
107664.01
Gerry, Patricia
80025.87
Giaccone, Sylvester
85176.95
Giacinto, Anthony
72323.97
Giarrusso, Joseph
110725.47
Gibbons, Laura
79486.3
Gibilaro, John
123857.53
Gidicsin, Daniel
4687.5
Gilbert, Timothy
76767.98
Gildersleeve, Paula
22011.88
Gilhooly, Joseph
65972.98
Gillespie, Raschard
28786
Gino, John
68890.64
Giorandino, Marilyn
86018.72
Giordano, Peter
64321.71
Giovanelli, Frank
97466.11
Girardi, Francesca
51306.51
Gisonda, Jack
49774.23
Gittens, Lois
80718.69
Gitto, Maureen
38826.13
Giunta, Annmaire
7640
Giustini, Raymond
81054.27
Glaittli, David
94204.11
Glaittli, Rudolph
77673.8
Glass, Virginia
76072.16
Gleason, Thomas
118875.88
Glenn, Otis
70335.65
Gogarty, Richard
90073.92
Gold, Philip
14652
Golden, Bryan
14034.63
Goldfarb, Todd
109743.73
Goldmann, Scott
30894.12
Goncalves, Nicholas
69673.26
Gonzalez, Jose
62878.54
Gonzalez, Kisha
48500.44
Gonzalez, Peter
41172.54
Gonzalez, Richard
35951.25
Goodman Sr, Delrayo
53877.04
Goodman, Helen
9357.21
Goodson, David
65826.19
Gooley, Karen
74298.9
Goosby, Dorothy
61499.93
Gottlieb, David
32996.04
Gottlieb, Stephen
67026.19
Graham, Daniel
16031.25
Graham, Dennis
16069.7
Graham, Karen
80718.69
Graham, Roland
110725.47
Grant, Ailene
60145.27
Grant, Pauline
1069.5
Graydon, George
62536.67
Grecco, John
24780.6
Greck, Russell
24743
Greco, Nancy
13468.49
Green, Bonnie
51715.75
Greene, Jeanne
76117.29
Greene, Trevor
74774.45
Grefig, Mary
46015.52
Gregory, Gloria
70246.26
Grieco, Clement
98083.91
Grier Jr, George
22658
Grier, Donnell
29299.98
Grilli, Alfred
110725.47
Grillo, John
81935.8
Grogan, Candice
2887.5
Grosskopf, Andrew
71737.01
Guando, Dean
111207.71
Guarnieri, Felice
124918.1
Guerin, Brian
36986.67
Guerrera, John
106745.43
Gunther, John
97476.19
Gunther, Roy
77751.07
Gutierrez, Maykel
81071.77
Haase, Eileen
59239.95
Habbestad, Leif
64675.29
Hagan, Helen
59795.34
Hagan, Jennifer
61146.93
Hairston, Betty
53674.22
Hall Jr, Glenn
55527.12
Hall, Daryll
70309.28
Hall, Julia
38719.39
Hall, Thomas
103732.11
Hallbert, Bruce
128861.37
Hallick Jr, Stephen
33730.61
Hallick, Kristen
6793.99
Hallick, Melissa
50090.83
Hallick, Stephen
122868.34
Hammer, Harry
62048.43
Handel, Amelia
70469.66
Handel, Timothy
91092.14
Handley, Kathleen
70754.07
Handschuh, Marie
86798.27
Hankins, Maurice
41469.4
Hansen, Christian
66993.06
Hanson, Maryann
69579.2
Harkin, Eric
8448.27
Harrington, Glenn
82162.87
Harris, Eddie
35567.23
Harris, Linda
44163.65
Harris, Richard
89481.99
Harrison, Carol
49132.71
Harrison, Christopher
48944.99
Harrison, Claudette
68707
Harrison, Henry
98061.73
Hart, Andre
74023.3
Hartman Jr, Edward
72456.82
Hartofilis, Michael
74680.62
Hassett, Daniel
10393.25
Hatchett, Joan
53575.56
Hay, Diane
83014.08
Hay, William
108317.32
Hayes, Richard
107683.06
Heberer, Edward
83967.73
Hechtman, Felice
80718.69
Heine, Charles
110598.18
Heitman Jr, Edward
90152.34
Henderson, Edna
71027
Henderson, Scott
95058.41
Hendrick, William
79455.93
Heneks, Richard
71155.33
Hengel, Keith
15356.75
Henry, Arthur
21186
Henshaw, Joseph
103006.82
Herbert, Joann
65021.96
Herbert, William
71241.67
Herbst, Robert
102596.34
Hernandez, Anita
83074.89
Herold, Robin
76629.59
Hester, Beverly
58464.95
Hetterich, Lauren
59239.95
Hicks, Edward
82617.27
Hickson, Trannie
67663
Higney, William
62603.83
Hill, Gregory
66857.51
Hill, Kenneth
17990
Hillkewicz, Michael
78037.93
Hillman, Charles
60725.25
Hilton, Molly
56296.01
Hines, Timothy
65356.92
Hines, Walter
18140
Hinton, John
71731.32
Hinton, Shalonda
19381.25
Hintze, Colin
3957
Hirn, Patricia
63683.15
Hitchcock, Margaret
37706.06
Hitz, Tammy
69979.07
Hoberg, James
69001.95
Hoefenkrieg, Karen
79943.69
Hoist, Martha
38469.58
Holland, Bradley
98922.26
Holland, Edward
78747.59
Holley Jr, Edward
62975.31
Holley, James
20887
Holley, Johnnie
52122.05
Holley, Monroe
70117.01
Hollingsworth, Donald
67236.93
Hollingsworth, Ida
67069.2
Holmes, Jeffery
69984.28
Homkow, Paul
41014.05
Hope, Jaclyn
11944.49
Hopkins Sr, Michael
8006.25
Horan, Patricia
118816.85
Horowitz, Richard
87506.48
Howard, Robert
19505
Howard, Steven
12415
Howe, Anne
64799.66
Howe, Manuel
61303.83
Huber, Elliot
62625.95
Hudes, Gary
61500.14
Hudes, Jenna
34588.57
Hudson, Arric
74994.24
Huff-Conyers, Jacovie
48964.55
Hughes, Wesley
48907
Hull, John
84693.96
Huller, William
82431.79
Hunter Jr, Thomas
73570.67
Hunter, Thomas
88781.67
Hurtado, Ana
122607.35
Hyatt, Laura
37693.12
Iacobellis, Maria
33175.51
Iacobellis, Vito
67788.95
Iadanza, Debra
82250.88
Iadanza, James
63426.69
Iadevaia, Virginia
42165.2
Ianniello, John
56308.14
Iannucci, Dante
117028.19
Iannucci, Vincenzo
80876.43
Iaquinta, Fran
78108.09
Ike, Marilyn
60920.27
Insinga, Ronald
96898.92
Iraggi, John
76180.47
Jackson, Adriann
32247.3
Jackson, Laura
73024.21
Jackson, Quentin
40414.45
Jackson, Travis
63311.67
Jacobi, Joseph
12414.25
Jacobs, Susan
99888.73
James, Michael
59369.61
James, Robert
49914.23
James, Volta
22768
Jamison Jr, Charles
88168.29
Jawitz, Frederick
115963.56
Jenkins, Olita
22405
Jenkins, Serethia
16526
Jensen, Robert
62124.08
Jerome III, James
101638.68
Jerome, Christine
17154.5
Jersic, Jane
13297.43
Jeter, Kevin
74999.39
John, Elude
18727.75
Johnson, Charles
66821.58
Johnson, Edward
38384.75
Johnson, Eric
71339.01
Johnson, Jason
79038.99
Johnson, Robert
98130.43
Johnston, Neil
89556.42
Johnston, William
64967.39
Johrden, Christopher
77517.89
Jonas, Evelyn
39422.73
Jones, Clifton
19830
Jones, Nikki
64807.26
Jones, Reginald
67493.97
Jones, Stephen
8777.84
Jones, Vernon
49179.62
Jurkowich, Glenn
88294.56
Kalberer, Kenneth
82153.5
Kalina, Marc
27474
Kaminsky, Christopher
70767.55
Kane, Christian
18486
Kane, Thomas
91613.41
Kaplan, Anne
59239.95
Kaplan, Jeremy
27418.5
Karl, Todd
77055.3
Karp, Robin
78940.41
Kassa, Yaynealem
39695.2
Kayne, Frances
61144.3
Kee Jr, George
48526.6
Keegan, Edward
33034.97
Keegan, Keith
101656.28
Kehoe, Richard
66943.96
Keilty, Christopher
56963.03
Keller, Edward
93450.44
Kelly, Brian
777.75
Kelly, John
34624.9
Kelly, John
1132
Kelly, Kevin
66660.13
Kelly, Maryrose
49685.64
Kelly, Phyllis
53575.56
Kelly, Wayne
61776.54
Kenahan, Michele
5656
Kenny, Edward
101638.68
Kenny, James
73377.75
Keogh, Helenmarie
92188.34
Keough, Daniel
36032.7
Keough, Linda
62267.27
Keshishian, Ara
95098.32
Keskinen, Martin
69979.07
Kessel, Diane
32954.38
Kessinger, Peter
81486.15
Kessler, John
56347.88
Kessoon, Kherani
38090.35
Kiley, Dorine
44534.42
Kilkenny, Jack
60443.78
Kim, James
19656
King, Charles
107111.38
King, Edward
74053.83
Kinney, Edward
75834.97
Kinney, Jeanne
44747.68
Kircher, Gary
60581.72
Kirshenbaum, Kerrie
69286.69
Klapthor, Joseph
106046.27
Kleber, Irene
57719.41
Kleber, Robert
90969.24
Klettner, Michael
67001.62
Klodzinski, Thomas
8972.25
Klotsche, Christopher
46376.71
Knab, Douglas
81870.37
Kneuer Jr, Robert
73895.93
Kneuer, Robert
86331.12
Knox, Allen
78049.66
Knox, Dean
93869.28
Knox, Jane
16395
Kodila, April
69536.39
Koegler III, Robert
32807.04
Koegler Jr, Robert
88211.35
Kohle, Karen
35518.15
Kohutka, Theresa
76272.25
Koop, John
105685.4
Koper, William
94738.01
Kopilow, Robyn
46705.31
Kordes, Frank
84755.62
Kouvatsos, Billy
70785.44
Kovit, Charles
113120.04
Kraus, Ronald
52042.05
Krenitsky, Sara
3450
Kreuzburg, Bruce
88184.83
Kreuzburg, Glenn
55918.69
Kruska, Jeffrey
82533.96
Kuchler, Heidi
79325.3
Kugler, James
80163.98
Kuntz, Kathleen
18680.08
Kurutz, Dawn
85458.84
Kurutz, Linda
42229.2
Kuss, Jane
17151.63
Kuzminski, Alex
61045.57
Kuzminski, Robert
45974.55
La Barbera, Christopher
48725.25
La Barbera, Michael
45795.28
La Bella, Philip
75655.74
La Muro Jr, Anthony
37348.17
La Muro, Diane
52275.56
La Sala, Joseph
69330.63
La Sala, Thomas
67407
Lacalandra, Richard
74716.52
Lachow, Glen
97684.74
Laffey, Christopher
64470.08
Lagonegro, Joseph
83014.08
Lamb, Nancy
80718.69
Lamonica Jr, John
81430.3
Lampkin, John
12328
Lampkin, Kendall
131189.37
Lamuro, Anthony
103554.41
Landi, Thomas
72499.21
Lane, Lawrence
72398.58
Lane, Marci
29422.37
Lane, Ralph
80006.28
Lang, Daniel
78059.78
Langabeer, Elizabeth
10805.5
Langella Jr, Frank
52468.02
Langella, Kevin
77179.48
Langley Jr, Michael
49652.93
Langone, Joan
88419.06
Lanni, Wendy
34909.17
Lanzer, Michael
75439.57
Lapenna, Frank
61177.33
Lapp, Alan
119106.88
Larrieux, Jacqueline
68707
Lasaia, Joseph
29595.91
Lassic, Carl
66592.3
Laucella, Silvio
56086.04
Laukaitis, Michael
68934.63
Laurence, Robert
62926.16
Lausane, Derrick
68627.94
Laverne, Evelyn
28001.42
Lavoie II, Eric
12494.05
Law, William
76148.72
Lawrence, Bryant
71180.24
Lawrence, John
77634.61
Lawson, Owen
60316.47
Lazzarano, Andrew
77231.97
Le Gault, Gregory
75901.7
Ledain, Dimitri
1120
Lee, Tsu-Tiao
112498.28
Legrande, Kathryn
26825
Lemmo, Joseph
32154.5
Lemonier, Enrique
71556.59
Lennon, James
72584.02
Lennon, Maureen
1046.25
Lent, Robert
104537.85
Lent, Thomas
57036.33
Lentini, Joseph
104942.64
Leo, Daniel
59427.54
Leonard, Edward
3640
Lettis, Stephen
77927.2
Levey, Arnold
48715.46
Levine, Arthur
126457.58
Levy, David
153445.74
Lewis, Mark
24560
Liberman, Harriet
75342.29
Librizzi, Christopher
57055.08
Librizzi, Joseph
58653.37
Lieben, Gary
63288.98
Lilli, Michelle
67700.13
Lima, Donna
51330.29
Lima, Patricia
72643.58
Lincoln, Stephen
37848.54
Lindroth, William
73124.72
Link, Alexis
81751.76
Link, Paul
76117.29
Lino, Daniel
101266.87
Lioi, May
29734.38
Lipinsky, Carol
117527.11
List, Steven
64591.16
Little, Bradley
50971.99
Livio, Anthony
63681.61
Livore, Joann
93856.08
Lloyd, Christopher
50313.1
Lloyd, Shanti
52362.54
Lo Bello, Anthony
75135.64
Lobello, Thomas
81789.45
Lodato, Michael
39542.21
Lohmann, Jason
53838.08
Lohr, Donald
106489.39
Loliscio Jr, Joseph
111056.44
Lomangino, Frederick
131954.47
Lombardo, Louise
33897.49
Lombardo, Michael
3055
Lombardo, Stanley
116733.58
Lombardo, Thomas
9430
Lomonaco, James
124280.01
Long, Andre
62756.88
Longo, Deborah
49862.11
Longobardi, Dominick
115640.42
Lopez, Collette
38719.39
Lopez, Darrol
100671.21
Lopez, Shabazz
43719.25
Lopez, Welquis
122576.85
Lorelli, Carmine
87645.44
Lorelli, Robert
83014.08
Lorenz, Carl
119443.96
Louvaris, Rebecca
65532.7
Love, Mary
26245.29
Lovelace, Burnette
60920.27
Lowe, Carolyn
54577.69
Lowell, Robert
64129.57
Luca Watkins, Donna
78264.03
Lucas, John
65467.7
Lucas, John
86388.19
Lucas, Tracey
10874.5
Luciani, Michael
85951.95
Lugauer, Richard
69471.21
Lukas, Harriet
59239.95
Lukasvonstein, Joann
101695.66
Luksch La Muro, Joanne
20711.52
Lupo, Paul
82071.49
Luther, Janine
10035
Mac Donald, Jean
21880
MacChia, Charles
64394.75
MacChione, Paul
15711.87
MacHado, Dennis
52544.83
MacKay, Eric
61722.09
MacKey Jr, Arthur
56407.38
Maffei, Kenneth
115673.89
Mafrici, Dominick
68707
Magda, Richard
55095.26
Magliaro, Michael
80259.87
Magnone Jr, John
76982.13
Mahon, Mary
95161.08
Mahoney, Margaret
78188.17
Mahoney, Paul
83929.34
Mahr, Eleanor
58464.95
Mahr, Ricky
78044.59
Maietta, Giovannina
60716.17
Maikisch, Marie
68707
Makridakis, Frank
49911.6
Malandro, Joanne
12609.53
Malkin, Laurie
54595.75
Malloy, Ramona
70793.89
Malone, Timothy
76171.34
Malone, William
84347.05
Maloney, Christopher
86202.16
Maltese, Anthony
65293.84
Manara, Frank
79133.86
Mancino, Kenneth
90106.6
Manco, Richard
47730.41
Maniaci, Frank
74755.43
Manning, Charisse
17693.54
Mantel, Frederick
39561.12
Mantel, Helen
47730.41
Mantia, Nicholas
64958.22
Maraia, Peter
92007.81
Marcia, Olga
49782.36
Marciano, Anna
70762.36
Marciano, Joseph
69091.78
Marin, James
65832.94
Marino, Gerald
29253.75
Marino, Philip
132114.91
Markwalter, John
87808.9
Marquart, Carole
40493.09
Marrano, Thomas
48966.27
Marrow, Edward
70111.81
Marsden, Michael
67974.62
Marseille, David
9549.75
Marshall, Idell
47263.82
Marshiano, Joseph
89387.88
Martin, Carolyne
57123.21
Martin, Cheree'
15619.5
Martin, Gerard
52787.92
Martin, Jerome
64830.51
Martin, Joseph
56592.99
Martinez, Bruce
76107.19
Martinez, Eric
53627.56
Martinez, Hector
24052.56
Martinez, Max
54005.66
Martini, Anthony
8494.48
Martino, Joseph
100863.68
Martino, Michael
77318.46
Martone Jr, Vincent
69507.5
Maryland, Ronald
47865.5
Marzano Jr, Eugene
69650.73
Marzano, Mary
76117.29
Masiello Jr, James
7240
Masone, Judson
103651.28
Masselle, Nicholas
99940.62
Masters, Ronald
123805.98
Mastracchio, Salvatore
41461.1
Mastromarino, Andrew
77426.13
Mastromarino, John
143711.79
Mathewson, Susan
40663.7
Mathis, Taraus
98295.54
Mattera, John
104539.08
Matthews, Sandra
36941.02
Matthews, Thomas
56014.39
Mattry, Raymond
43719.09
Matulock Jr, Peter
82063.03
Mauro, Joseph
66055.33
May, Harvey
73489.37
Mayes, Lee
64112.25
Mayorga, Libandy
21970.75
Maziarski, Cidalina
88018.6
Maziarski, Robert
109109.18
Mazurek, Robert
49724.79
Mazzurco, Anthony
61122.54
Mc Andrews, David
38000.04
Mc Bride, Sean
93511.81
Mc Cabe, David
8680.5
Mc Cabe, Elton
5480.54
Mc Cabe, Sean
1131
Mc Cabe, Tony
82051.05
Mc Cargo, Rahmel
18349.01
Mc Carthy, Susan
3250.63
Mc Carthy, Sylvester
62535.12
Mc Cartin, Mary
3946.06
Mc Clam Jr, Ernest
46537.48
Mc Clenic, James
38180.45
Mc Connell-Chandler, Luisa
119752.64
Mc Creedy, James
48964.55
Mc Creedy, John
65360.13
Mc Dermott, Mark
66872.99
Mc Dermott, Michael
62453.49
Mc Donald, Dennis
70645.44
Mc Donald, Gregory
49350.57
Mc Dougald, Lilly
64591.16
Mc Erlean, Kathleen
60920.27
Mc Gann, John
73862.11
Mc Garry, Sean
85848.95
Mc Ginty, Jeanne
97529.3
Mc Givney, Scott
72445.03
Mc Glone, Mark
73968.67
Mc Govern, Brian
58080.93
Mc Gowan, James
46438.94
Mc Gowan, Kathy
34897.11
Mc Grath, John
5194.13
Mc Knight Jr, James
69572.57
Mc Laughlin, Michael
13390
Mc Laughlin, William
40982.41
Mc Lean, Alex
26259.22
Mc Manus Jr, Kevin
73024.21
Mc Namara, Patrick
83604.38
Mc Queen, Olivia
10036.25
Mc Rae Jr, William
69748.41
Mc Tague, Robert
57865.34
Mc Tague, Thomas
72706.57
McCarthy III, William
74637.11
McCarthy, Alan
62656.65
McConnell, Michael
99347.24
McDonald, Michael
66721.15
McDonnell, Daniel
67315.68
McDougal, Stephen
63134.71
McGarry, Malachy
93715.66
McGinty, Michael
106508.93
McKeon Jr, James
64245.57
McMahon, Andrew
72072.86
McNamara, Dennis
62603.83
McShea, William
85951.95
Meehan, Briana
6090
Meerdink, John
65674.66
Mehta, Mamta
50844.36
Mellen, Joseph
49943.93
Meloni, Marcello
29157.22
Meloni, Mauro
75267.07
Melson, Stefanie
38719.39
Menendez, Mildred
75722.82
Meneses, Deanna
76117.29
Menken, Sandra
72148.24
Meola, Joseph
27144.03
Mercado, Marc
49422.8
Merritt, Dennis
64605.69
Merritt, Devont
22096
Mertz, Gary
95090.25
Messe, Filomena
10609.43
Messe, Frank
68890.47
Messerschmitt Jr, Harold
36768.96
Messina, Peter
83014.08
Messina, Thomas
51257.82
Meteles, Peter
71977.77
Metzger, Henry
63828.83
Metzger, John
49120.69
Metzger, Thomas
111419.71
Metzler, Donald
75895.23
Meyer, Chris
48964.55
Meyer, Gerard
43060.21
Meyer, Mark
48964.55
Michael, Gregory
98530.48
Michalenok, Gregory
19434
Michalenok, Kerin
33198.07
Michalenok, Phyllis
14758.75
Michalowski, Robert
61676.19
Micheletti, Denise
78185.14
Michielini, Robert
74784.85
Michon, Diane
64920.59
Middleton, Joan
22412
Midgette, Bradley
96580.72
Mikulin, John
9522
Militrano, Jessica
54924.29
Militrano, Joseph
5234.25
Militrano, Peter
97931.28
Miller Jr, George
62957.75
Miller, Daniel
27445.5
Miller, Daryn
65557.79
Miller, Denise
80948.26
Miller, Gale
47948.46
Miller, Georgianna
64591.16
Miller, Jeanann
18768.75
Miller, Richard
68818.62
Miller, Traci
54954.83
Miller, William
87546.71
Miller, Zacharie
1343.25
Mills, Joseph
84753.51
Milone, Charles
106809.72
Milone, Kathleen
53011.14
Mincey, Angela
9981
Minenno, Vito
52192.88
Mineo, Jacqueline
14249.02
Mineo, Luci
33498.69
Mineo, Raymond
156374.81
Mineo, Vincent
102201.47
Miner, Marcia
61828.83
Minott, Hugh
6400
Minott, Winnifred
30896.26
Miranda, Rosalia
66253.97
Mirenda, Frank
102219.34
Mirenda, Joanne
93460.74
Mirenda, Thomas
69937.65
Mirenda, Thomas
3481.92
Mirotznik, Bernard
5840.12
Mirza, Taimur
52570.8
Misita, Joseph
90435.57
Mistero, Jesse
121653.64
Mistretta, Edward
59828.6
Mitchell, James
66290.92
Mitchell, Rebecca
64992.79
Moffitt, Scott
67242.37
Mohr, Rosalind
70530.62
Molina, Ernesto
80729.35
Moller, Christopher
58910.44
Mollo, Craig
89018.6
Monaghan, James
7316.25
Mondesir, Delier
79943.69
Monetta, Adam
52546.83
Monniello, Raffaella
58446.23
Montalbano, Frank
82335.06
Montemarano, Maureen
97406.7
Montemarano, Paul
114275.18
Montilli, Robert
113397.18
Moore, Kenya
20158.75
Moore, Norman
74615.01
Moore, Vernon
31311
Morales, Jose
456
Moran, Brendon
49743.02
Moran, James
89312.6
Moran, John
67897.35
Moran, Sean
3220
Mordente, Marie
45272.37
Morelli, John
48491.46
Morgese, James
86508.18
Moriarity, Melinda
22005.5
Moriarity, Michael
126393.35
Moriarty, Dennis
11913.41
Moriarty, Terence
14804.62
Morici, Christopher
45425.38
Morin, Theresa
36106.27
Morrison Jr, John
112608.42
Morrison, Bruce
63176.24
Morrison, Kenneth
47218.47
Morrison, Zilpha
48245.63
Morrissey, Yvonne
76597.16
Mossman, James
77498.79
Mott, Dale
71008.7
Mounsey, Brian
54079.27
Moussa, Hussein
48944.99
Moyer, Richard
83028.73
Moyer, Robert
66660.13
Mozille, Mitchell
75076.85
Muhammad, Akbar
55331.83
Mullen, Joseph
77342.22
Mullen, Kevin
55520.16
Muller, Amy
35162.31
Muller, Diana
56914.11
Muller, Elizabeth
54588.12
Muller, William
83504.31
Mulligan, Kevin
74384.49
Mulligan, Mary
68192.65
Munoz-Williams, Maria
17658.5
Murer, Steven
87028.42
Murphy, Kimberly
20940.38
Murphy, Robert
72884.21
Murphy, Robert
110725.47
Murphy, Ruth
67932
Murray, Kathleen
140000.12
Murray, Nancy
27790.99
Murray, Noreen
70277.03
Murray, Terence
91064.76
Murray, Timothy
81898.87
Musacchia, Pasquale
76170.35
Musto, Mark
49269.52
Naglieri, Stephen
58139.02
Naglieri, Vincent
51200.53
Naham, Stephen
13703.25
Napoli, Emanuel
66595.07
Napolitano Jr, Frank
70718.06
Napolitano, Robert
93460.45
Natoli, Michael
76403.11
Navarro, Miriam
64590.68
Neita, Allan
9145.5
Nelson, Zabar
12477.5
Nero, Delorese
70787.76
Nevins, Laurie
29752.99
Newbill, Jeffrey
80056.51
Newsome, Moses
37560.29
Niblett, Joe
99872.18
Nicolosi, Robert
76117.29
Nicosia, Vincent
89048.56
Ninia, Peter
79246.41
Ninivaggi, John
118973.91
Nisenson, Alan
35458.99
Nistico, Michelle
68412.52
Nixon, Neetra
54707.39
Nocella, Angela
76260.88
Nocella, Anna
88135.67
Nocella, Brian
106216.08
Nocella, Donna
86666.05
Nocera, Andrew
59727.89
Nolan, Michael
99161.91
Nolan, Paul
103289.58
Nomer, Anna
41542.14
Normandia, Michael
73361.91
Norton I I I, John
64978.95
Noseworthy, Tara
6785.88
Novello, Gary
77685.03
Novello, Marybeth
10248.39
Novotney, Frank
68626
Nurmi, Susan
35853.42
Nussbaum, Paul
22905.6
O Boyle, Thomas
73966.42
Oakes, Thomas
62603.83
Oberer, Frederick
98840.95
O'Brien Jr, Robert
71963.23
O'Brien, Judith
47798.12
O'Brien, Robert
38000.04
O'Brien, Rosalyn
26684.25
Oconnor, Brian
86019.19
O'Connor, William
10420.75
O'Dee, Donovan
79010.17
O'Donnell, Gail
82776.74
O'Flaherty, Paul
83022.02
O'Gara, Kevin
58527.52
Ogonowski, Daniel
44445.42
O'Leary, Sean
13096.65
Olewitz, Stephen
62811.96
Oliver, Jeffrey
8805
Oliviero, Joanne
76117.29
O'Neil, Shane
87067.83
O'Neill, Kevin
22512
Opisso, Robert
82937.32
Oree, Ronald
36635.35
O'Regan, Kevin
78392.35
O'Regan, Kevin
67238.12
Orlando, Vito
26124.05
Orsomarso, Alexis
20702.25
Ostrander, Michael
80369.15
O'Sullivan, Robert
68961.62
O'Sullivan, Thomas
111358.97
Ottoson, Thomas
47879.32
Owen, Jason
20311
Owen, Peter
42166.07
Owens, Patrick
41932.87
Pacciano, Robert
11205.87
Paciullo, Charles
60182.08
Pagano, Michael
74556.28
Pagliocca, James
71645.9
Pagnozzi, Anthony
66671.68
Palagonia, Helen
27963.3
Palka, Kenneth
62311.47
Palmer, Gloria
60308.55
Palmer, Gregory
73233.45
Palmer, Nancy
80992.96
Palumbo, Robyn
62603.83
Pancia, Thomas
101638.68
Panico, Toni
69400.95
Paradise, Gail
61468.17
Paretta Jr, Lawrence
111698.6
Parisi, Gary
121008.02
Parisi, Nicole
18141.01
Parker, Thaddius
21674
Parmiter, John
37995.77
Parmiter, Rita
42671.26
Parsley, Thomas
9620
Paruolo, Glenn
70771.56
Pasquarello, Rose
67792.57
Passabile, Robert
51016.46
Pastor, Ernest
118676.79
Patalano, Vincent
13802.42
Patitucci, Joseph
84044.9
Patitucci, Steven
77203.18
Patrick, Richard
66254.7
Patterson, Bertram
98370.4
Patton, Benjamin
48167.12
Paulin-Carter, Lucianne
76117.29
Pavanello, Robert
74498.26
Pearsall, James
84570.43
Peck, Joel
99949.01
Pedicini-Bestick, Barbara
62603.83
Pellegrini, Joseph
128600.92
Pellegrini, Peter
109950.47
Pellegrino, Michael
105984.47
Penchansky, Scott
9505
Pennecke, Kenneth
65885.13
Pepe, Barbara
25040.99
Pepe, Frank
98233.21
Pepe, Steven
124856.46
Percoco, Glen
69609.2
Peretti, Thomas
83559.96
Perez, Carlos
65714.89
Perfetti, Kathleen
37676.14
Perretta, Jack
95622.07
Perretta, Pasquale
110905.18
Perrino, William
82349.63
Perrone, Joseph
105837.85
Persichilli, Louis
51590.45
Peterson, Elaine
16072
Peterson, Eugene
64572.07
Peterson, Ronald
81678.4
Petri, Cheryl
106797.83
Petrullo, Eric
60121.31
Pettway, Stanley
41527.04
Philippou, George
10989
Philips, Linda
41542.14
Piazza, Gregory
47305.2
Piazzini, Joanna
64591.16
Picciano, Gregory
21130.38
Pickrodt, William
71436.35
Pidherney, Brian
81000.11
Piedimonte Jr, James
99625.81
Piedimonte, Theresa
32139.36
Piekunka, Anthony
65336.71
Piesco, Christine
60423.51
Piesco, Ernest
61360.54
Pinciotto, Laura
62968.5
Pinder, Harold
33473.27
Pinelli, Ella
82312.62
Pinnisi, Anthony
23319.5
Pipia, Robert
93145.74
Pira, Elaine
82950.9
Pirone, Josephine
95269.01
Pitti, Charles
82210.91
Pitts, Susan
68669.81
Pivarnik, Christopher
57239.55
Pizzigati, Arthur
116927.01
Plonsky, James
101638.68
Podolski, John
66472.37
Pokalsky, Matthew
27782.6
Poletti, Mario
13540.44
Politano, Carmen
74114.62
Polito, Mariano
63440.71
Pontrello Jr, Anthony
75918.25
Pontrello, Benjamin
100161.83
Poole, Shawn
14329.25
Porter, Matthew
59710.32
Porter, Michael
60738.35
Porzio, Keith
70647.27
Posillico, Theresa
67422.81
Poster, Paul
104075.06
Poulson, James
85376.48
Powell, Marquis
11322
Powers, Angela
102275.75
Powers, Edward
73587.01
Powers, Elizabeth
42342.94
Powers, James
132129.26
Powers, Michael
13020
Pratt-Zaffarese, Nancy
68707
Preis, Carl
23116
Preston, Karen
39391.66
Primiano, Anthony
56265.5
Primm, Arthur
101450.05
Prusinski, Michael
5660
Pugliese, Paul
68055.65
Pugliese, Stanislao
81714.08
Pupa, Gary
78595.57
Pupke, Brian
72627.62
Quann, Perry
64622.08
Quarantello, Frank
67932
Quaranto, Douglas
74142.57
Quinlan, Kathleen
70835.71
Quinn Jr, John
116021.52
Quinn, Matthew
3064.5
Ra, Edward
29577.11
Ra, Joseph
157115.3
Rafferty, Kevin
75367.91
Ragano, Justin
26407.12
Raimondi, Francine
60145.27
Ramirez, Ellen
8761.9
Ramos, Yesid
47667.13
Rampino, Deborah
8330
Ramsey, Dwayne
22730
Ramsey, John
87010.89
Ramsey, Joseph
75194.38
Randazzo, John
67607.83
Ranolde, John
52792.16
Ranucci, Dominic
76112.92
Rapanaro, Peter
8906.25
Rasmison, Mary
61828.83
Rasulo, Vincent
90324.84
Rauh, Robert
66660.13
Razzano, Henry
78769.68
Reale, Jeanine
56427.5
Redash, Elizabeth
63650.05
Reddan, James
84503.03
Reed Jr, Thomas
64167.36
Reed, Linda
100313.15
Reed, Suzanne
65604.96
Reeke, Christine
51223.29
Reese III, Beal
18112.5
Reese, Mark
67514.85
Reese, Rosalind
52800.56
Reese, Theodore
72181.88
Regenbogen, Brad
102266.18
Regina, Richard
64558.08
Reginella, Nino
79385.06
Regnier Jr, Arnold
14343
Reichert, Steven
83814.18
Reicherter, Edward
98476.86
Reid, Robert
68521.3
Reifer, Ireene
76272.87
Rein, Dennis
14507.7
Reinhardt III, John
103689.26
Reinhardt, Anne
91411.83
Reisert, Ryan
91337.08
Reisman, Judith
66660.13
Reiss, Adam
9153
Reiss, Susan
80718.69
Reitberger, Martha
54884.69
Renner, Robert
86596.03
Reyer, Mindy
19614.5
Reynolds, Kristan
44518.04
Rhoden, Raymond
113082.37
Rhodes, Christopher
75384.84
Rhodes, Patricia
105155.49
Ricapito, Lorraine
63265.22
Riccio, Joseph
77004.21
Riccobono, John
66660.13
Richard, Steven
72851.45
Richards, Brian
73233.09
Richards, Jimmy
119105.9
Richardson, Deshadene
14070
Richardson, Jason
18593.5
Richartz, Catherine
64145.88
Ricioppo, Nancy
59239.95
Ridley-Fisher, Louis
63980.35
Riechert, Donna
30180.41
Rieckhoff, Gordon
112357.91
Riese, Brian
39393.75
Ristano, Charles
96831.46
Ritter, Ronald
80877.09
Rivara, Marjory
83510
Rizzacasa, John
97570.38
Rizzo Jr, John
76303.49
Rizzo, Peter
110905.18
Rizzo, Steven
56666.77
Robano, Angeline
18905.25
Roberts, Delroy
59980.06
Robinson Jr, Daniel
64591.16
Robinson, Edna
55577.2
Robinson, Michele
32871.59
Rocco, John
106815.86
Rockensies, Marykate
11117.79
Rockensies, William
125564.96
Rocks, Joseph
48989.14
Rodriguez, Ernest
82372.85
Rodriguez, Jose
43230
Rodriguez, Max
71964.67
Rodriguez, Nilexa
33764.4
Roepken, Gregory
70580.96
Roepken, Helen
68452.19
Rogers, Richard
26431
Rogers, Richard
81339.08
Rolla, Francine
41884.63
Romano, Peter
79199.9
Romanotto Jr, Vincent
82499.02
Ronan, Richard
152162.74
Rooke, Frederick
43186.75
Rooney, Christopher
14572.23
Rooney, Garret
0
Rose, Brett
115847.81
Rosen, Amy
72195.34
Rosenblum, Eric
59595.74
Rosselli, Charles
80718.69
Rossi, Rosemary
50595.18
Rottkamp, John
110032.33
Rottkamp, Peter
77295.11
Rottkamp, Susan
15434.5
Rottkamp, Thomas
52923.51
Rubin, Sandy
65135.49
Rubino, Joseph
74978.53
Ruckdeschel, William
104278.54
Rudolph, Alfonzo
16665.75
Rudolph, Rosemary
67953.85
Ruggiero, Laura
15746.75
Rugolo, Robert
61340.26
Rullo, Philip
75262.85
Runolfsson, Beverely
78733.59
Rupolo, Joseph
68707
Rushdan, Tariq
42621.7
Russo, Carol
82356.33
Russo, Clemente
69986.58
Russo, Joseph
84811.53
Russo, Joseph
31561.7
Russo, Kathleen
47587.32
Rustin, Theodore
75529.57
Ryan, Daniel
14428.33
Ryan, Michael
36071.98
Rycyk, Lawrence
69559.07
Ryf, Claudia
8872.5
Ryzak, Grazia
40549.82
Sabbas, Abraham
93162.58
Sabella, Jason
12789.38
Saccareccia Jr, Walter
87428.59
Sagan, Jonathan
3844
Saggio, Christine
53615.31
Saia, Eugene
90454.05
Saia, Salvatore
120261.78
Saia, Sandy
76133.27
Saia, Santo
92971.83
Sakins, Vera-Julia
73838.49
Salamone, Angelo
83187.58
Saldutti, Joseph
84090.65
Sallie, Sean
3662.25
Saltzman, Thomas
107356.1
Salute, Carmine
96106.7
Salute, Maria
55448.04
Sammon, Kaitlyn
4023
Sammon, William
137542.84
Sandrowicz, John
108169.49
Sandstrom, Bert
102025.62
Sanford, Michael
74977.1
Sannuti, Wendy
67886.94
Santa Cruz, David
62368.79
Santiago, Jacob
61819.3
Santillo, Anthony
5176.5
Santino, Anthony
61500.14
Santino, Rosemarie
69237.05
Santora, Nicholas
65925
Santos, Aneudy
22021.93
Sauer, Gary
115543.27
Savino, Robert
83308.08
Savocchi, Vincent
68064.66
Saxton, Daniel
22015
Saxton, Harry
78586.14
Scala, Peter
89204.76
Scammacca, Mark
69840.28
Scandiffio, Roseann
81422.03
Scarandino, Donald
82741.92
Scarlata, Johanna
136650.04
Scharf, Jean
83401.22
Schatz, Lawrence
92628.14
Schector, Gerard
97406.7
Schepperley, Earl
91688.21
Schiele, Frederick
13874
Schiotis, Helen
78339.33
Schlaich, Fred
82329.91
Schlich, Samantha
4170
Schlosser, Anthony
17484.5
Schmidt, Louis
83591.25
Schmitt, Rachel
76117.29
Schneider, Andrew
91031.44
Schneider, Corey
111358.91
Schneider, Marvin
82220.7
Schneider, Tara
69579.83
Schod, June
51032.9
Schoen, Henry
75342.29
Schramm, Gloria
69979.07
Schuerlein, Joseph
87238.54
Schumacher Jr, Edward
90662.74
Schumacher, Steven
68758.07
Schwartz, Howard
74815.26
Schwarz, Mark
114800.18
Schwarz, Raymond
131107.44
Sciarrotta, Theresa
91055.07
Scibetta Jr, Sal
67751.74
Scire, Peter
60177.92
Scortino, Joseph
74272.31
Scorzo, Mark
78411.59
Scott, Anita
76117.29
Scotto, Billie
54109.69
Sedita, Anthony
66356.86
Seeger Jr, Robert
60868.85
Seeger, Joseph
73310.55
Sefchek, Brett
91160.34
Sefchek, Kathy
90022.59
Sefchek, Miles
35286.14
Sefchek, Robert
121091.15
Segreto, Dominick
61258.4
Segreto, John
75146.96
Seifert, Michael
39642.58
Seligson, Kristina
14178.76
Sellitto, Charles
110746.22
Sellitto, Laura
51389.02
Sellitto, Richard
66191.65
Sellitto, Stephanie
54027.78
Seminera, Lisa
41691.85
Senat, Madeline
11577
Senatore, Anthony
25266
Sequeira, Kevin
75733.56
Seredinsky, Theodora
81292.62
Serrano, Miguel
56358.61
Settele, Peter
111737.13
Settles Sr, Salvador
66949.89
Settles, James
71046.98
Settles, Roger
60234
Severino, Robert
64473.38
Shane, Steven
61828.83
Share, Michael
500
Sharkey, Colleen
20937.21
Sharkey, Michael
40786.65
Shaw, Garrett
46025.76
Shaw, Gary
116234.99
Sheerin, Bridget
3230.5
Shelton, Clarence
23846.25
Shelton, Robert
63647.36
Sheridan, Ashley
31677.14
Sheshene, Michael
53917.82
Shim Nee Schiotis, Catherine
54539.09
Shim, Errol
84234.53
Shortell, Patrick
39736.39
Shortis, Paul
39236.02
Shostack, Sheldon
115994.55
Sideris, Laurence
78470.09
Sieban, Edward
125143.16
Siegel, Nasan
49847.2
Siegler, Samantha
1785
Siemsen, Robert
73580.44
Silvester, Chris
77865.55
Simmons, Emmett
54884.69
Simms, Barbara
99114.69
Simonelli, John
29394.38
Sinacori, Anthony
16069.82
Sinacori, Joanne
67006.86
Sinatra, Loretta
70754.07
Sino, Brandon
4851.8
Sippel, John
85513.77
Sisun, Alison
94363.25
Skalocky, Antoinette
17236.75
Skeeter, Lenny
48964.55
Skidmore Jr, Arnold
74989.13
Skidmore, Dawn
29704.08
Skidmore, Joseph
82531.55
Slater, Paul
95246.96
Slutsky, Allen
84786.07
Smedley, Robert
66678.93
Smith Jr, Phillip
45470.14
Smith Jr, Rufus
53244.01
Smith, Albert
83243.97
Smith, Andrew
80327.63
Smith, Chauncey
57919.41
Smith, Dale
67730.58
Smith, Douglas
70576.51
Smith, Gerard
89873.25
Smith, Gregory
45677.03
Smith, Jeffrey
14854.5
Smith, John
64869.64
Smith, Kareem
45470.14
Smith, Martin
22939.15
Smith, Michael
44987.49
Smith, Sammie
21752
Snyder, Monica
1881.25
Snyder, Robert
63332.44
Sohm, Matthew
87055.08
Solar, Wayne
95409.66
Solby, Derek
58489.95
Sosa, Roberto
63609.56
Sotiriou, William
0
Sowden, Thomas
71921.81
Spadavecchia, Corrado
58707.58
Spano, Joseph
114157.33
Sparaccio, Michele
73431.04
Sparaccio, Victor
68544.53
Sparagna, Suzanne
52856.86
Spencer, Albert
76619.62
Spero, Ralph
86740.49
Spina, Richard
71155.33
Spinoccia, Chad
27714
Spiotta, Richard
68707
Spiritis, Scott
79623.9
Spitalieri, Michael
38358.54
Spitz, Gary
37412.5
Spradlin Jr, David
47409.61
Spradlin, Gloria
57262.01
Spyridon, Lisa
21624
St Aubin, Charles
66640.09
Staab, Lawrence
100015.81
Stallone, Craig
24800.01
Stamile, Attanasio
80639.53
Stanley, Robert
21392
Stanwood, Thomas
100664.17
Staton, Wilbur
71266.1
Stattel, Edward
92575.76
Stay, Michael
68358.79
Stazzone, Philip
101638.68
Stearns, Corinne
89491.6
Steckler, Gary
91750.87
Steele, James
102219.34
Steffgen, Maryann
68707
Stein, Steven
51058.37
Steinbach, Nancy
62303.03
Steinbach, Thomas
48857.68
Steppe Jr, Robert
60884.04
Steppe, Kevin
10897.85
Sternberg, Stuart
77634.34
Sternkopf, Robert
64205.21
Stewart, David
87116.16
Stewart, Thomas
92678.26
Stone, Arnold
82597.79
Stone, Debra
57939.95
Storbeck, Patricia
80718.69
Stratos, Steven
85647.48
Strawgate, Amy
115864.63
Strum, Lisa
62707.7
Stuck, Maureen
38778.12
Stuckey, Ronald
62304.95
Sturcken, Anthony
58547.98
Suero, Emilio
51721.75
Sullivan Jr, Raymond
48964.55
Sullivan, Ellen
2708.2
Sullivan, Michael
116264.86
Supple, Donald
110725.47
Supple, Stephen
41099.51
Surkis, Scott
110725.47
Susco, Lois
74979.45
Susko, Christopher
92639.98
Swanigan, Michael
22588.5
Sweeney, Catherine
14654.31
Sweeney, John
27293.5
Sweeny, Sharon
41960.9
Sweet, Biatta
11883
Szetela, Krzysztof
46799.64
Taddeo, Orazio
50073.87
Tagliaferri, Steven
68870.14
Tagliagambe, Julius
6581.75
Talsky, Adeline
46878.15
Tamarez, Jeffrey
20815
Tarantino, Arthur
86635.62
Tardibuono, Edward
100389
Tardibuono, Gregory
68610.08
Taylor III, George
62603.83
Taylor, Howard
102400.9
Taylor, Joseph
60650.75
Taylor, Thomas
52556.58
Tenecela, Segundo
50526.28
Teneriello, Anthony
70344.26
Tepper, Bruce
45211.95
Termini, Carl
52899.81
Terrell, Vincent
90894.23
Theofan, Charles
0
Thomas Jr, William
55565.66
Thomas, Anthony
82848.94
Thomas, Edward
69035.29
Thomas, Noah
6710
Thompson, Allan
68992.75
Thompson, Louis
118744.76
Thompson, Matthew
107543.33
Thompson, Menaija
18492.5
Thompson, Rhondreal
52290.58
Thorne, Regina
107148.17
Thornton, Ralph
109241.28
Tice, Robert
61205.53
Tice, Robert
92546.6
Tierney, Jeffrey
110554.9
Tillery, David
24567.88
Tillman, Brian
47619.96
Tine, Anthony
56153.58
Tine, Michael
37147.6
Tine, Richard
73414.17
Tintle, James
13793.1
Tirino, Donald
40601.83
Tobkes, Steven
93241.69
Toby, Donald
96001.35
Tolmach, Emma
72625.33
Tom, Terrill
88298.89
Tomeo, Eric
53487.81
Tommolino, Angelo
69875.11
Tooher, Eileen
7377.5
Torres, Nelly
11007.5
Torres, Yenni
13974.14
Toscano, Kathryn
44006.94
Toscano, Thomas
108655.18
Tosner, James
41642.3
Towers, Thomas
74766.06
Townsend, John
40596.42
Trapani, Nicholas
83552.47
Trapani, Raymond
54768.61
Travers, Richard
68031.73
Treglia, Robert
48049.83
Treiber, Edgar
76117.29
Trenkle, Susan
73835.4
Tricarico, Guy
86044.25
Triolo, Jason
48506.4
Tripp, Lawrence
95045.23
Trotman, Natalie
40193.08
Trotta, John
101400.44
Truhn, Raymond
53150.06
Tudda, Giovanna
27923.22
Tufano, John
78495.59
Tulley, Elisabeth
8068
Tully, Lucy
434.5
Tully, Rosanne
86113.64
Turano, Richard
76009.43
Turco, Martin
76440.92
Turino, John
68869.86
Turner, Daniel
66010
Tusa, Scott
19216
Tuttle, Doreen
4439.75
Tyler, Joseph
74560.64
Tynan, Charles
64538.15
Tyska, Joan
78756.98
Tyska, Rosemary
64602.46
Ubaldini, Leonardo
5488.52
Umhafer, Christian
80354.57
Urena, Dennis
21127.5
Vaccaro, Rosario
119593.66
Valeo, Maria
23433.75
Vallarella, Ralph
51738.3
Van Well Jr, Henry
66131.22
Van Wicklen, Gary
65792.25
Vanech, Pauline
61303.83
Vannier, Virginia
84977.82
Vasile, Onofrio
25500
Vasselman, Brian
1569.5
Vazquez, Linda
67932
Vecchio, Ronald
70546.96
Vega, Andy
81237.76
Vela, Denise
62604.87
Venditto, Michael
68655.21
Ventola, John
74267.92
Ventura, Annette
72977.44
Verene, Mark
67920.35
Verga, Randy
88151.09
Verity, Frank
73061.32
Vesik, Helen
53795.16
Vicari Jr, Peter
62984.29
Vicario Jr, Lawrence
103865.93
Vicario, Joseph
102484.99
Victor, Sandra
116864.31
Viders, Gary
44565.51
Vigiano, Alice
65427.49
Vigliotti, Francesco
74891.42
Villardi Jr, Harry
64615.23
Vince, Josephine
69096.37
Vines, Andres
59812.18
Vines, Andres
14600
Vines, Frank
56675.23
Vines, Steven
13921.68
Vita, John
112961.06
Vitale, Margherita
45488.72
Vitelli Jr, Alan
68795.34
Vitelli, Michael
65009.86
Vito, Charles
64460
Vitucci, Phyllis
55290.93
Voda, Denise
51859.14
Vollkommer, Michael
67177.52
Vollkommer, Robert
26055.77
Vollmer, Charles
63030.59
Wade, James
65885.13
Wagner, Charles
74825.37
Wagner, Scott
74754.29
Walker, Barbara
9656.22
Walker, Diane
32117.7
Walker, Shari
36703.53
Wallace, Calvin
68444.76
Waller, Harry
65986.13
Waller, Laurie
52887.42
Walrond, Kenmore
29052
Walsh, David
7532
Walsh, Hope
19119
Walsh, Jeffrey
85502.71
Walsh, Michael
101289.84
Walsh, Thomas
85604.3
Walz, Steven
79672.18
Warch, Irene
49542.7
Ward, Keith
45096.76
Ward, Robert
100327.3
Ward, Robert
75700.48
Ware Jr, Morris
56123.47
Ware, Archie
67013.96
Warren, Oliver
67415.09
Warren, Vikki
47997.74
Watson, William
50718.61
Webb, Nathan
69889.91
Weed, Joanne
96383.6
Weeden, Craig
113157.43
Weeks, Martin
66283.02
Weiler, Wayne
62603.83
Weiner, Zena
63306.68
Weinstein, Cherry
100313.15
Weiss Jr, Richard
95619.64
Weiss, David
38000.04
Weiss, Eugene
109946.09
Wells, Yadira
11131.9
Wenegenofsky, Robert
113263.93
Wentworth, Michael
114246.7
Wermann, John
82843.4
Werner, Brian
73540.71
West, Fredric
102186.79
West, Fredric
81714.08
Wetterau, Mary
64939.01
Whalen, Marianne
58464.95
Whaley, Elaine
90362.84
Wheatley, Elizabeth
59239.95
Whelan, Robert
120431.89
Whitaker III, James
56637.28
Whitaker, Lisa
36292.47
Whitney, Joseph
84431.52
Wicklund, Christopher
71556.59
Wieners, Richard
52317.39
Wiggins, Eric
14683.5
Wiggins, Michael
63602.06
Wilber, Walter
79853.86
Williams Jr, Charles
76138.99
Williams, Anthony
84367.28
Williams, Beatrice
45211.95
Williams, Curtis
62511.11
Williams, Dominique
6239
Williams, Jacqueline
66660.13
Williams, Lakisha
45211.95
Williams, Lawanda
11971.52
Williams, Marci
36326.24
Williams, Myles
83014.08
Williams, Ronald
77968.69
Williams, Shawn
8082
Williams, Thomas
83636.98
Williams, Tyrelle
57385.75
Williams, Vickie
77864.36
Williams, Victor
71836.87
Williams, Wandalyn
63397.56
Willis Sr, Darren
61828.83
Willis, Angela
35450.13
Willix, Debra
56486.06
Willix, Maureen
70255.95
Wilson, Arthur
92427.46
Wilson, Brian
87590.57
Wint, Gwendolyn
64133.88
Wipperman, Kimberly
16395.67
Wissenbach, Robert
62366.38
Wobbe, Laura
668.75
Wojciechowski, Mary
71567.71
Wolf, Clarence
4500
Wolfe, Douglas
70754.07
Wolfe, Michael
64403.11
Wood Jr, Douglas
22454
Woods, Michael
56013.68
Woodson, Betty
47573.46
Woodson-Stewart, Jeanne
41140.5
Wortham, Anthony
67059.64
Wortmann, Florence
47305.61
Wortmann, Richard
58017.29
Wright, Floyd
63297.74
Wright, Frieda
52800.56
Wright, Gerald
41500.05
Wright, Thomas
65841.44
Yildiz, Cemil
13809.25
Young, Jeffrey
66628.29
Young, Michael
53778.75
Young, Peter
70512.38
Yuskevich, Anne
382.5
Zaccoli, Bret
110725.47
Zafonte, Alice
72230.59
Zafonte, Martha
57655.99
Zafonte, Michael
93737.98
Zaiser, James
83959.03
Zajack Sr, John
69628.76
Zangla, Dominick
43238.66
Zangla, Dominick
74066.38
Zangla, Frank
45250.38
Zangla, Rosemarie
47730.41
Zappolo Jr, Michael
39837.63
Zappolo, John
95350.11
Zappolo, Michael
112262.05
Zarudsky, John
101965.3
Zeitlin, Judy
81527.46
Zeitlin, Shaun
68463.71
Zezulinski, Mitchel
89266.7
Ziegler, Gregory
54917.18
Zimny, Cecilia
28729.74
Zinn, Scott
50212.46
Zirpolo, Gary
73018.01
Zizzo, Dennis
35936.77
Zullo, Irene
39734.56
Zuppardo, Lucille
41140.5

Just what do all these people do???

Schmitt: Leave In The "M" For Misery

Taxpayers Suffering. Job Losses Climbing. Foreclosures At Record Highs. And Peter Schmitt Is Handing Out Raises To His Legislative Aides

Call it shameless. Call it chutzpah. Call it being completely out of touch with the reality of Long Island's economy. Or just call it Peter "Full Of" Schmitt doing the only thing he knows -- recklessly doling out the taxpayers' money to line the pockets of his political cronies.

The Republicans haven't even taken control of the Nassau County Legislature, and already the patronage perks are being handed out, at our expense.

So much for fiscal conservatism. So much for watching the taxpayers' backs. So much for "cutting spending and reducing the size of government". So much for the dawn of a new era in Nassau County.

Folks, you've been duped. But hey, you can't say you didn't see it coming.

To quote former NYC Mayor Ed Koch, after his electoral defeat, "The people have spoken, and now they must be punished!"

We've taken quite a bit of ribbing at The Community Alliance (gentle and otherwise) the last few days over what some have called the GOP sweep in Nassau County.

A sweep? We'd hardly call a 10-9 majority for the Republicans (9, 9 and 1, if Denise Ford continues to play both sides against the middle), and a race for County Executive that is still too close to call, either a sweep, or a resounding show of support for the Republican Party (Joe Mondello's temporary reprieve from life support notwithstanding).

Considering the Nassau Democratic Committee ran no campaign, and apparently saw no need to bother getting out the vote, and that GOP voters heeded the calls to come out to support the ticket, most races were exceptionally close. [But for the Town of Hempstead, where the Borg continues to control everything from the water on tap to the trash at the curb. Resistance is still futile (though we will make it our mission to resist, anyway).]

Not a mandate for the GOP, or necessarily a rebuke of the reigning Democrats. What was the difference on Election Day -- aside from the pitiful indifference of the electorate? It's the economy, stupid!

When times are tough, taxes through the roof, jobs difficult to come by, less food on the table, and the mood of the populace somber, the ins are out, and vice versa.

The message in Nassau County, if there is one, aside from finding a way to lower -- not cap, LOWER -- the property taxes, is that there is only one certainty in politics: To the victors go the spoils.

If the spoils of victory are evidenced by the pre-inaugural largess of Peter Schmitt, Caveat Emptaxor -- Let the taxpayer beware!
- - -
From Newsday:

After GOP win, Nassau Minority leader hands out raises
by CELESTE HADRICK / celeste.hadrick@newsday.com

A day after Nassau Republicans won back the majority on the county legislature by campaigning to cut spending and reduce taxes, Minority leader Peter Schmitt handed out hefty raises to five members of his personal staff.

While Democrats cried foul, Schmitt said most of his employees were still making far less than the outgoing Democratic majority's staff even as they take on more responsibilities as control shifts.

"The Democrats have 30 people on their staff at a cost of $1,957,000. I have 20 people on my staff at a cost of $1,170,000," Schmitt said. "I'm not going to ask key staff to do additional work without compensating them."

Schmitt sent a memo to the legislative clerk Wednesday requesting that senior legal and financial adviser Dan McCloy's salary be increased from $143,000 to $150,150; Minority Counsel Christopher Ostuni's salary be increased from $107,000 to $117,700; Minority Executive Director Virginia Brown's pay be increased from $87,000 to $95,700; Deputy Press Secretary Cristina Brennan's salary be increased from $77,000 to $84,700 and her assistant, Robert Reill's pay be increased from $62,500 to $65,625. Ostuni is the son-in-law of Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello.

"I was surprised by the election results, but this doesn't surprise me," said County Executive Thomas Suozzi, an eight-year Democratic incumbent who is a few hundred votes ahead of Republican challenger Edward Mangano before the absentee ballots are counted. "These are the same guys voters kicked out of power years ago because of this type of behavior. Maybe this will cause the voters to have buyer's remorse already."

Mangano, a county legislator from Bethpage, said he didn't know anything about his fellow Republican's raises. "My race is about cutting spending and reducing the size of government," he said.

Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), who will be turning the gavel over to Schmitt in January, said, "This is an outrage . . . For them to dole out huge raises just two days after an election dominated by the recession and a bad economic climate is unbelievable."

Bristling, Schmitt said that he never said a word against Yatauro when she became presiding officer two years ago and gave policy director David Gugerty a $150,000 salary, special assistant Gerry Twombly a $95,000 salary and finance director Roseann Dalleva a salary of $108,150.

"Ask them how a legislative assistant is making $82,400 a year," Schmitt said, referring to Luann Lima, who works for Legis. Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin).

Schmitt said as presiding officer he intends to restore independence to the legislature no matter who is elected county executive.

He said the legislature will hold more hearings into county operations, such as why so many ambulances are out of service at the same time, while refusing to pass last-minute county executive requests without sufficient review.

"I'm going to work very hard to repair the institutional damage that was done by the Democratic legislature," Schmitt said. "The days of rubber stamping stuff are over."



Coming Up: It's not only the universe that's ever-expanding. A look at the payroll at Hempstead Town Hall.

Join the resistance! Make contact with The Community Alliance at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

Does Corzine's Fall Foreshadow Paterson's Fate?

Indicators, Pundits, And The New York Times Would Say So -- And Have
"I am blind; I am not oblivious. . .I am running for Governor in 2010."
-- Gov. David A. Paterson

A tumbling local economy. Massive layoffs. Skyrocketing property taxes -- in fact, the highest in the land. Cuts, cuts, and more cuts. Increasing fees and decreasing services. Low voter turnout, especially among Democrats. An enormously unpopular Democratic Governor in a traditionally "blue" State.

New Jersey? New York? Corzine? Paterson?

Could we be talking about an interchangeable mindset in the two neighboring states, at least among likely voters?

If fate is the hunter, Jon Corzine having been shot down in the Garden State last Tuesday like a wayward deer lost on the Parkway, then Governor David Paterson, perhaps soon to be late (politically) of the Empire State, is surely the hunted.

Paterson may well have done, and be doing, all that is necessary and prudent to keep New York afloat, attempting to prevent its coffers from further sinking into the mire of indebtedness, contrarians and the GOP talking heads notwithstanding.

That won't change the perception of the voters.

It didn't in Jersey, where few, intellectually speaking, could truly fault Corzine for having his tenure as Governor fall squarely in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

The party in power -- in both New Jersey and New York, the Democrats -- will take the blame, whether deserved or not, and the wrath of the voters will come down hard on the incumbents.

If there is a lesson to be learned from Jon Corzine's defeat at the hands of Chris Christie (who, truth be told, really hasn't a clue as to what he's getting into, or an inkling as to what it will take to get NJ out of its fiscal bind), it is that it is sometimes better to save face -- not to mention the prospects of the Party -- and simply walk away.

Face it, Jon Corzine had President Obama, Vice President Biden, and every other popular Democrat in his corner, parading through the cranberry bogs and past the refineries, up and down the New Jersey Turnpike.

It didn't turn the tide. Not even close.

David Paterson, already saddled with the lowest approval rating of any sitting New York Governor -- even lower than Eliot Spitzer, on the ex-Gov's worst day -- won't have the President at his side along the campaign trail. Indeed, Mr. Obama, as has been widely reported, asked Governor Paterson to bow out of the 2010 gubernatorial race.

No dice, says Paterson, the writing jumping off the wall notwithstanding. [There'd be a "none so blind" comment waiting in the wings here, were it not so politically incorrect.]

Everyone, it seems, but for Mr. Paterson, understands, implicitly, that, absent pulling fifteen billion dollars or so out of a hat (and even then), the Governor is not electable. One has to wonder what his friends and close advisers are telling him. [Akin to the Emperor's new clothes?] Or have even the Governor's closest allies jumped ship, intellectually, if not physically.

The folks we confer with, on a regular basis, almost to a person, say that Paterson cannot win election in 2010. In fact, most say they would not vote for him. And these are Democrats.

Paterson has lost the Independents and the confidence once held in him by the Democratic base, who fear, perhaps more so than losing the Governor's office, returning the NYS Senate to the Republicans, who will then have the redrawing of district lines -- the once per decade redistricting -- in their pockets.

Most telling, in our opinion, is not what the average Joe or Jane on the street thinks. [No one cares about them except on Election Day -- if then.] It's The New York Times editorial page, that last bastion of left-wing liberal thought, opining that a liberal Democratic Governor in New York should forgo the 2010 race.

As suggested by The Times, the best thing David Paterson can do for New York -- not to mention the State's Democratic Party -- is to announce that he will not seek a full term next year.

Avoid both a primary challenge from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, which would prove both humiliating and divisive, and a fate at the polls next November (should he somehow make it that far) akin to that of New Jersey's now lame duck Governor, Jon Corzine.

The bell tolls for thee, Governor, loud and clear. We hope, for your sake, as well as that of your Party, and that of the good people of the great State of New York, that you hear and heed their warning.

And to NYS Democratic Party Chair, Jay Jacobs (also the Nassau County Democratic Committee Chair), if you're reading this blogpost, consider, on the heels of the near wipe out by a GOP Tsunami in Nassau County on November 3, having Governor Paterson bow out sooner (as in, by year's end) rather than later.

Let those who have a shot at actually winning -- and that would be, on the Democratic side, Andrew Cuomo -- have a clear and unobstructed path to the nomination.

As for David Paterson, a nice guy but ineffective leader, the foretelling of the future is, in this instance, not mystical, but a matter of simple deductive reasoning. The numbers just aren't there for Governor Paterson.

If, defying logic, the pollsters, the pundits, and the will of the people (not to mention The New York Times), Paterson does seek election to a full term as New York's Governor, well, to paraphrase Leo Durocher, David Paterson, nice guy, will likely finish last, and New York, with its State Legislature a dysfunctional (at best) embarrassment, may well be plunged into the abyss of oblivion along with him.

Will Shift In Nassau County Legislature Be Perk Or Pan For Parks?

PARCnassau Is Hoping New Legislature Will "Do Us Proud"

Will Nassau County's parks fare better under a Republican Legislature than they have under the Dems? [Did the parks -- at least the ones deemed by the County to be "active" -- do so badly under the Democrats?]

And what of the issue of "privatizing" some of the County's parks, a matter which many find contentious, and not necessarily in the best interests of the public?

Our friend, and friend of the parks, Bruce Piel of PARCnassau, writes in with a few thoughts of his own, and looks forward, with anticipation, if not glee, to meeting and working with the new County Legislature.

A word to the wise, Bruce. Don't expect all that much beyond rhetoric and empty promises.

Those of us old enough to remember eight years ago, when then County Exec Tom Gulotta and a GOP-controlled Legislature held court over Nassau's parks, recall a park system in disrepair (even before anyone at the County Seat was crying poverty), and Commissioners who didn't even know which parks were under the County's jurisdiction.

Granted, our parks need improvement, if not basic maintenance, particularly so our "passive" (the County's word) community parks, many of which have been forgotten and neglected since the days of the Nassau County Board of Supervisors (also Republican, if memory serves us).

On the issue of privatization, many of you have e-mailed The Community Alliance (thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com), notably on the heels of Bruce Piel's missives, with thoughts and concerns. Most were anonymous, which, therefore, precluded publication.

"Parks are parks," some say, nonchalantly. To most of us, however, parks and open green space, accessible to all, are what make Nassau County suburbia.

What's on your mind, with respect to our parks and other vestiges of community life, is important, to us, to your neighbors, and, on some level, we hope, our elected representatives.

We encourage you -- indeed, implore you -- to post comments on this blog (scroll down to the end of each post and click on "comments"), as well as to e-mail us with words of wisdom for publication (please include your full name and a daytime contact number for verification).

While we urge you to take ownership of your remarks by posting your names, we will, in the interest of protecting your identities from the goons who think the 4 A.M. phone call to your home is an appropriate response to legitimate criticism, withhold your name from publication upon request.

And now, without further ado, Bruce Piel of PARCnassau:

As of this writing there has been a major change in the county legislature and the race for the county executive is still in doubt. We feel a key ingredient in these results is the public's disenchantment with the privatization and misuse of the county park system. Are there other factors at work? Of course, but few issues strike with as much impact as open space, parks and preserves.

When all the dust has settled we hope to meet with all factions of county government to insure the park user (and financial supporter) will be getting a park system protected from developers, private for profit companies looking for tax free land and misguided public officials looking to turn our park system into a cash cow.

We are cognizant that the process to rebuild our park system will be slow due to the economic conditions facing all of us right now. That being said, all privatization proposals regardless of their current status must be stopped now, including The Coleman Camp/Roosevelt Preserve issue, The Dave Ferris/Chistopher Morely Pool issue, The Grant Park Ice rink issue, The Nickerson Beach "Sportsplex" issue, etc., etc.

After the "new" county government shakes itself out, we will be requesting meetings with the leaders in March, 2010. Our congrats to all the victors in the election. Please......Do us proud.

Bruce Piel
Chairman
Park Advocacy & Recreation Council of Nassau (PARCnassau)
246 Twin Lane East
Wantagh, NY 11793
(516) 783-8378

The Schmitt Hits The Fan In Nassau County

Perfect Storm Of Bad Economy, High Taxes, And Democratic Malaise Give GOP Big Night

The Democratic majority -- whose tenure at the helm was so much less than remarkable -- in the Nassau County Legislature. Gone.

Howard Weitzman -- who, through poignant audits, served as watchdog over the wasteful and corrupt special taxing districts -- as Nassau County Comptroller. Gone. [One wonders whether George Maragos, with Ronald Reagan peering over his shoulder, will be watching as carefully, if at all.]

Jeff Toback -- one of the few stalwarts of the community -- a true advocate for the constituents he served as a Nassau County Legislator. Gone.

The enthusiasm of Democratic voters -- who last year came out to the polls in droves -- now outnumbering, in registration only, Republicans. Gone.

Any chance of saving the Town of Hempstead -- America's most blighted township -- where, quite literally, from the ever-present wink and a smile comes little true benefit to anyone other than friends, family, and the party faithful. Gone.

Tom Suozzi -- the architect of the New Suburbia -- the last best hope for the future of Nassau County and Long Island. Teetering.

Jay Jacobs -- the wunderkind of the Nassau Democrats -- as the end-all of a vibrant, victorious Democratic party. Never was. [Suozzi and the Nassau Dems trumped into office on the back of the myriad shortcomings of Tom Gulotta and the rubber-stamping Republicans, who failed homeowners, taxpayers, and anyone else who saw the county as anything more than 1950 surrounded by a white picket fence. Guess what? They're back!]

Yes, gone are the days when progress meant more than a return to an era of wasteful spending, reckless borrowing, endless patronage, and looking into that rear view mirror and seeing the likes of Mondello, Murray, and Schmitt gaining on us -- ear-to-ear grins on their faces; five sticky fingers on each hand in our pockets.

The facts: The economy is still tanking on Long Island. Jobs continue to be lost. Those property taxes seem unstoppable. And fees added to taxes on top of no plausible means of -- or will to -- stop the madness, frustrated, agitated, and, simply put, pissed off the voters.

The Republicans, as they always do in these parts, came out and voted as told. [Voting is an admirable attribute. Voting, with absence of forethought, forsaking the consequences (they'd vote for Osama if his name was on the party line), is not.]

The Democrats, whose leaders ran ineffective campaigns, when they campaigned at all, made even less of an effort to get out the vote, and it showed. [In terms the Democratic Committee might actually understand, if you want 'em to come to evening activity, or to line up for milk and cookies, you have to, at the very least, blow the bugle.]

Democrats, who, on paper, have the edge in voter registration, stayed home. Shame on every registered voter who couldn't take ten minutes to get to the polls!

Democracy has never been a spectator sport, its course never easily traveled, its virtues seldom successfully triumphed to their potential.

This year, too many of us chose to watch from the sidelines, witnesses not so much to a reversal of fortune, for the economy, taxes, and a planning board cum zoning board that accomplishes neither, have pretty much stifled our county's resurgence.

What we are seeing, in our discontent, is a misguided return to an era which proved itself to be fraught with error, and nearly fatal for our county.

Frozen in time. Myopic in vision. Bereft of new ideas or lofty ideals.

While we wish the new Nassau County Legislature well -- may they live up to the promise of tax relief and fiscal conservatism -- we still hold in vivid memory (unlike most residents, apparently), the utter disgrace by which these very elected officials (yes, Peter "full of" Schmitt was there) "governed" the last time around.

Tax revolt? Maybe. We wouldn't count on it from this bunch.

The hope of a reimagined Nassau that is so much more than an asphalt wasteland? Gone, but not forgotten!
- - -
The Community Alliance -- never out of office, or out of vogue -- continues its campaign to take back our town -- One neighborhood, one block, one house, one vote at a time!

Keep on reading The Community Alliance blog -- http://thecommunityalliance.blogspot.com/ -- where the status quo is never good enough!

Comments? Concerns? Guest blogposts? Write to us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

Take That, Glen Beck, Sarah Palin!

Dems Take Back NY's 23rd CD For First Time Since Civil War

A caution to New York Republicans, enamored, of late, with the conservatives (those of the Beck, Limbaugh, and Palin ilk), while bashing the moderates in their own party.

Ahh. Divide yourselves, and be conquered -- by the Democrats!

The tea party, at least in upstate New York, is essentially over, with Democrat, Bill Owens, winning the election in the 23rd Congressional District against Conservative, Doug Hoffman, and Republican, Dede Scozzafava, who, the weekend before the election, having been berated and undermined by her own party, threw up her hands in disgust, withdrew from the race, and endorsed Owens, the Democrat.

Strange bedfellows, indeed.

Of course, elsewhere around the State, Democrats did not fare as well.

Andy Spano lost his spot as Westchester County Executive. [It was the property taxes, stupid!] The Democrats lost control of the Nassau County Legislature.* [It was the energy tax and the property tax, stupid!] Tom Suozzi and Ed Mangano are battling it out, mano a mano, with absentee ballots hanging in the balance. [It was and still is the energy tax, the property tax, and those school district taxes, stupid!]

*Unless Denise Ford, who says she will not vote for Peter Schmitt for Majority Leader (who could blame her?), decides to caucus with the Democrats.

And in Hempstead Town, to no one's surprise, the Republicans, led by Supervisor, smiling Kate Murray, held on to their stranglehold by huge margins. [That's just stupid!]

Face it. People are frustrated. Voters are angry. GOPers came out to vote. Dems stayed home.

Another visit to bizzaro world in an off, off-year election.
- - -
Click HERE for the latest election results from News12.com

What We Have To Say At The Blog May Not Matter Much. . .

What You Have To Say At The Polls May Make All The Difference In The World!

Read, Million Dollar Garbage, only at The Community Alliance blog.

Today, Tuesday, November 3, VOTE!

Tell them you're not taking their garbage anymore...

Polls are open in New York from 6 A.M. until 9 P.M.

Million Dollar Garbage

Talkin' Trash In The Town That Murray Bilked

The Father. The Son. The Sanitary District Supervisor.

No, not some religious dogma adhered to by Monks bound to a vow of silence. Just the taking by the Town of Hempstead of public tax money -- your tax dollars -- to pad the payroll with cronies, hacks, and family members. A saga repeated in water districts, fire districts, and sanitary districts throughout America's most blighted township. We, the people, turning the other cheek while our pockets are picked clean.

How could it be that a Supervisor in the Town of Hempstead Sanitary District 7 in Oceanside (disavowed by that very Town government and its Supervisor, Kate Murray, as having any connection to the Town whatsoever), takes home $663,163 in salary and benefits, deferred compensation valued at $299,530, a Chevy trailblazer (and a Tahoe), and 5-weeks vacation per year?

Not to mention that, while some of us do without a new pair of shoes or eye glasses for our kids in this awful economy, this same Sanitary District Supervisor -- a public employee -- garners a $450 a year shoe and optical allowance?

Could it be that the Supervisor's Dad is a well-connected GOPer, the leader of the Oceanside Republican Club, who held the lucrative Sanitary District Supervisor spot before his son, and, on top of an annual public pension of $75,000 a year, returned to the Sanitary District after retirement as a part-time consultant, raking in another $62,000 per year, plus health benefits?

That's more than one million taxpayer dollars, folks, to support this one family, for one year, in one (and a half) positions, at a single Sanitary District.

Is it any wonder Town of Hempstead residents, served (or is it fleeced?) by the Special Sanitary Districts, pay as much (in some instances, more) for garbage collection as they do for police protection? [Yes, we know, Tony Santino. We enjoy paying more!]

According to Newsday, when told of the (Comptroller) audit's findings, Jeff Tierney, a director of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, said, "That's really a slap in the face. How does it get to this point? Who's in charge?"

Who's in charge? Why, that would be us, the homeowners, the taxpayers, the voters, right? As local as local government gets, or so the Town would dupe us into believing.

Or is it Kate Murray and her cohorts at Hempstead Town Hall, who not only sanction the shenanigans at the Town's Special Districts, but, through their own actions, in what amounts to blatant nepotism, inexcusable abuse of the public trust, and downright thievery, when it comes right down to it, hire friends and relatives for lucrative Town jobs -- and then, rehire them after they've "retired"?

Yes, Kate & Kompany have control of the Sanitary Districts. Do not attempt to adjust your recycling bins. Kate controls the patronage, and the Party -- the one Mondello built -- controls Kate!

And whose fault is that? Er. Um. That would be us, wouldn't it?

Yes, Joe Mondello may well have anointed Kate as Town Supervisor back in 2003, but it is we, the people, who not only elected Murray twice thereafter, but are poised to re-elect her again tomorrow.

Ahh. The Masochism Tango. The official dance of the Town of Hempstead.

Maybe its all those endorsements Kate has racked up.

The Editorial Board of Newsday -- Long Island's only daily -- gave its nod to Kate, "trusting that she will make the right decisions..." [Hey. If Kate hasn't made the right decisions during six years in office -- and she hasn't, by Newsday's own findings, in black and white -- what in the world makes them think she'll get in right now?]

Interesting. The paper blasts Murray regularly, and then turns around and tells voters to re-elect the smiling one. Perhaps the Editorial Board missed Sandra Peddie's eye-opening series on the Special taxing Districts, or neglected to read Eden Laikin's columns on the maladministration of government in Hempstead and other GOP strangleholds. [Newsday may ignore the writing in its own publication. Thankfully, others have duly recognized the groundbreaking investigative reporting of Peddie and Laikin.]

The Editorial Board must have been mesmerized by that effervescent smile. The hypnotic spell of Hempstead Town's very own Cheshire Cat.

Why, even the local, so-called "community" paper -- the Herald -- gave its endorsement to Murray, saying "it is hard to criticize Murray’s performance as town supervisor."

It is?

The Herald's own reporters and editors, when not simply regurgitating press releases emanating from Hempstead Town Hall, are repeatedly questioning Murray's actions -- and, most notably, inaction -- at the helm, as are the paper's readers.

For some reason, the Herald doesn't see Murray's opponent, Kristen McElroy, as "fully prepared to take on the job of manager of one of the largest towns in America."

What does it take to prepare for Hempstead Supervisor, anyway? A stint as Sanitary District Supervisor?

But no. As per the Herald, Murray has an "understanding of the issues residents face..."

Oh, Kate Murray understands the issues, all right. She just doesn't do a damn thing about them!

As for Newsday's claim that Kristen McElroy's "budgeting experience is mostly limited to running a household", making her unprepared to run a town with a 2010 budget of $386 million, isn't that just a bit disingenuous?

After all, Kate Murray has been running the town -- mainly, into the ground -- with budgets that give almost everyone in her household a piece of the public pie. Apparently, running a household budget counts for a heck of a lot more than Newsday's Editorial Board opines.

Is it us, or is it them? Have they lost their minds, or have we?

Are we missing something?

Oh yeah. OUR MONEY! Kate and her cronies at Hempstead Town Hall, and their cancerous tentacles that reach out into the Town's far too many special taxing districts, have taken our money away.

Have they also taken away our ability to think and reason? Have they relieved the good citizens of the Town's underrepresented and overtaxed unincorporated areas of rational forethought? Have Kate & Kompany disenfranchised us of our very right to vote in our own best interests? [No, only we could do that to ourselves!]

Just when will we take stock in ourselves, our future as Long Islanders, our stake in Hempstead Town, and, at long last, stop the insanity?

When will we have had enough of million dollar garbage?

We have no delusions that the old, tired, machine will crank on in Hempstead Town, there being little willingness on the part of the electorate to rage against the follies and foibles of an administration that, time and time again, decade in and decade out, has put its own selfish interests ahead of ours.

We will, in all likelihood, wake up Wednesday morning to the same old Murraygrams in our mailboxes, with little else to show for the millions of tax dollars we pour into the patronage pot.

Or maybe, just maybe, we will have that much-needed awakening on Tuesday -- Election Day -- realizing that they're not just stealing lawn signs out there, they're stealing our tomorrows!
- - -
From Newsday:

Audit: Oceanside son, dad earn over $1M from taxpayers
by SANDRA PEDDIE / sandra.peddie@newsday.com

In three years, Oceanside garbage supervisor Charles Scarlata earned a whopping $667,163 in public pay and benefits, making him one of the most highly compensated public officials on Long Island, according to an audit by the Nassau County Comptroller's office.

The audit also shows that Scarlata, 51, will receive a $25,000-a-year payment from Sanitary District 7 for 15 years after he leaves the district -- a deferred compensation package currently worth $299,530.

Included in his pay package is a $450-a-year shoe and optical allowance. Scarlata also receives the use of a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer provided to him by the district and five weeks vacation a year. Thursday, a 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe registered to the district was parked in front of Scarlata's Oceanside home.

The audit is the most recent in a series of reviews by Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman of special districts, the tiny units of government that provide services such as garbage pickup and water hookups to specific areas. In recent years, special districts have come under fire for spending and patronage abuses.

Family tiesIf Scarlata has any questions about the job, all he has to do is turn to his father, Oceanside Republican Club leader Michael Scarlata, 75, who held the post before him.

Although Michael Scarlata retired from the district in December 1998 with an annual pension of about $75,000, he returned two days later as a part-time consultant for the district, making an additional $62,000 a year, plus health benefits, according to the audit.

All told, the father and son cost the taxpayers more than $1 million in pay and benefits from the sanitary district from 2006 through 2008, the years examined by the audit, Weitzman said. District taxpayers pay $676 a year in garbage taxes; the average in Hempstead town is $420.
"Taxpayers have financed a million-dollar family," he said.

When told of the audit's findings, Jeff Tierney, a director of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, said, "That's really a slap in the face. How does it get to this point? Who's in charge?"
Neither Charles nor Michael Scarlata returned calls for comment Thursday.

Resistance to probeWeitzman's audit shows his office's work in the district was not easy.

Auditors encountered stiff resistance from Charles Scarlata, who at times was "verbally hostile and abusive," according to the report.

Three auditors got flat tires while at the district, said Weitzman's spokeswoman, Carole Trottere. After finishing their review, they reported the flat tires and referred the audit to the Nassau County district attorney's office. A spokesman for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said the office is reviewing the audit.

Weitzman, a Democrat who is running for re-election, said the release of the audit has nothing to do with Tuesday's election.

He said he released it immediately after getting the district's response this week. In the response, district officials defended their operations, but agreed to consider some of the comptroller's recommendations.

The district's attorney, Jerome Cline of Lynbrook, did not return a call Thursday seeking comment for this story.

The audit highlights the district's extraordinary pay structure, which benefits select administrators, but pays far less to the people who actually pick up the garbage, Weitzman said.
For example, in 2008, Charles Scarlata was paid $224,569 to supervise roughly 55 employees. He was able to add $51,748 to his base salary of $146,245 by receiving payment for 92 comp days, which the audit said was for working extra hours.

Additional benefits -- among them a $10,000 bonus, and health and dental insurance -- boosted his total compensation package for that year to $240,769, the audit said. By comparison, sanitation workers make from $17,000 to $79,550 a year, according to records.

Moreover, district administrators are entitled to up to 800 days of termination pay -- or about 3½ years of salary -- when they leave. Laborers get up to 250 days, according to the audit.
Because Charles Scarlata was the only employee whose payments for comp time were included in salary reports to the New York State retirement system, his pension upon retiring will be approximately $124,000 a year, auditors said.

Scarlata's father, Michael, has long been active in the Nassau Republican Party. He has served on the party's executive committee and contributed to various Republican campaigns, according to records. One of the district's commissioners, Seymour Mensch, helps run the Oceanside Republican club with him, according to the county party's Web site.

Despite continuing to work as a district consultant, Michael Scarlata has no contract. Officials refused to provide auditors a written summary of his work, but said he fields requests from local community groups, responds to problems at schools and helps with labor negotiations, the audit said.

Nepotism is rampant, the audit said, with at least eight employees who appear to have family ties. "Sanitary District No. 7 has become the local family business on the public payroll," Weitzman said.

Joseph Troiano, who is active with Residents for Efficient Special Districts, a civic group pushing for reforms, said, "This stuff just has to stop. It's very unfair to the unsuspecting taxpayers."
- - -
Click HERE to read the Comptroller's Audit Report of Sanitary District 7, Town of Hempstead.

Trick Or Trickle In Hempstead Town

The Golden Age Of Tricks, Pranks, And Freezes Continues In America's Largest Township

And Town Residents Are Left Out In The Cold Once Again, Holding The Kate-O-Lantern

Take off that terrifying mask, Kate Murray. You're frightening the children -- not to mention, Town of Hempstead taxpayers.

All right. It's Halloween. Keep on the scary mask. Just lose that false bravado; that "freezing never felt so good..."

Yes, "Kate Murray is freezing..." Downright frigid, if you ask us. Even that smile upon her face has frozen.

We have to ask, though, can you really fool all of the people all of the time?

Apparently, there are as many fools in Hempstead Town as there are relatives and lackies on the Town payroll, allowing Kate Murray and her ilk (or was that, elk?) to roll to easy, almost unchallenged victory at the polls.

Will it be any different this Election Day -- Tuesday, November 3?

Probably not.

We see the smile. We buy into the phony tax freeze, the "trusted on Main Street" credo, the silliness of ILIKEKATE.com.

Forget the Lighthouse project, the blight, the misnomer of the planning board cum zoning board, the broken promises of revitalized downtowns. Yes, Kate & Kompany would like us to forget all of that, indeed.

Just look at your Tax Statements for two out of the last three years, during which time Supervisor Kate Murray swears, up and down, that she has "held the line on taxes."

Between 2006 and 2009, here's what Kate Murray has done to hold that line on your Town taxes:

Town General Purposes -- +3.47%

Town Highways -- +16.96%

Town Building/Zoning -- +11.65%

Town Lighting District -- +13.85%

Town Park District -- +$16.05%

Town Parking District -- +136.09% (this is not a typo)

Town Refuse Disposal District -- +15.89%

And these "freezes" don't include the Town's Special taxing Districts, over which Kate Murray avers absolutely no control.

Collectively, the Special District (fire, sanitation, water) taxes increased by 43.79% between 2006 and 2009.

The old "fake a freeze" during an election year, and "stoke the fires" under enormous tax hikes in off years, when few(er) are actually paying attention.

Of course, it's not only about property taxes. folks. You kinda enjoy paying more, as Senior Town Councilman Tony Santino often tells us, right?

It's all of those other quality of life perks we get from the Town, like affordable housing.

And speaking of seniors, and affordable housing, those self-laudatory press releases continue to flow out of the basement at Town Hall, much like they did out of Baghdad during the first Gulf War.

The latest, the affordable Golden Age home lottery in Elmont.

Just what are the Townies offering the thousands of seniors being driven out (or is that "frozen" out?) of their homes by outrageous property taxes?

Thirty (count 'em, 30) housing units.

Don't get us wrong. Thirty affordable housing units is a decent start. It is barely enough, however, to keep up with the demand. A crisis in housing that calls for more than a handful of single-family homes or townhouse-style co-ops.

And what of housing units for the Town's fleeing young workforce? Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Well, at least the Nigerian goats, Point Lookout clams, and the Town's feral cats will be happy -- if not entirely warmed by Kate Murray's "freeze" -- this Halloween.

Trick or treat, Town of Hempstead taxpayers! Prepare yourselves for a long, cold -- more like, freezing -- winter on Kate Murray's frozen Hempstead Plain.

- - -

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Be bold, or be frozen. VOTE!

Cue the Victorian streetlights...

Bigger (A Smidge), Better (A Bit) Bottle Bill Goes Into Effect October 31

Beginning On Halloween, Those Water Bottles (on which you will pay a nickel deposit) Become Returnable

A victory (sort of) for environmentalists, who decry the ageless plastic water bottle as a mainstay of the landfill for the next billion years, and for those of us who loathe seeing those containers lining our roadways and strewn about our parks and beaches.

Starting on Saturday, October 31, water sold in containers will require a 5 cent deposit, per bottle, which deposit -- as with the nickel deposit on soda bottles, beer bottles, and wine coolers -- will be refundable upon the bottle's return to the store. [Water bottles already in your possession that did not require a deposit are NOT refundable. DUH!]

Our friends at Citizens Campaign for the Environment applauded the implementation of the expanded bottle bill -- which had been contested in the federal court by bottlers and manufacturers (those fiends).

"The original Bottle Bill was one of the most successful pieces of environmental legislation and substantially reduced litter and increased recycling. Many things have changed in the decades since states first adopted bottle bills. In the early 1980’s, carbonated and malt beverages comprised the lion’s share of the convenience beverage market. Now, the largest growing sector of the convenience beverage industry consists of bottled water, tea, and sports drinks. CCE and our partners have worked for years to expand the Bottle Bill to capture these beverages. Recycling saves money, creates jobs, saves energy, and fights climate change."

The expanded bottle bill still does not include other, non-carbonated beverage containers, such as iced-tea, sports drinks, or any beverage with added sugar, nor does it address the issue of whether we should be drinking our water from reusable containers rather than the disposables in the first place, but it is viewed by consumer groups as a step in the right direction.

Detractors of the inclusion of water bottles in the expanded law say that the price of a 24-pack of water will now increase by $2 (the nickel deposit, per bottle, plus handling fees) -- this increase amounting to little more than an additional tax upon the public -- and, based on the history of bottles not returned for deposit refunds, will still leave 50% of the water bottles in the trash or on the side of the road.

Of interest -- and some surprise -- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an environmentalist and (what do you know), water bottler (all profits go to environmental concerns) , opposed the legislation as giving an unfair advantage to the sugared beverage manufacturers, as well as undermining recycling programs.

A still bigger and measurably better bottle bill, to include all beverage containers and further encourage and enhance recycling initiatives, perhaps?

Absolutely!

While the court's injunction on the water bottle deposit program is lifted as of today, technically, dealers will have until November 8 to "gear up" and be in full compliance with the law.

Drink up, New York, and no more tossing of those water bottles out the car window, or leaving them behind at the beach, park, or curb!

Psst! Have We Got A Proposition For You

Actually, We Have Two Of Them

Unbeknownst to most voters (and even those in the know often have trouble finding them on the ballot), there are two (2) Propositions on Tuesday's ballot, both to amend the State Constitution. [No, they're not proposing to eliminate the State Legislature. How unfortunate.]

Proposal One is essentially and land swap, which would give National Grid the right to erect and maintain power transmission lines on land that runs through St. Lawrence County. The State gives up 6 acres of preserve, and will get 10 acres of forest land from National Grid.

Proposal Two would essentially allow State prisoners to volunteer their time at not-for-profit organizations. Why not? This would appear to be a win-win for everyone. The nonprofits get volunteers to assist in their important work in the community, while the inmates have the opportunity to give make to the community. [Call this an amendment that allows the incarcerated to make amends!]

From the Nassau County League of Women Voters:

PROPOSAL NUMBER ONE: AN AMENDMENT

FORM OF SUBMISSION (how the proposal will be presented to you on the ballot):

Amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution, in relation to the use of certain forest preserve lands by National Grid to construct a 46 kV power line along State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County.

The proposed amendment would authorize the Legislature to convey up to six acres of forest preserve land along State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County to National Grid for construction of a power line. In exchange, National Grid would convey to the State at least 10 acres of forest land in St. Lawrence County, to be incorporated into the forest preserve. The land to be conveyed by National Grid to the State must be at least equal in value to the land conveyed to National Grid by the State. Should the amendment be approved?

What will this amendment do if approved by the voters?

The “Forever Wild” clause of the NYS Constitution prohibits any development in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, including the building of power lines, unless the constitution is specifically amended to allow it. A constitutional amendment requires passage by two separately elected state Legislatures and then approval by the voters. This amendment has been passed unanimously by the Legislatures that took office in 2007 and 2009, and is now being presented to the voters on the November, 2009 ballot.

This amendment will make constitutional an action that has, in fact, already taken place. The NYS Power Authority, with the involvement and agreement of the interested environmental and municipal groups, approved the building of a back-up power line through forest preserve land to protect the health and safety of the residents of the Village of Tupper Lake. The line was built and activated in May of 2009.

What is the background on this proposal?

Before this new power line was built, the village of Tupper Lake had frequent power outages caused by damage to its single electrical supply line, principally from falling tree limbs in forested land along its route. There was no back-up line in the event of power failure, and during the winter alternative shelter had to be provided to village residents. This was considered an urgent situation that could not wait for the completion of the constitutional amendment process for relief, since it affected the health and safety of the villagers. The most environmentally friendly route for the new line traverses about two miles of Adirondack Forest Preserve land, affecting a small number of physical acres. While the new line could have been detoured to avoid forest preserve land, the detour would have involved a six mile cut through old-growth undeveloped forest and wetlands, endangering the habitat of wildlife.

The chosen route along an existing road through previously cleared preserve land was judged to be more ecologically friendly. National Grid, the builder of the line, will compensate for the loss of existing preserve land by conveying new forest preserve land to the State. This new land must be of equal or greater value than the land that was lost. Environmental and civic organizations are supportive of this remedy to what was a serious and persistent public health and safety issue. Since the amendment is specific to this situation, it does not give broader constitutional permission to other such solutions; each would require another constitutional amendment.

Given that the underlying "taking" by National Grid is a fait accompli, and the swap of 6 acres for 10 favors the public, The Community Alliance supports the proposed amendment, and encourages voters to VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION ONE.

Proposition One is supported locally by the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

PROPOSAL NUMBER TWO: AN AMENDMENT

FORM OF SUBMISSION (how the proposal will be presented to you on the ballot):

Amendment to article 3 of the Constitution, in relation to authorizing the Legislature to allow prisoners to voluntarily perform work for nonprofit organizations.

The proposed amendment would authorize the Legislature to pass legislation to permit inmates in state and local correctional facilities to perform work for nonprofit organizations. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

What will this amendment do if approved by the voters?

The NYS Constitution currently prohibits labor performed by prisoners in state or local correctional facilities to be “be farmed out, contracted, given or sold to any person, firm, association or corporation”, except the state or any political division of the state and its public institutions. This means that prisoners cannot perform work, even voluntarily, for nonprofit organizations, such as churches, charities, social service agencies or educational institutions. If passed by the voters, this amendment will remove this constitutional impediment, and will authorize the Legislature to allow these inmates to voluntarily perform work for nonprofit
organizations.

What is the background on this proposal?

The sponsors for the legislation proposing this constitutional amendment argue that prohibiting prisoners from voluntarily performing work for nonprofit organizations denies these often under-funded organizations access to a willing labor force for tasks such as grounds-keeping. They say that many localities have requested that the prohibition be removed. They also say that allowing inmate work crews to provide labor to these organizations will help fill the gaps in funding them, and will give the inmates a sense of “giving back” to the community.

The sponsors also make the point that passing this amendment would only give the Legislature authority to pass a law allowing inmates to do such work. This “enacting legislation” could include restrictions, in the interest of public safety, on which inmates would be eligible to perform this work. Two separately elected Legislatures passed this constitutional amendment with near unanimous votes in favor.

The Community Alliance supports permitting prisoners to voluntary perform work for nonprofit organizations, as set forth above, and encourages residents to VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION TWO.

Again, scour that ballot carefully for these Propositions. They are easy to miss!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. VOTE!

Click HERE for the Nassau County Voter Guide

It's Not Only About The Islanders

It's About Saving Nassau County From The Dust Bowl

If the Lighthouse Project was only about keeping the hapless, and nearly winless, Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum (home to the International Great Beer Expo), we would almost certainly be inclined to say -- no, to beg -- 'take 'em away!"

But this planned redevelopment of what is now an asphalt wasteland --reminiscent of the great plains during the 1930s, sans the tumbleweed and the dust storms -- is about so much more than keeping a hockey team (is that what the Islanders are?) on Long Island.

The Lighthouse Project would not only be a job creator, an economic booster, and a civic center for a county whose hallmarks, at least over the past quarter century, have been sprawl, brownfields, and suburban blight, it would be a boom to an aging island population, trying to keep Generation Next close to home, and beckon those next door to take a second look.

"It would be too big, too massive, too tall?"

Well, what does it say for a county whose tallest structure, by far, is the Covanta incinerator chimney in Westbury?

How do we stop the brain drain and attract a young, vital workforce, when redevelopment is defined as a white picket fence circa 1952?

Where is the vision that will take America's first suburb from the current nightmare scenario, where flight seems right, to the full potential of the suburban dream?

Are we lacking visionaries? Leadership? The will to find a way?

We have the visionaries, apparently. Folks who see the big picture and understand that a thriving suburbia is a great deal more than Levitt capes surrounded by vacant strip malls.

Is it the lack of leaders who can take an island with a 1950s mindset into the 21st Century?

Well, face it, Kate Murray is no Moses, and the Town of Hempstead, whose Zoning Board ostensibly holds the key to any changes in the infrastructure of the greater part of Nassau County, is much better at carving out exceptions to the Building Code than in incorporating Smart Growth principles into the Town's agenda. [We'd say, the Town's Master Plan, but clearly, beyond Blight Studies and faulty "Urban" renewal schemes (scams?), there really is no Master plan!]

As much as we chided Katuria D'Amato (Al's wife) as a patronage hack in her early days on the Town ZBA, she's proven herself the brightest member of the Board, shaking her head when one or more of her fellow Board members chimes in with a foolish comment or altogether dumb question, and rolling her eyes whenever the Chairman opens his mouth or counsel needs testimony repeated because he simply cannot hear. [As opposed to the rest of our Town officials, who can hear, but simply choose not to listen!]

Actually, Katuria D'Amato (congrats on the new baby, by the way) gets it. Too bad no one else at the Town of Hempstead seems to.

The will to find a way? Maybe they're all stuck in traffic on the Merchant's Concourse. Or it could be that the vision thing we so often speak of is shortsighted rather than long term.

Imagine if planners of yore (not mine, but yore), did not have the vision to turn a filthy, downtrodden slum into what would become Lincoln Center? An overflowing great ash heap into Flushing Meadow Park (and two World Fairs)? Or a flat, nearly barren plain, twenty miles from the City, into America's first suburban community?

Before us, right here in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, Long Island, New York -- that place we so humbly call home -- lies the great opportuninty not only to reimagine the future of suburbia, but to reinvent it, and to make it work again, for ourselves, our children, and generations of Long Islanders yet to come.

We are, each of us, pioneers of a new sort, in a new and significant era, on these Hempstead Plains.

We are, each in his own way, Islanders!
- - -
Cue the tumbleweeds. . .

Fresh Start Versus Status Quo In Nassau's 8th LD

Tumminello Challenges Muscarella For Seat In Nassau County Legislature

If Vincent Muscarella, the longtime Republican incumbent representing Elmont (part), Floral Park (part), Franklin Square, Garden City South, Stewart Manor, and West Hempstead in the Nassau County Legislature, appears to have a familiar face, it could be because that face is plastered all over the local papers, week after week after week.

Give Muscarella, who has been in the County Legislature since it was created back in 1995 (time to update your photo, Vin), credit for showing that face all over the District, at pancake breakfasts, pasta dinners, street fairs, and ribbon cuttings, anywhere there's likely to be a camera.

Okay. So Vincent Muscarella is the consummate politician, rivaling, perhaps, only Town Supervisor Kate Murray for that smile behind the photo op. That's the name of the game. Can't fault him for that.

What does irk us at The Community Alliance is, that while Muscarella has been the 8th LD's placeholder going on 15 years, and an Assemblymember, representing pretty much the same district, prior to that, very little of substance has changed on the ground since.

While Muscarella often cites his status as a minority member of the Legislature, Dems having ruled the roost since Tom Suozzi swept into office as County Exec, the snail's pace of progress in the 8th -- be it the reconstruction of a major thoroughfare (Hempstead Avenue) more than a decade in the making, or the rehabilitation of a local park (Hall's Pond), for which monies have long ago been appropriated under the Environmental Bond Act -- are demonstrative of representation that looks to maintain the status quo, rather than to change it.

Worse yet, Muscarella's tendency to use taxpayer-funded mailings, by way of Legislative reports, to do little more than lambast the folks across the aisle, does nothing to enhance his standing among his legislative peers, or to improve the quality of life of the people he has been elected to serve -- Democrats, Republicans, and independents, alike.

Vincent Muscarella has always said that there is no greater service to the community than public service.

How true!

Yet, to serve the community, which Vin Muscarella has done for lo these many years, on the whole, admirably so, requires more than keeping things the way they are, or, heaven forbid, returning things to the way they were -- under, say, Tom Gulotta.

To serve the public of Long Island's too often forgotten South Shore requires not a nostalgic look back to an era long passed, but a forward-looking vision with new ideas, a fresh perspective, and the notion that change can be for the better.

Gaspare Tumminello, Democrat, has taken up the challenge to the status quo in Nassau's 8th LD.

Tumminello is a Deputy Commissioner (Purchasing) in the Suozzi administration, and, like Vin Muscarella, a local boy committed to serving his community through public service.

Full of youthful enthusiasm, and embracing change as a forerunner of a brighter, more prosperous future, Tumminello may just be that shot-in-the arm fresh start residents in the 8th LD need to spur real economic growth on "Main Street," not to mention something akin to a renaissance along Hempstead Turnpike.

We applaud Vincent Muscarella for showing up at civic meetings, community forums, Rotary functions, and, yes, those pancake breakfasts. Visibility is important, both to the candidate and the community.

Progress in the 8th LD, however, requires so much more than just showing up. To get the district moving forward necessitates a desire to move off square one, abandoning the status quo for a more hopeful tomorrow. It requires a different vision, a fresh start, and, in this instance, a new face.

The Community Alliance is pleased to endorse that change in Nassau's 8th LD.

On Tuesday, November 3, elect Gaspare Tuminello to the Nassau County Legislature!



COMING SOON: Wang Threatens To KEEP The Islanders In Nassau If Lighthouse Project Not Approved [Who Would Have Them, Anyway?]

What Can Browne Do For You?

Judging From His Lack Of Accomplishment On The Town Zoning Board, Not Very Much

At the News12 Debates, the candidates for the 5th Legislative District -- incumbent, Joseph Scannell (D) and challenger, Christian Browne (R) -- were asked about vacant stores on our Main Streets, and the revitalization of downtown -- particularly Grand Avenue in Baldwin.

Browne, who sits on the Town of Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals -- the folks responsible (too bad no one holds 'em so) for planning, zoning, and deciding what gets built where, and what doesn't -- had little of substance to say.

Is it any wonder?

Browne and the Town's Zoning Board have not done much to advance the cause of downtown revitalization in the district, the Grand Avenue redevelopment project -- stalled for years and going nowhere fast -- being a prime example.

Browne and the Town are very good at declaring blight (as the Town did in Baldwin, via Blight Study, circa 2006), and resurrecting plans and renderings, on the drawing board for decades, but when it comes to community revitalization, and getting shovel to pay dirt, there's not much in the way of substance.

Christian Browne's tenure on the Zoning Board -- which body is itself a major roadblock to redevelopment and economic growth, not only in the 5th LD, but the entirety of Nassau County's South Shore -- is unremarkable, at best.

Indeed, if Browne's lack of accomplishment on the Town Zoning Board is prelude to what he could do for the District as its representative on the County Legislature, more blight for Baldwin, Freeport, Lakeview and South Hempstead may well be in the offing.

As the LI Herald (which, last time around, endorsed Browne over Scannell) said in its endorsement of Joe Scannell, "Scannell has delivered and fought for his constituents in the 5th."

Without further, that, in itself, is more than Chris Browne has done for his constituents -- the residents of Hempstead Town -- as a member of the Town's Zoning Board.

The Community Alliance endorses Joseph Scannell for Nassau County Legislature in the 5th LD.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. VOTE!



UP NEXT: If Muscarella Won't Come To The Mountain. . .

If TV Spots Decided Elections. . .

. . .Nassau County Dems Would Win In A Landslide!

You can't sit in front of the television set, this last week or so before elections, without being barraged by TV commercials for -- or against -- candidates for public office.

Yes, most offer the typical borish "vote for me" stuff, the kind that makes us run to the fridge for a snack. Some are matter of fact and all business, relying on the record -- or what purports to be the record -- real or exagerated.

And yet, there are others that, for one reason or another, catch our attention and make us groan, giggle, or simply scratch our heads.

For instance. There's a TV spot for George Maragos, GOP candidate for Nassau County Comptroller. Bland enough. Blame taxes on the sitting Comptroller, Howard Weitzman (as if the Comptroller has anything at all to do with establishing taxes or setting tax rates).

Never mind reality.

Has anyone stopped to ask, though, why George Maragos, in this TV ad, is sitting in front of a portrait of Ronald Reagan? Has he forgotten those other "Georges" of somewhat less fiscal restraint, or did he simply sleep through the immediate past Bush administration, where surpluses were routinely squandered, the nation's coffers plundered, the national debt trillionized?

www.georgemaragos09.com/MaragosComptroller.wmv

By George, we think he's missed it!

Then there's the Nassau County Republican Committee spot, featuring a George W. Bush dead-ringer (deer caught in the headlights stare, and all) asking us whether Nassau County Democrats think we're stupid.

Well, we must be, if we are willing to buy into the GOP horseradish of fiscal responsibility!

And speaking of phony fiscal tidings, just in time for the holidays, there's that Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead Supervisor spot (cast in the vein of a public service announcement. Did taxpayers pay for that, too?), telling us about that "warm and fuzzy" feeling Town residents have as a result of Kate Murray's property tax "freeze."

"We're not cutting programs and services," says smiling Kate Murray.

Programs and services? What programs and services?

Victorian streetlights for the Feral Cats? Hydrogen Fuel to keep us "warm and fuzzy" when we can't pay our Special District tax bill? Nigerian goats to eat that tax bill? Those friends & family patronage jobs at Town Hall? Zoning for the Dark Ages? Or is it that added touch of blight and neglect on "Main Street" in America's most blighted township?

That's not "warm and fuzzy," Kate. That's our blood pressure boiling and temperature rising, as homeowners come to grips with the fact that Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead Republicans have increased our tax levy by more than $57 million since Kate took office in 2003.

Thank you, Kate Murray!

By the way, we've tried to track down the links or posts of the Republican Committee and Kate Murray TV spots, even searching YouTube, but have not, as of yet, found them online. If any of our readers have links, pass them along and they will be posted on the blog.

The best TV ads, in our humble opinion, come this season from the Nassau County Democratic Committee.

They're not only funny (as in sad but true), but they actually cast these GOP candidates and party leaders portrayed as the very mockery of representative government that they, in fact, are.

Enough said about that. Watch the spots. Get a laugh. Then go, and vote!

The Mangano Press Conference


The GOP Gang of Three


Kate Murray & Kompany


And what surprises will we see when next we turn on our television sets? Kate Murray, in HDTV (are there screens wide enough?) with her GOP compatriots, traveling through the unincorporated areas of America's largest township, boisterously singing the Town of Hempstead theme song, Always Look On The Blight Side of Life? [YouTube video to follow!]

Come on, you folks in Baldwin, East Meadow, Elmont, Freeport, Hempstead, Inwood, Massapequa, Oceanside, Roosevelt, Seaford, Uniondale, Valley Stream, West Hempstead, and wherever blight now defines "Main Street" and "downtown." Join in the chorus!

Is it us, or is it that elephant in the room (no, not the one wearing the red pants suit) that's taking down the Town of Hempstead, and holding up even the faint facsimile of progress and economic resurgence in Nassau County?

Ahh. To be young, out of touch with reality, and Republican in Nassau County!



Right. Stand up and be counted, because TV spots don't decide elections. YOU DO!

VOTE on November 3rd!

You Be The Judge

An Official Voters' Guide To The Judiciary

"Justice is blind," or so the saying goes, and the judiciary is looked upon by the public as impartial, fair, and above the political fray.

Of course, just look at the ballot -- and the lawn signs -- and you will note that our judges, or at least so many as are popularly elected, are candidates of one political party or the other.

While obligated to serve the law and administer justice without bias, does the underlying political allegiance make strange bedfellows? Are important decisions that impact upon all of us made along party lines or based upon political favor or favoritism?

Do we simply vote party line, for a name that's familiar, or do we actually try to learn about the backgrounds, mindset, and temperaments of the judges we elect?

The Community Alliance makes no endorsements of judicial candidates this year. That said, your endorsement, and, ultimately, your vote, should be both knowledgeable and informed.

The New York State Court System has a non-partisan website which gives voters the opportunity to learn about judicial candidates.

It some instances, the site gives you no more than the name of the candidate. [Well, it's a start. You can, and should, do your own candidate research (a Google search, perhaps?) from there.] In other cases, there is a link to the candidates' bios.

Click HERE for Nassau County judicial candidates.

Click HERE for Suffolk County judicial candidates.

It's always a good idea to know, to whatever extent possible, where those who represent you actually stand on the issues. This is perhaps even more of a prerogative as it applies to those who may well be asked to decide the issues that impact upon our very future on Long Island!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. VOTE!
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COMING SOON: That "warm and fuzzy" tax freeze in Hempstead Town.

Property Taxes, Then And Now

A 10-Year Retrospective On Your Local Property Tax Levy

Its not too often that we wax nostalgic, longing for those "good old days", here at The Community Alliance, but, having recently received his Statement of Taxes, this blogger figured he'd take a step back in time to see what he was paying in County, Town, and School taxes back in 1999 (when we were supposedly partying, in anticipation of everything coming to a grinding halt at the strike of Midnight on January 1, 2000).

So, I pulled out my property tax statements for 1999 -- Angie M. Cullen, Receiver of Taxes (don't these folks ever go away?) -- and offer now a quick comparison. [Your tax levy may vary.]

1999 General Tax (County of Nassau, Town of Hempstead) -- $2532.12
2009 General Tax (County of Nassau, Town of Hempstead) -- $4546.24

1999 School Taxes -- $3732.76
2009 School Taxes -- $7245.75

1999 Town Taxes (including Special Districts) -- $1545.39
2009 Town Taxes (including Special Districts) -- $2532.65

1999 County Taxes -- $986.73
2009 County Taxes -- $2013.59

Town Special District (water, fire, sanitation) Taxes [for those who still buy into the legal fiction that these entities are not under the control of the Town]:
1999 -- $769.82
2009 -- $1368.67

1999 total property taxes (County, Town, School) -- $6264.88
2009 total property taxes (County, Town, School) -- $11,791.99

We're not accountants here at The Community Alliance, so you can do the math. Better yet, pull out your own property tax statements (go back as far as you'd like, if you can stomach it), and see your bank account drained before your very eyes.

Have salaries doubled in ten years? Not for most of us. Social Security been increased two-fold? No. Investment income matching the rising property tax? Not in this economic climate.

In the first year that we could find where total tax levies were included in the Statement of Taxes, which was 2003 (thanks to Don Clavin, Receiver of Taxes, then and now), the numbers present a picture that is even more astonishing.

In a matter of 6 years, we've seen, as example, the following increases in the tax passed along to the public:

2003 County tax levy (rounded to the nearest thousand) -- $402,706,000.
2009 County tax levy (rounded to the nearest thousand) -- $425,781,000.

2003 Town tax levy* (rounded to nearest thousand) -- $156,885,000.
2009 Town tax levy* (rounded to nearest thousand) -- $214,024,000.
*Includes Special Districts

2003 Town Special District tax levy (rounded to nearest thousand) -- $18,882,000.
2009 Town Special District tax levy (rounded to nearest thousand) -- $24,314,000.

2003 School tax levy -- $25,833,996.72
2009 School tax levy -- $33,949,929.56

For those crunching the numbers, and looking to point fingers and place blame, in the 6 years from 2003 to 2009, the increase in the total tax levy was as follows:

County of Nassau -- $23,075,000.
Town of Hempstead -- $57,139,000. [So much for TOH Republicans saving taxpayers' money!]
Town Special District* -- $5,432,000.
School District** (rounded to nearest thousand) -- $8,116,000.
*Figure represents single Fire District, Water District, Sanitary District, combined
**Figure represents single School District

Okay. Let's point fingers and lay blame, since that's what the politicos seem to do.

In just 6 years (3/4 of Tom Suozzi's tenure as County Exec, and all of Kate Murray's time in office as TOH Supervisor), the County (which encompasses the Town) raised taxes by $23 million, while the Town (smaller than the County, which includes 3 Towns, 2 cities, and numerous villages), raised taxes by $57 million.

And the GOP has the gaul to ask residents to put Republicans back in control of the Nassau County Legislature, and keep the GOP in Hempstead Town Hall for another hundred years? [Let's see. 6 years=$57 million. 100 years=??? Too mind-boggling to even think about!]

An Ed Mangano tax revolt? While the Republican tax increases at the Town level are revolting, indeed (as were the handling of finances at the County level under former CE, Tom Gulotta and his Republican administration, which, in great measure, led to the necessity of tax increases under Tom Suozzi and the Democratically controlled County Legislature), we always assumed a tax "revolt" meant you wanted to lower taxes, not raise them!

And here we were, thinking that Kate Murray, Tony Santino, and the Town of Hempstead Republicans were serious when they declared "we're holding the line on taxes."

Silly us!

But we digress. No more pointing fingers. You know who's been naughty and who's been naughtier. You are smart enough (we can only hope) to differentiate the big lie from the damned lie.

Truth is, property taxes are not a Republican problem or a Democratic problem. Given their druthers, both parties would tax -- and have taxed -- us out of house and home.

And let's not even talk about the school districts. [All right. We will, but for a moment.]

The figures posted above represent but a single school district levy in Nassau County. Multiply that figure, more or less, by the 57 (as many as Heinz has varieties of pickles) school districts in Nassau (out of a mind-blowing 124 on Long Island), and the increase alone in the total tax levy to finance Nassau County's schools in the 6 years from 2003 to 2009 was a whopping $462,612,000., plus or minus a few million dollars, here and there.

Now we're beginning to talk about real money! [More than 60% of the average homeowner's property tax bill, in fact, and climbing.]

Then, multply the $5,432,000.00 Special District tax levy increase by how many Special Districts in Nassau County? We cringe at the very thought!

Indeed, the numbers are so staggering that they have become almost as statistical as they are painful, difficult to reduce to terms the individual taxpayer can comprehend.

Let's make it simple, then. Pull out your own Statement of Taxes -- go ahead, we dare you -- and take a look at the bottom line.

Our elected officials may lie, skewing figures and ceremoniously, if not disingenuously, "freezing" budgets. [Recall that Tom Gulotta, as County Executive, also "froze" taxes, year after year. We all know the end game of that charade.] The numbers, on the other hand, do not.

No, high property taxes, occasioned by reckless spending, excessive borrowing, the accumulating interest upon debt our great grandchildren will still owe (lest they all abandon Long Island, as polls and pundits portend), and the burden they place upon homeowners and businesses alike, are neither a Democratic problem nor a Republican problem. High property taxes are OUR problem (that's WE, the People).

Change, you say? Oh, they can keep the change (and they will). What we need, whether in Albany, the County Seat, Town Hall, or on our local School Boards, are folks willing, able, and ready to make the tough decisions (and understand, those decisions, and the dramatic cuts in spending they must entail, will be difficult), and offer us up something more than empty rhetoric as property tax relief.

"New Face, Fresh Start"

Gaspare Tumminello Challenges Long Time Incumbent In Nassau's 8th LD

Democrat Gaspare Tumminello's campaign slogan is "New Face, Fresh Start." The new face is his. The fresh start is what he hopes to give residents of the 8th Legislative District, where the incumbent, Republican Vincent Muscarella, has coasted to victory in every election since the Nassau County Legislature was formed.

Tumminello is a lifelong resident of Franklin Square. Muscarella hails from West Hempstead. And this is shaping up to be quite the battle. One might say, a choice between yesterday and tomorrow, or, more aptly, between the status quo and, as Gaspare Tumminello says, a fresh start.

We thank Gaspare for responding to our call to post on The Community Alliance blog. We again invite Vin Muscarella to do likewise. [Vin, we'll even post your photo (circa 1976). LOL]
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New Face, Fresh Start

"I am a Man on a Mission." I am running for Nassau County Legislator of the 8th District, which encompasses Garden City, Garden City South, Stewart Manor, West Hempstead, Franklin Square, and portions of Elmont and Floral Park.

As the only child of immigrant parents, my parents instilled in me early in childhood that in order to succeed in life, both professionally and personally, one must set high goals and work hard to achieve them. At first, I was driven to excel in school because I could not bear to disappoint my parents. Today, I am most driven by my own burning desire to become a public official.

H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square, New York helped me develop into a responsible young man who takes education seriously. I joined baseball, basketball, and was part of the music program. These extracurricular activities taught me three critical ingredients in order to become successful: how to work as part of a team, how to work harder than I thought possible, and how to communicate effectively, both verbally and through writing. High School also taught me how to manage my time, keep up with my work, and how to thrive on my own. My high school development helped prepare me for attaining a B.A. in 2005 and my Master’s in 2007 at St. John’s University.

When I commenced my graduate studies at St. John’s University I already had a long burning desire to become a public official: someone whose representation could dramatically improve the lives of others. However, as a consequence of my college studies, most especially in my major of government and politics, I concluded that becoming a public official was not only a romantic kind of quest it was also the right fit for me and my dreams, both professional and personal.

My goal is to pursue becoming a public official, which will allow me to build a career based on helping people and fighting for their rights. I am particularly interested in becoming a public official, advising citizens on how to address their troubles and frustrations while trying to make a living. My practical and moral education at St. John’s University has given me the knowledge and confidence to use my abilities to solve complex problems.

"I would like to bring Youth and Transparency to County Government."

Notwithstanding a heavy employment schedule, voraciously, I have taken advantage of that opportunity as suggested by my 3.61 G.P.A. in my government and politics undergraduate major and my 3.64 G.P.A. in my master’s study in that field. As a consequence of my college studies, my desire to help others, as a public official, has become fortified. Intellectually, the position would afford me a challenging avenue to learn and grow. Personally, I view my becoming a public official as an ideal way to fulfill the highest possible calling: to help others.

My current employment by Nassau County Government as a Deputy Commissioner has helped me understand government away from the classroom and dealing with everyday situations. I have initiated and planned the online surplus auction process and was part of an initiative to put inventory controls in place, which allowed Nassau County to save 23 million dollars. Initial results of disposed unwanted surplus yielded over a million dollars.

I am also involved in the community as well. I am currently a member of Son's of Italy Lodge 2245, Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce, the West Hempstead Rotary Club, Long Island Breakfast Club and Nassau County Young Democrats.

As the only child of immigrant parents, who both depend upon me heavily to deal with the difficulties of living in a foreign land, and being destined, quite happily, to marry my eight-year girlfriend, I am more than amply motivated not only to become your legislator but also to fight for everyone in the 8th district. Given the opportunity, I would do whatever I could to bring further honor to my family and work exceptionally hard for everyone in the district.

"Together, let's write a new chapter in the history of our community.

Elect Gaspare G. Tumminello Legislator of District 8."

Could BioTech Be The Future Of Long Island?

At Least One Long Island Assemblyman Sees BioTech As A Potential Cure For Island's Economic Ills


Tom Alfano Joins Women's Health Advocates in Announcing Cancer Drug Therapies at Cold Spring Harbor Lab


Long Islanders were the first in the nation to receive a new report today from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on a record 969 medicines in the research pipeline for disease that disproportionately affected women. The medicines are awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or are in human clinical trials. The announcement at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory was attended by Assemblyman Tom Alfano, a strong supporter in Science Research Initiatives in the State and in local High Schools. Joining Alfano at the announcement were Tony and Oscar Award winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, Pop Singing Star Deborah Gibson, Senator John Flanagan, Geri Barash of 1 in 9, and Assemblymembers Tom McKevitt and Dave McDonough. Doctors, Scientists and researchers shared their findings in the report and answered questions for the press and women’s health care advocates.

"This was a big day for Long Island and our State," said Assemblyman Tom Alfano noting, "finding different drug therapies and medicines to combat cancer and illnesses must be a priority in science today. Today, this report takes a giant step forward in bringing science and industry together to help those who are sick and suffering." Alfano was invited to the announcement due to his work in encouraging and supporting science research programs in local high schools and New York State. Locally, Elmont Memorial High School recently boasted an Intel Science Research Semi-Finalist in Winston Waters II. Other students from the school have captured several awards and honors from Science Symposia and competitions throughout New York State. Alfano’s work with the program has been through grant funding he has channeled to the program over the past 4 years.

The main thrust of the conference was the release of the 2009 Women's Health Report. The report centered on medicines and vaccines in development for women. Specifically, research is being conducted on Athritis, Autoimmune, Cancer, Diabetes, Eye, Gastrointestinal, Kidney/Urologic, Lung/Respiratory, Neurologic, Obstetric, Psychiatric, Sepsis and Gynecologic health issues.

“We are releasing this report on Long Island because that status of women’s health here in many ways reflects the situation nationwide,” said PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken
Johnson. Johnson served as Senior Advisor to the Chair of the US House of Representatives 9-11 commission. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that investigated ENRON, WorldCom, Global Crossing, Qwest and human cloning.

Both on Long Island and nationwide, for example, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of women, breast cancer affects one in eight women, and depression and anxiety affect
more women than men. To help raise awareness of breast cancer, the release of Medicines in Development Women 2009 coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Sixteen of the medicines in the report are being developed by companies with a presence
on Long Island. These include potential treatments for breast cancer, gynecological cancer,
depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Asthma. In addition, nearly 4,000
clinical trials conducted on Long Island are listed on the U.S. government’s clinical trials
Web site http://www.clinicaltrials.org/, accounting for over a third of the 10,255 clinical trials
conducted in the entire state of New York.

The report lists a total of 969 new medicines in development, including 86 new treatments for obstetric/gynecologic conditions; 76 for asthma; 114 for autoimmune diseases, which strike women three times more than men in the U.S.; 155 for diabetes, which affects 11
million American women; 80 for Alzheimer’s disease; and, 131 for arthritis, which affects
41 million women nationwide----including 28.6 percent of women in Suffolk county, and
30.8 percent in Nassau County.

One medicine in the report is a potential cutting-edge treatment that attacks the cause of
Alzheimer’s disease rather than merely treating its symptoms. Currently, treatment
options for Alzheimer’s disease are limited. This groundbreaking medicine holds the
potential to slow the progression of the disease and could vastly improve quality of life for
Alzheimer’s patients. Women account for 70 percent of Alzheimer’s deaths.

During the press briefing, Academy Award-and Tony-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden and American pop icon Deborah Gibson described the personal experiences that led them to advocate for women’s health issues.

Harden was inspired to become an advocate while preparing for the role of a woman with
breast cancer in the film Rails and Ties. “My character had Stage Four breast cancer and
a mastectomy, so as part of researching my role we brought a group of breast cancer
survivors to the set,” explained Harden. “Meeting these women was transformative for
me and helped me realize what a problem breast cancer is. I welcome the chance to raise
awareness about it.”

Gibson, who had a No. 1 hit song at 16 years of age, explained that it was the stressful
experience of being a child celebrity that led to her battle with anxiety and depression.
“You see a lot of professional children who grow up to have problems, because fame is not
a natural thing we’re wired to know as kids how to handle,” said Gibson. “Once I was
able too to acknowledge my anxiety and depression, I was able to get help through therapy
and medication.”

Alfano discussed with Deborah Gibson her experiences with anxiety and depression during the event. "Here is woman who on the surface had it all. When you got past the concerts and publicity events, she was struggling to get through the day. Therapies like the ones discussed at this event helped Debbie Gibson and look at her today. She's a broadway star, actress and symbol for women to get help," said Alfano.

“We live in an era of medical discovery in which we understand more and more about the
unique and biological and behavioral differences between men and women and their
respective health care needs,” said PhRMA’s Johnson. “This knowledge is inspiring
a continuing medical revolution that is bringing new hope to women around the world in
the form of promising new treatments and cures.”

“We are pleased to participate in events that promote the development of new drugs that
will save women’s lives,” said Geri Barish, president of 1 in 9: Long Island Breast Cancer
Action Coalition. “With over 40,000 women still dying of breast cancer every year, it is
these new drugs that hold the promise to help eradicated breast cancer or at least relegate
it to a chronic condition. These new drugs promise us something we breast cancer
survivors need----hope.”

New York Biotechnology Association President Nathan Tinker discussed Long Island’s
role in developing new, life-saving medicines for women. “Long Island is contributing to
the incredible progress made by America’s Biotechnology and pharmaceutical research companies in developing new and more effective treatments for a wide range of diseases that affect women. The area has a number of educational facilities, research hospital, laboratories, and innovative biopharmaceutical companies that have proven critical to developing the new drugs that address the needs of women,” said Tinker.

“While scientists at America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are
making exciting progress in the research for new cures and treatments for breast cancer
and other diseases that affect women, these efforts are wasted if the medicines we develop
aren’t accessible to patients who need them,” said PhRMA’s Johnson.

Help is available to patients in need through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance
(PPA), a program sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies. To date,
the PPA has helped nearly six million patients nationwide, including more than 193,000
people in New York State. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited
all 50 states and more than 3,000 cities to educated people about patient assistance
programs.

The “Help is Here Express" is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help uninsured
and financially struggling patients access information on more than 475 patient assistance
programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. When
the “Help is Here Express” moves on, patients can visit PPA’s easy to use Web site
(http://www.pparx.org/) or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW).

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the
country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are
devoted to inventing medicines that allows patients to live longer, healthier and more
productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures.
PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $50.3 billion in 2008 in discovering and
developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record
$65.2 billion in 2008.

"Some Girl?" Is "That Girl" In Support Of Lighthouse Project

Nina Petraro Bastardi, Candidate For Nassau County Legislature, Sheds Light On Her Support For The Lighthouse

We asked candidates to stick in their two cents here at The Community Alliance blog, and the guest posts are just rolling in.

Here's a post from Nina Bastardi, Democratic candidate for Nassau County Legislature, running against long-time incumbent (a NC Legislature original), Republican, John Ciotti.

As some of you may recall, Nina was formerly the president of Nassau County's Young Republicans. Having seen the light -- if not the Lighthouse -- and having since been saved from the Borg-like "Resisistence is Futile" hold of the local GOP, Nina is now part of the Democratic organization (is that an oxymoron?).

Fortunately, Nina is focused, organized, and still knows how to put together a cogent campaign on the issues. [In other words, Nina still thinks like a Republican. LOL So, electing her, in our opinion, would give constituents the very best of both worlds!]

Nina has zeroed in on the issues that truly concern Nassau County residents: property taxes, revitalizing downtowns, next generation housing, and the special districts, among others. [Is it any wonder we feel such a close affinity to her campaign, and so enthusiatically endorse Nina's candidacy?]

Anyway, here's Nina Bastardi on the Lighthouse Project...

It’s ok to come back to reality for a moment: building the Lighthouse project alone is not going to ‘save Nassau County.’ It may be the single biggest development proposed since Levittown, but it is nowhere near the size or scale of the Levittown development, by any measure. It will not spawn hundreds of other similar developments in Nassau County, create a massive expansion of our tax-base, or get everyone to drive less. At less than one hundred acres of new development, it isn’t even that big.

But what it’ll be is proof that things can still happen in Nassau County. Nassau has stopped growing, and stopped innovating. It is becoming more like a boring bedroom community, as businesses close, taxes continue to rise, and our well-educated younger generation continues to leave. Meanwhile new growth and development continue even during a recession…in places other than here.

We need a visible project to jump-start our local economy. We need projects happening here that aren’t necessarily happening everywhere else. We need to get creative while we are faced with an uncertain future. We need to actually start doing the things we are always saying we must do to build our way to the future. The Lighthouse is a major investment in our local economy, a tangible beginning for the model of “New Suburbia,” and will finally put an end to that now-proven conventional wisdom: nothing gets done in Nassau County. That’s why I support The Lighthouse, and that’s why Nina supports it.

This idea that Town of Hempstead officials have floated, in which ‘reasonable development at the Nassau Coliseum site’ and ‘The Lighthouse project as-planned’ are mutually exclusive, is absolutely ridiculous. The Lighthouse needs to be, and has been, thoroughly vetted through the mandatory state environmental quality review process, and will require infrastructure improvements of which every level of government is more than aware. Make no mistake: local government often moves at a snail’s pace. But our procedures work, and with competent, interested people involved at every level, approvals for the Lighthouse project can certainly be expedited, and still done properly. As a member of the county government, and someone interested in moving this project forward, Nina will make sure of that.

Nothing has ever been accomplished by obstructing progress. And our old guard elected officials are great at doing just that. Their “experience” working in local government really should matter to us: it’s been a bad experience for everyone. There has been no progress, problems have persisted for years, no one actually wants to re-organize our costly government structure, and now they can’t even approve a project they don’t have to finance… one that may just be the beginning of a better future.

Thus, when someone like Nina comes along, a candidate with ideas, who knows that politics can get ridiculous, and isn’t a partisan hack… you have to support her. There will be nothing more miserable for everyone if we just keep returning the same old tired faces to office. And nothing will change. And we’ll still be complaining about that every day. They say at some point ‘something’s gotta give,’ and The Lighthouse will be that moment. But only if it gets approved.

Nina can help make it happen.
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Check out Nina Bastardi's website at www.electnina.com, and her supporters' blog (because everyone needs a blog) at http://notjustsomegirl.weebly.com.

We welcome all candidates -- including the incumbents, who, too often, seem content to rest on their, er, um, laurels -- to chime in here at The Community Alliance blog. Send your guest posts to us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

A Meeting Of The Mindless In Hempstead Town. . .

. . .Or, Three Hen In A Room

Oh, we didn't create this TV spot (credit the Nassau County Democratic Committee), but its as good as it gets vis-a-vis Town of Hempstead politics.

Kate "Murraygram" Murray (Town of Hempstead Stuporvisor), Joe "Am I still breathing, or did Tom Gulotta just walk into the room" Mondello (Nassau County GOP Chair, and NYS GOP Chair, once removed), and Christian "Are there really Zoning Laws?" Browne (member of the Town of Hempstead ZBA, GOP candidate for Nassau County Legislature, and one of Nassau's original Brownefields), team up in this smoke-filled room homage to a patronage system that, aside from going back 100 years, keeps on giving, and giving, and giving to cronies, lackies, and family, while taking, and taking, and taking some more from Town of Hempstead taxpayers.

This would all be extremely hilarious if everything these talking heads have to say wasn't so terrifyingly true.

You really want these folks in elected office, saying they represent you, but truly representing only their own selfish interests? Really???

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd. VOTE!

"Balloon Boy" Hoax Had Hempstead Connection

Will Town Taxpayers Be Tethered To Ballooning Tax Hike?

Just when you thought that, not everything in the world could possibly revolve around or emanate from Hempstead Town Hall, comes word from the Sheriff's Department in Larimer County, Colorado.

"It was a conspiracy of gargantuan proportion," said Sheriff Jim Alderden. "At first, we thought the hoax was geared toward some kind of ploy to get a reality TV show. Then, while dragging the balloon across the Colorado plains, we discovered the truth."

And just what was "the truth?"

Well, hundreds of Elk, each sporting NY Islander jerseys and reading the latest Murraygram, gave rise to speculation that Town of Hempstead officials might be involved in this sordid scheme.

"You see," explained Sheriff Alderden, "the Heenes were originally contacted by Mike Deery, Town of Hempstead's Director of Misinformation, with a request to use the weather balloon as a campaign dirigible, the idea being to drop thousands of self-lauding Murraygrams over the villages and hamlets of Hempstead Town. Then the wind shifted to the west, and, well, as they say, the rest is history."

Senior Hempstead Town Councilman, Tony "they enjoy paying more" Santino, speaking on behalf of Deery, denied the allegations, emphatically.

"Its simply not true," said Santino, sticking his head out from behind a life size mock-up of the Heene balloon, upon which were emblazoned the words, "Trusted on Main Street."

"We were just trying to publicize our new reality show, Supervisor Swap!"

Others, however, were convinced that Kate Murray, herself often mistaken for a weather balloon -- or that Michelin guy (or was it the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man?) -- was behind the hoax, this in a last ditch effort to divert the attention of Hempstead Town residents from the more pressing issues of property taxes, inept planning, haphazard zoning, and that dreaded Lighthouse Project.

According to Nassau County Executive, Tom Suozzi, the thousands of Murraygrams found in the box that dropped from the balloon shortly before its decent were dead giveaways.

"Who does Kate think she's fooling?," asked Suozzi at an impromptu news conference held outside the Nassau Coliseum. "This is classic Kate. She envisions herself as a new age Wizard of Oz, which, now that I think of it, probably had something to do with her strange skin color, oddly shaped hat, and that ride-into-town on a broomstick, at the kickoff of Green Levittown. [Nah, Tom. That greenified look was simply the mold from Archstone!]

The scuttlebutt around the town is that Murray had long planned to fly the balloon over Hempstead Town, dislodging Murraygrams, those ignoble, tri-colored, photogenically-shopped campaign pieces, shouting epitaphs at Islander fans, and touching down in the Hempstead Plains, proclaiming herself, before an adoring crowd of Munchkins (aka followers of Town Attorney, Joe Ra), as The Wonderful Wizard of Odd.

"She conspired with the boy, Falcon Heene," revealed Sheriff Alderden, "to commandeer the balloon, and to fly it due east to Long Island. Unfortunately, the prevailing winds shifted, and her navigator, Wrong Way Cullen (not affiliated with Angie's List), dropped her compass somewhere east by northeast of Fort Collins."

The Community Alliance has learned that Falcon Heene, whose real name is Arthur, was given the code name, "Falcon", by Kate Murray's operatives. "Kate goes by 'vulture,'" said a Murray aide, speaking on condition of anonymity. "'Falcon' seemed appropriate."

Reached for comment at the Town's animal shelter, Murray remained resolute in denial. "I absolutely had nothing to do with the balloon hoax," said the Supervisor, summoning to her side what appeared to be a flying monkey. [No wait. Its only Joe Mondello. Never mind.]

"Besides," Murray continued, "I don't know how to work those things."

Showing her true vindictive nature, Murray raised her fist, flung a feral cat across the room, and screeched, "I'll get those misogynist scarecrows who want to pin this hoax on me. And their little dogs, too!"

Meanwhile, back at Hempstead Town Hall, Receiver of Taxes, Don Clavin, was making preparations to convert the Town's EZ-Pay Drive Thru Window to a fly-thru window, one that takes the EZ-Pass.

"We have to come up with some creative way for Town residents to foot the bill for this fiasco," exclaimed Clavin.

"Its either this," laughed Clavin, "or a Special 'Hot Air Balloon' District."

The Community Alliance will continue to follow the unfolding saga of the balloon boy hoax, or, as we know it here in Hempstead Town, Flight of the Vulture -- The Kate Murray Story.

School Tax Deadline Approaches

Almost As Many Ways To Pay As There Are School Districts

First, we want to thank -- we think -- all those who e-mailed over the weekend (more than 300 of you) regarding our endorsements of candidates for the November 3rd elections. [We didn't think you cared!]

Oddly, Republicans wrote to complain that we endorsed too many Democrats, while Democrats railed about us having endorsed any Republicans at all.

Good grief!

Interestingly, a few of the candidates themselves e-mailed The Community Alliance, some wondering why we hadn't reached out to them (aren't they supposed to reach out to the community?), and others requesting blogspace for the online equivalent of Op-Ed pieces. Write on!

As we have said, we welcome any and all views -- from the left, right, and smack dab in the center.

All candidates for elected office, as well as John and Jane Q. Public (remember them?), may submit Guest Blogposts by e-mailing us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

We love hearing from you, as do our readers. We only wish you had as much to say about substantive quality of life issues that impact upon the Long Island community, and would get half as worked up, as you do about our silly endorsements.

Gee. You would think people were actually listening to us, and taking what we have to say to heart. Hmmm. Then again, maybe they are.

And now, without further ado, back to your property taxes...

Check book in hand? Have a credit card handy? In your car and want to execute a drive-by payment?

The Town of Hempstead (which only collects the school taxes, they don't set the rates) is making it easy for you to pay up. [And "pay up" you'd better, lest Kate Murray be tempted to drive by your house and steal your Kristen McElroy for Supervisor lawn sign!]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if our elected officials were as creative and demonstrative in finding ways to cut our property taxes, as they are in thinking up new ways for we, the people, to pay those property taxes?

Yeah, right.

Anyway, word has it that the first 500 taxpayers to roll up to the Receiver of Taxes EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window (say that ten times fast) will receive a FREE Kate Murray bumper sticker, autographed and numbered, a copy of Kate Murray's Tips for The Forlorn, along with a coupon for 10% off any order of $1000 or more at the Coliseum Deli. [Kate Murray doesn't make the deli sandwiches. She just collects them!]

Hurry on down, folks. These offers won't last. And your school taxes are most likely going up, even as we post this blog.

But wait! Pay your school taxes TODAY, and Don Clavin, Receiver of Taxes (doesn't he know its better to GIVE than to RECEIVE?) will throw in not one, but TWO school property tax bills per year. And that's not all... You'll also get two -- count 'em, two -- oversized County/Town tax bills, each suitable for breaking the bank (the Town DOES set Town tax rates, but hey, they won't own up to that).

And there's more! Because this is an election year, your Town taxes -- much like the Town itself -- have been frozen in time. Borrowing and bonding that you will pay and pay and pay for later? Of course. They wouldn't have it any other way.

Tax collectors are standing by...

From the Town of Hempstead:

Clavin Expands Options For Paying School Taxes

Receiver of Taxes Don Clavin reminds residents to take advantage of the convenient payment options his office offers as the November 10 deadline for paying the First Half School Taxes approaches. Residents may take advantage of extended office hours, satellite offices, the mobile tax office or the EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window located behind the town receiver's office in Hempstead. Taxpayers also have the alternative to pay their property taxes by credit card or e-check, online or via telephone.

Payments for the First Half 2009/2010 School Taxes received or postmarked by the November 10 deadline will be penalty-free.

"Residents enjoy the convenience of paying their taxes in person from the comfort of their car at our EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window. I would also like to remind taxpayers my office also accepts electronic payments via e-check and credit card," said Clavin.

The E-Z Pay Drive Thru Payment Window, located behind the tax office at 200 North Franklin Street (follow the signs on the corner of Bedell Street and North Franklin Street), will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., November 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 & 10. Only checks and money order payments can be accepted at the E-Z Pay Drive Thru Payment Window. Taxpayers must bring their tax stub in order to use this service.

Clavin has extended office hours during peak collection times at the main tax office located at 200 North Franklin Street in Hempstead. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10. "Our fully staffed main office can assist taxpayers with account inquiries and all forms of payment," Clavin noted.

Satellite offices at Rock Hall Museum (located at 199 Broadway in Lawrence) and Levittown Hall (located at 201 Levittown Parkway in Hicksville) will be open to receive checks and money orders for tax payments from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10.

Residents who would like to pay via credit card may log onto the town's website at www.TOH.LI and follow the Receiver of Taxes link to "Online Tax Payments," or call Official Payments Corporation toll-free at 1-877-306-6056. A 2.5 % convenience fee payable to Official Payments Corporation, the company that processes the credit card transaction, will be incurred for credit card payments. A flat fee of $2 will be charged for electronic check payments. Hempstead Town receives no portion of these fees.

The Mobile Tax Office is scheduled to visit the following locations from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:
Monday, November 2- Merrick Senior Center, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick
Wednesday, November 4- Town Parking Lot O-3, Davison Avenue, Oceanside (directly across from Oceanside Library)
Thursday, November 5- Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont
Friday, November 6- Franklin Square Senior Center, 1182 Martha Pl., Franklin Square

"From offering residents varied payment options and E-mail reminders to supplying them with beneficial information that can help reduce their tax burden, Supervisor Murray and I are committed to assisting taxpayers in every possible manner," stated Clavin.

For further information visit the town's website at www.TOH.LI or contact the Office of Receiver of Taxes at (516) 538-1500.

The Community Alliance Endorses. . .

The Best Choices For A Better Community

You know where we stand on the issues, and that which matters most to the Long Island community, its people, and our collective quality of life.

We take our responsibilities to community seriously, and our endorsement of candidates, who, we believe, will best represent all the people, as a public trust.

Without further, we encourage our readers to support -- and, on Tuesday, November 3 -- to vote for -- the following candidates for public office.

Above all, regardless of your choice, we urge you to exercise that most honored and significant privilege, and cast your vote on Election Day. It truly does matter!

NASSAU COUNTY
Thomas R. Suozzi - County Executive
Howard S. Weitzman - County Comptroller
Maureen O'Connell - County Clerk
Kathleen M. Rice - District Attorney
Kevan M. Abrahams - County Legislator, District 1
Pablo Sinclair - County Legislator, District 2
Nina Petraro Bastardi - County Legislator, District 3
Denise A. Ford - County Legislator, District 4
Joseph K. Scannell - County Legislator, District 5
Francis X. Becker, Jr. - County Legislator, District 6
Jeffrey W. Toback - County Legislator, District 7
Gaspare Tumminello - County Legislator, District 8
Dolores Sedacca - County Legislator, District 9
Judi R. Bosworth - County Legislator, District 10
Wayne H. Wink Jr. - County Legislator, District 11
John E. Rennhack - County Legislator, District 12
Stephanie G. Ovadia - County Legislator, District 13
David L. Mejias - County Legislator, District 14
Dennis Dunne, Sr. - County Legislator, District 15
Judith A. Jacobs - County Legislator, District 16
Rose Marie Walker - County Legislator, District 17
Diane Yatauro - County Legislator, District 18
David W. Denenberg - County Legislator, District 19

Kristen McElroy - Town Supervisor, Hempstead
Mark A. Bonilla - Town Clerk, Hempstead
Dorothy L. Goosby - Town Council Member, District 1, Hempstead
Jean Brett-Leach - Town Council Member, District 4, Hempstead
Gary Hudes - Town Council Member, District 6, Hempstead

Jonathan S. Kaiman - Town Supervisor, North Hempstead
Leslie C. Gross - Town Clerk, North Hempstead
Vivianna L. Russell - Town Council Member, District 1, North Hempstead
Lee Seeman - Town Council Member, District 5, North Hempstead

Keith Scalia - Town Supervisor, Oyster Bay
Matthew T. Meng - Town Council Member, At Large, Oyster Bay
Erin A. Reilley - Town Council Member, At Large, Oyster Bay
Doug Watson - Town Council Member, At Large, Oyster Bay

Francine Adelson - City Council Member, At Large, City of Long Beach
Michael Fagen - City Council Member, At Large, City of Long Beach
Lenny D. Torres - City Council Member, At Large, City of Long Beach

Ralph V. Suozzi - Mayor, City of Glen Cove
Nicholas A. DiLeo - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove
Sean Dwyer - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove
Michael Thomas Famiglietti - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove
Anthony P. Jimenez - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove
Timothy J. Tenke - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove
Delia M. Deriggi Whitton - City Council Member, At Large, City of Glen Cove

SUFFOLK COUNTY
Edward P. Romaine - County Legislator, 1st District
Jay H. Schneiderman - County Legislator, 2nd District
Kate M. Browning - County Legislator, 3rd District
Brian J. Beedenbender - County Legislator, 4th District
Vivian M. Viloria-Fisher - County Legislator, 5th District
Bryan Lilly - County Legislator, 6th District
William J. Lindsay - County Legislator, 8th District
Ricardo Montano - County Legislator, 9th District
Patrick W. Nolan - County Legislator, 10th District
Thomas F. Barraga - County Legislator, 11th District
John M. Kennedy Jr. - County Legislator, 12th District
Wayne R. Horsley - County Legislator, 14th District
DuWayne Gregory - County Legislator, 15th District
Steve Stern - County Legislator, 16th District
Louis D’Amaro - County Legislator, 17th District
Jon Cooper - County Legislator, 18th District

Steven Bellone - Supervisor, Town of Babylon
Carol Quirk - Town Clerk, Town of Babylon
Antonio Martinez - Councilman, Town of Babylon
Mark J. Lesko - Supervisor, Town of Brookhaven
M. Cecile Forte - Town Clerk, Town of Brookhaven
John H. Rouse - Superintendent Of Highways, Town of Brookhaven
John J. Leonard - Councilmember, 2nd Town District, Town of Brookhaven
Constance M. Kepert - Councilmember, 4th Town District, Town of Brookhaven
M. Craig Charvat - Councilmember, 5th Town District, Town of Brookhaven
Ronald S. Lupski - Councilmember, 6th Town District, Town of Brookhaven

Benjamin L. Zwirn - Supervisor, Town of East Hampton
William F. Taylor - Trustee, Town of East Hampton
Joseph Giannini - Trustee, Town of East Hampton
Scott A. King - Superintendent of Highways, Town of East Hampton

Dominick J. Stanzione - Councilman, Town of East Hampton
John P. Whelan - Councilman, Town of East Hampton

Frank P. Petrone - Supervisor, Town of Huntington
William J. Naughton - Superintendent Of Highways, Town of Huntington
Stuart P. Besen - Councilman, Town of Huntington
Mark A. Cuthbertson - Councilman, Town of Huntington

Christopher Bodkin - Councilman, Town of Islip
Jim Morgo - Councilman, Town of Islip

Philip J. Cardinale - Supervisor, Town of Riverhead
Diane M. Wilhelm - Town Clerk, Town of Riverhead
George “Geo” Woodson - Superintendent of Highways, Town of Riverhead
Kathleen Berezny - Councilman, Town of Riverhead
Shirley E. Coverdale - Councilman, Town of Riverhead
Rose A. Sanders - Councilman, Town of Riverhead

James Dougherty - Supervisor, Town of Shelter Island
Joseph R. Messing - Assessor, Town of Shelter Island
Donald M. Kornrumpf - Councilman, Town of Shelter Island
Patricia M. Shillingburg - Councilman, Town of Shelter Island

Anna E. Throne-Holst - Supervisor, Town of Southampton
Alex Gregor - Highway Superintendent, Town of Southampton
Frederick Havemeyer - Trustee, Town of Southampton
Jon S. Semlear - Trustee, Town of Southampton
Eric L. Shultz - Trustee, Town of Southampton
Edward J. Warner Jr. - Trustee, Town of Southampton
Bridget M. Fleming - Councilman, Town of Southampton
Sally G. Pope - Councilman, Town of Southampton

Jerilyn B. Woodhouse - Councilman, Town of Southold

Patricia Biancaniello - Supervisor, Town of Smithtown
Daniel Ryan - Superintendent Of Highways, Town of Smithtown
Mark A. Mancini - Councilman, Town of Smithtown
Craig J. Tortora - Councilman, Town of Smithtown
- - -
All candidates, whether endorsed by The Community Alliance or not, are welcome to share their views, express their positions, and get out their message (we will hold you to all promises, should you prevail), by submitting a guest blog for publication on this site.

Write us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com, and you shall be heard!

Kristen McElroy Speaks Out

Kate Murray's Absence From The Community Speaks Volumes

Where is Kristen?

Perhaps the most asked question of the heretofore phantom campaign of Kristen McElroy, Democratic challenger for Town of Hempstead Supervisor.

Well, it seems that Kristen was confined to bed with a difficult pregnancy, kept from the campaign trail by the most important thing in her life -- family.

Were there no surrogates to be had, making appearances around town on Kristen's behalf? No campaign staff or volunteers to post lawn signs, make phone calls, send out e-mails, create a blog, or even set up a website?

Questions still unanswered, but, hey, this isn't the first time The Community Alliance had to wake those in repose, on either side of the aisle. We'll give Kristen a pass for her lax campaign faux pas. For the moment.

She's out there now, talking, greeting, telling voters it is time for a change, not more of the same.

Of course, Kristen's absence from the scene since launching her campaign begs a more compelling question, one that deserves an answer before election day -- Where has Kate "Murraygram" Murray been these past six years?

Where was Kate, when community forums, from Elmont to Wantagh, called for revitalization of "Main Street"? Nowhere to be seen, save under the dim light of the occasional Victorian-style street lamp.

Where was Kate, when the clamor called for "smart growth" in the downtown business districts? Back at Town Hall, doing anything and everything possible to block the redevelopment of America's oldest suburb.

Where was Kate, when a solid majority of residents said "YES" to the Lighthouse Project, core to the rebirth of Nassau's hub, creating jobs, housing, recreation space, economic growth and a new suburbia for the 21st Century? In her office, ordering in from the only Coliseum she ever cared about -- the Coliseum Deli -- emphatically saying "NO" long before she sheepishly said "MAYBE," and plotting a torturous course that would, if not derail the project, then, certainly, create sufficient roadblocks to make sure that no shovel was ever put to pay dirt.

Where was Kate in Elmont, in West Hempstead, in Uniondale, in Baldwin, in every unincorporated area of America's largest township, where the best she could do was to declare communities "blighted," then plod away, leaving our town's good citizens to fend for themselves amidst the brownfields, the crumbling roadbeds, the neglected downtowns? Like an absentee slumlord, Kate was in hiding, spewing forth the propaganda from the Town Hall printing presses, misinforming, misleading, misspeaking, all the while spending the taxpayers' money, not on initiatives that would improve quality of life for all Town residents, rather, on incessant and innocuous mailings, where Kate could conceal herself behind that insidious, disingenuous smile.

Where was Kate -- no, really, where -- when she so pompously declared herself to be "trusted on Main Street?" Back in Levittown, on her own street, where her former Building Commissioner was constructing a McMansion, right under Kate's nose, without permits or approval of the very department he was responsible for.

Where was Kate, when the people of this great Town needed leadership, vision, forward-thinking, and a mindset that would take Hempstead Town well into this 21st Century? Back in the 1950s, short-sighted, joined at the eyeball with the Mondello myopia, giving her all, not for the people she'd been appointed, then elected, to serve, but for goats, clams, and feral cats.

And then there's Kate's commitment to family.

Kristen, Kate has you beat on that score.

You may have heeded the advice of your physician, with complete bed rest to protect the life of your unborn child. But Kate took the cause of family just a few steps further -- putting every Murray, from her father to her brother, on the Town's payroll.

So, where was Kate when it came to "family values?" Counting the cash, of course, that patronage and nepotism brought into the house that Murray bilked, all on the taxpayers' (that's you, friends) dime!

Indeed, Kate will tell you about the Town's "A" Bond rating (easy when you fail to lay out money for what the people need, and you borrow, ala Tom Gulotta, so you can claim a smoke-and-mirrors tax freeze).

On making the grade as Hempstead Town Supervisor, however, give Kate an "F" for planning; an "F" for zoning; an "F" for vision; an "F" for accomplishment; and an "F" for just showing up.

As for Kristen McElroy, well, give her an "A" for making the effort, getting out there and taking on Kate & Kompany. More than this, give Kristen McElroy a chance to take Hempstead Town in a new direction, charting a course away from the blight, the neglect, the decline of more than 100 years of one party rule, and toward than bright, new suburbia we all talk about and dream of, but never seem able to get to.

The time has come to take back our town! On Tuesday, November 3, Vote for Kristen McElroy, and send Kate Murray back to Levittown!
- - -
Fighting Words From Kristen McElroy
By Chris Botta, My Point Blank

Kristen McElroy, the Democratic candidate for Town of Hempstead Supervisor, is pregnant, peeved and pro-Lighthouse Project.

After her introduction in late May as Kate Murray’s opponent, McElroy disappeared for four months. She explained her absence by revealing her pregnancy and doctor-prescribed bed rest. McElroy says everything is okay now and she is medically cleared for campaigning. (My choice of words). As for my perception of her sudden, maybe-too-late-in-the-game emergence, McElroy said campaigns at this level are typically a one-month sprint to election day.

When we spoke by phone on Friday afternoon, the Garden City resident was returning from a meeting with the Newsday editorial board in which both McElroy and Murray made their pitch for the newspaper’s endorsement. She came out of the meeting with little respect for her political opponent.

“The Supervisor acted like a disgusting politician,” McElroy said. “She pulled the same stuff on the Lighthouse Project that she’s been doing all year. Kate Murray has been a roadblock. She says her actions on the Lighthouse are not politically-motivated, but everyone knows they are.

“Every agency that has approved their piece of the project, like the Department of Transportation, she does not accept. She continues to say the ball is in Charles Wang’s court, yet everyone knows this is in Kate Murray’s hands. This project is essential to the entire county - the jobs, the tax base - and Kate Murray continues to stall.”

The Labor Council gave Murray their endorsement months ago, before the Lighthouse hearings that led to no progress and infuriated union leadership. McElroy said she “screened” with the trades in July but wants another meeting. McElroy also had an informational session with the Lighthouse Development Corp. two months ago and would like to schedule a meeting with Charles Wang and Scott Rechler in the next two weeks.

Time is running out. I believe McElroy is fighting a monumental uphill battle and told her so. When I asked her if she genuinely feels she has a chance to defeat Murray in the election next month, McElroy said, “Absolutely. I have every intention of becoming the next Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead. And when I do, the political games around the Lighthouse will end and the project will be approved.”
- - -
So what'll it be, folks? Back to the future, tumbleweeds rolling across a sprawling asphalt wasteland, with your host, Kate "The Merciless" Murray, or straight on to tomorrow, a new beginning for America's first suburb, guided by Kristen McElroy?

The Community Alliance reaffirms its endorsement of Kristen McElroy for Town of Hempstead Supervisor!

Paterson Proposes More Cuts In Aid To Municipalities, Education. . .

. . .While Pledging No New Taxes
Who's Kidding Whom?

A 10% cut in the 2010-11 New York State budget in aid to counties, cities, towns and villages? And how does the Governor think these municipalities will make up the deficit? We'll clue you in. INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES!

A 4.5% cut in aid to education (meaning, local school districts, SUNY, CUNY) for 2010-11, this on top of cuts already in place for 2009-10. And how do you suppose school districts (all 124 of 'em here on Long Island) will make up the difference? INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES!

With no additional revenues from sources other than taxes (which tax base is steadily eroding), stimulus money from the feds quickly running out, and "zero-growth" on the economic front, where exactly does Governor Paterson think the money to finance education and run all of the varied operations of and services provided by local government will come from? Wait. We know. INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES!

Okay. The State of New York is in a bind. Aren't we all? Times are tough and, from all appearances, particularly here on Long Island, getting tougher.

Is Governor Paterson to blame? Well, not entirely.

Still, the proposed cuts would not only be "painful," as the Governor suggests, but devastating to local homeowners and businesses, forced to pick up the slack created, not necessarily by this administration, but by years, no, decades, of reckless spending, rampant borrowing, and a complete failure of oversight.

The Governor's proposed cuts -- to education, municipalities, health care, and some of the most basic and essential human services -- may well bail out New York, avoiding a default by the State on its obligations.

That said, who, dare we ask, will bail out New York's businesses and homeowners, who, here and now, can no longer shoulder the burden of outrageous property taxes, when the bottom line on that tax bill goes up, yet again?

Governor Paterson, we need real property tax relief, and we need it now!
- - -
Paterson Proposes $5 Billion in Cuts to Close Deficit
By Danny Hakim AND Sewell Chan

Updated, 1:26 p.m. ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson on Thursday proposed $5 billion in spending reductions over two years to close a gaping state budget deficit. The plan would slash spending on education and health care, but avoid tax increases.

“There are no taxes in this plan, nor will I tolerate taxes in any plan,” Mr. Paterson said in an address at the State Capitol. “This is a painful plan, but we will share the burden. All of us are going to have to sacrifice to save our state.”

The heart of the plan involves $3.8 billion in spending cuts for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years. The governor is seeking $1.8 billion in across-the-board spending reductions in the current fiscal year, which will end on March 30.

The figure includes $500 million in administrative cuts that Mr. Paterson announced this month.
The remaining $1.3 billion in cuts comes from a 10 percent reduction in state aid to localities, with a few exceptions, notably in the areas of property taxes and school aid, which would be reduced by a smaller amount.

“We have cut education by only 4.5 percent compared to 10 percent imposed on other agencies,” Mr. Paterson said, adding that the health care cuts would not affect “anyone currently on Medicaid.”

Mr. Paterson said that drastic cuts were “the only way to keep this state from going into default,” but he said he expected that “I am going to come under harsh criticism for putting out these proposals,” and added, “We understand how difficult this is.”

Mr. Paterson’s presentation at the Capitol was followed by remarks by Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch and a presentation by the state budget director, Robert L. Megna.

Sewell Chan reported from New York City.

Poll: Property Taxes Most Importsnt Issue, Say LIers

Ya Think?

Another DUH! moment here in America's first and oldest suburb.

A Newsday/Siena Research Institute Poll concludes that a majority of Long Islanders (or at least those who have not been in a coma for the past decade) believe that property taxes are the number one concern.

The statisticians can run the numbers and tell us what they mean. We already know. A tax burden that is crippling economic growth and bankrupting the populace.

We belabor this point only because, even without the myriad polls, studies, and independent research, Long Islanders are too often faced with unacceptable choices.

Food on the table or property taxes.

New clothes for the kids or property taxes.

College tuition or property taxes.

Fill that prescription or property taxes.

Property taxes are driving businesses and homeowners alike off Long Island, and that can only bode disaster for our economic stability and potential for real growth.

And what's fueling the property tax? School district (all 124 of them) taxes.

We love our schools. We can no longer, however, feed their insatiable appetites for the almighty dollar.

The cash cow is hereby pronounced dead. The death of the property tax, at least that part of which is the basis for funding Long Island's schools, must follow.

Barring significant -- and real (no ersatz STAR rebates) -- property tax relief, sooner rather than later, the poor house will supplant home ownership on Long Island, and we don't need a poll to tell us what that means for the future of suburbia east of NYC.

Ed Mangano? Tax Revolt?

Tom Gulotta? Fiscal Conservative?

Sure. Mention "tax" and "revolt" in the same breath -- let alone on the same lawn sign (when the local GOP lackeys aren't stealing the opposition's placards) -- and you raise eyebrows, if not votes.

Visions of tea parties, and their Alice In Wonderland approach to reducing property taxes notwithstanding, does the Republican candidate for Nassau County Executive really have a plan -- any plan -- for cutting taxes (short of a return to the Gulottaesque days of borrowing to the point of saddling the county with near-insurmountable debt to offset tax increases)?

We've scoured Ed Mangano's website for some ideas -- substance rather than rhetoric -- and have found only this:

Ed has a plan to: stop wasteful spending; freeze and fix Nassau’s broken tax assessment system, saving $100 million dollars annually; repeal Nassau’s home energy tax and, most importantly, create jobs and opportunities in Nassau County.

Hmm. Ed has a plan.

Nixon had a "plan" to end the war in Vietnam and beat back inflation. Those of us old enough to remember are still trying to figure out exactly what that plan was.

Other than Ed's bold, if not bald, allusion to a plan, there are no specifics.

In fact, dig deeper -- into campaign literature and press releases (self-serving though they are), and you will find the details of any plan to bring about tax relief to be sparse, if not nonexistent.

Indeed, neither Ed Mangano nor the Republicans in the County Legislature (many of whom were party to the Gulotta debacle, way back when) have any new ideas or initiatives, save the repeal of the home energy tax (which we would encourage the Dems to support), to lower property taxes.

And, by the way, speaking of property taxes, the County portion of our property tax bill is but 17.50% of the total levy, Town taxes (including the Special Districts) accounting for 20%, and school taxes (including library) a whopping 62.50%. Your Town and School mileage may vary, plus or minus a percentage point.

Getting a grip on the real tax burden culprit -- school taxes -- is beyond the pale of either the County Executive or the County Legislature.

Yes, they can point fingers at Albany and the local school boards -- the former shortchanging Long Island, the latter engaging in the smoke and mirrors of zero budget increases that nonetheless portend increased tax levies (by reason of the folks in Albany shortchanging us).

Beyond that, the race for County Exec has little to do with property taxes, let alone a tax revolt.

Oh, its nice to have catch phrases that buy into the public's desires -- ala Create Green Jobs or Stop The Wasteful Spending (this from the folks who brought wasteful spending to new heights during their tenure) -- or that prey upon the public's fears -- as in Stop Punishing Nassau County Homeowners!

Nice soundbites, signifying absolutely nothing.

What Nassau County residents truly need is not the rhetoric of fear or a throwback to yesteryear, but rather, a genuine, and viable plan to move Nassau County out of the 1950s, and into the 21st Century.

Wait a minute. Isn't that what Ed Mangano's opponent, Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi, has already put on the table? A visionary plan to rebuild, redevelop, create green jobs, boost the local economy, and preserve and enhance America's first suburb. A plan, in large part, now being stalled, waylayed, and detoured by the very party Ed Mangano seeks to return to power in Nassau County!

Everyone agrees. Ed Mangano is a nice guy. But nice guys do not necessarily make good County Executives.

Tom Suozzi, on the other hand, may not be perceived as such a nice fella. [Then again, it takes a tough man...] Brashness, and even that touch of hubris aside, give Tom credit for bringing Nassau back from the fiscal brink, for keeping the County afloat and solvent during this horrendous economic downturn, and for having the vision -- and an actual plan -- to move Nassau County forward.

The Community Alliance is pleased to endorse Tom Suozzi for Nassau County Executive.

On Tuesday, November 3, VOTE!

Its "Spay/Neuter Day" At The Town Of Hempstead!

Anyone Thinking What We're Thinking?

Downtown declining. "Main Street" imploding. Property taxes exploding. Brownfields encroaching. Illegal accessory apartments proliferating. Roadways crumbling. Planning procrastinated. Zoning abrogated. [Shall we go on?]

And all Kate Murray, the Stuporvisor of the Town of Hempstead, can come up with is a day to spay and neuter feral cats?

Of course, its all about keeping the name in the news, whether the subject matter is goats, clams, or now, cats.

How prophetic. "Town of Hempstead and Last Hope Join Together."

Hopeless in Hempstead is more like it!

Spaying? Neutering? Anyone?
- - -
From The Town Of Hempstead:

Town of Hempstead And Last Hope Join Together To Host First Spay/Neuter Day For Feral Cats

Many feral cats that are not spayed or neutered wander from place to place throughout our region. The nomadic wandering has resulted in "pockets" of feral cat overpopulation. That's why Supervisor Kate Murray and Last Hope Animal Rescue have joined together to offer the first spay/neuter day for feral cats on Sunday, October 25, 2009 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Hempstead Town Animal Shelter.

"Overpopulation of feral cats is a serious problem," stated Supervisor Murray. "Hempstead Town is pleased to unite with Last Hope to provide this vital service for free."Residents of the town can bring up to five feral cats for free spay/neuter. For the safety of all participants we ask that cats be brought in carriers. Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment for the feral cats that they plan to bring to the program. Appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited and proof of residency will be required.

To register or for more information, please call (516) 223-6673 or email feralpats@yahoo.com

"This is such a great program to help control our feral cat population in the town," concluded Supervisor Murray. "I urge every resident who cares about feral cats to take advantage of this unique opportunity."

On The Waterfront

Glen Cove Redevelopment Sails On

Call it "hello, Columbus" (and a happy Columbus Day Sail to you all), but while Town of Hempstead officials twiddle thumbs and mince words over the Lighthouse Project, the City of Glen Cove is poised to move forward with its most ambitious plans to revitalize its underutilized and altogether blighted waterfront.

Glen Isle portends to be the epitome of smart growth -- a re-invigorated downtown (and which community among us couldn't use that?); a rejuvenated waterfront, replete with entertainment, dining, residential, and recreational facilities; an environmentally friendly footprint; and all of this without the naysaying and politicking that has become the hallmark of Kate & Kompany in the Town of Hempstead.

Yes, landscaped public parks, pedestrian plazas, walking and cycling paths, as well as a restored public beach, complementing multiple housing types which include condominiums, townhouses and lofts, a Culinary Arts District, office space, waterfront dining, convenience retail and other related uses for residents and visitors alike.

Add to this a planned luxury hotel and adjacent Ferry Terminal with service to and from Manhattan and other destinations.

Sounds idyllic. When can the rest of Nassau County move in?

And while Glen Cove continues to reinvent the Gold Coast, Hempstead Town Supervisor, Kate Murray, systematically plunders and decimates the Blight Coast (formerly known as the Town that Time Forgot, a/k/a America's Most Blighted Township).

How is it that one Long Island community can have the consummate transformation, from brownfields loaded with radioactive waste to fields of dreams, while others, notably, America's most populous town (quadruple that, when you include illegal accessory apartments), remain mired in the mud, stuck in the rear view mirror of suburbia, about as in tune with the 21st century as a Victrola? [Victorian-style street lamps, on the other hand...]

Could it be that Hempstead Town, and its many square miles of unincorporated wasteland, is just too big, too daunting, or simply too far gone?

Perhaps its the old "rape the land" philosophy of the strip miners, taking everything you can for yourself, future generations (and even present ones) be damned.

Is it that our elected officials are not up to the task, lacking visionary leadership, bold initiative, or the incentive to do anything more than to hold office for another year, another decade, another eon?

Or is it that we, the people, have, in large numbers, simply given up, falling prey to the "it can't be done," "that's the way it is," "why bother" mediocrity that stymies anything more than a few brick pavers on Main Street?

We are distracted by the glib, be it solar incubated clams or grazing Nigerian goats, waylayed by the smile (behind which lies the inherent evil of malaise), and paralyzed by the fear of anything new, different, unique, or challenging.

We take comfort in our age-old surroundings, seemingly oblivious to the decline of downtown, the decay along Main Street, the brownfield, ever-encroaching, next door.

And we believe the disingenuous, the promise never delivered, the lie recast and retold, time and time again, so much so, that most of us never bother to do the one thing that can bring about change, and turn around this community, more than any other -- VOTE!

Are Glen Cove residents more enlightened, empowered, embracing of the future than we in the lower townships? Are their leaders -- elected and civic -- more forceful, demanding, and steadfast?

Perhaps. Or maybe it is just the two Towns of Hempstead -- one for the North, and the other, er, not.

Let's just say that, right now, the difference between Glen Cove and the Town of Hempstead (which, by virtue of size rather than desire, is the heart of Nassau County), is that the former is moving forward, while the latter is, at best, standing still.

It is time to get Nassau County moving forward once again, lest future generations be left but to inherit the wind!

Its Still The Property Taxes, Stupid!

Nassau County Has 2nd Highest Property Tax Burden In The Region

[We've Even Got New Jersey Beat!]

Hey, we may be second (only to Westchester County), but we try harder, right?

Those property tax rates -- phony freezes by County and Town notwithstanding -- continue to climb, courtesy of unfunded State mandates on schools and municipalities, a dearth of aid to education from the State, and those pesky special taxing districts, each masquerading as local government, of the people, by the people, and for the people. And which people would that be?

Anyway, we digress.

The New York Times reports that which most of us already know -- "Property taxes are high around here in large part, of course, because property values are high. But there are several reasons why property taxes are higher here than in other costly parts of the country. Unlike California and Massachusetts, there are few, if any, longstanding brakes in place that kept property taxes down (and, in California, led to disastrous revenue shortages). Public employees unions are powerful and politically feared. And we’ve come to expect good services — top-rated schools, nearby police in little boutique towns — and have been willing to pay for them."

And this to say on the local property tax mess -- "The Nassau County executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, whose 'Fix Albany' mantra got him nowhere when he ran for governor against Eliot Spitzer in 2006 but looks pretty smart in retrospect, says that property taxes are inseparable from dysfunction in state government. He cites several reasons why property taxes are so high: unreasonable state mandates piled on local governments; income tax dollars inequitably distributed back to local governments; far too many local governments — more than 10,500 in New York — that need to be consolidated or eliminated; fraud and waste; and economic stagnation producing no expansion in the property tax base. You could throw in crippling Medicaid costs and unsustainable pension costs.

“'It’s the No. 1 issue,' he said. 'People have reached their breaking point. But we still have a long way to go in connecting the dots between dysfunction in state government and high property taxes.'"

Breaking point? We passed that breaking point years ago.

We voted down school budgets -- senselessly and wrongfully -- and that gave us no relief. Even in austerity came tax increases.

We championed legislation in Albany to create a process to consolidate or eliminate inefficient local government. The law has yet to go into effect, and query as to what its impact will be on the bottom line.

We've tried, with rather wimpish efforts, and zero results, to "Fix Albany." Yoo hoo. Its still broken!

We've even proposed a local, progressive income tax as a viable alternative to the regressive school property tax, so that we pay based on what we earn, not on the artificial value of property we own.

No, that was poo pooed too.

So, here we are, stuck with the status quo, digging deeper into our near-empty pockets each year to pay for schools that aren't nearly as great as they were once claimed to be, for services that are either wasteful or unnecessary (such a 6 garbage collection days per week), and for way too much government, capable only, it would seem, of finding new ways to tax us -- through fees, fares, and just plain old taxes (they don't even try to disguise them anymore) -- so that the vicious cycle of spend, spend, spend can continue.

It has always been our mindset at The Community Alliance that the status quo is never good enough.

Now, that status quo is choking us to death in Nassau County, be it on the front of planning, zoning, visioning, or that old standby that seemed to work so very well lo these many years, taxing the populace to debt.

Kristen McElroy Lives!

Website, Facebook For Dem Challenger In Town Of Hempstead

Do our eyes deceive us? Is Kristen McElroy, Democrat for Town of Hempstead Supervisor, actually mounting an 11th-hour campaign? Could it be?

Well, McElroy now has a website -- other than the one which has her running for Senate against Kemp Hannon -- and, would you believe, a Facebook page. [True, the first two comments come from supporters who reside in the Town of NORTH Hempstead, but hey, you have to start somewhere!]

Check out Kristen McElroy's website at www.kristenmcelroy.com and her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kristen-McElroy/144906081386?ref=ts&v=wall.

Why, Kristen is even twittering at Twitter. http://twitter.com/McElroyin09. Would you believe?

And you thought Kristen McElroy was just a figment of Jay Jacobs' imagination.

Is it too little, too late, for Kristen? Or the beginning of the end for Kate? A last gasp for McElroy, or a longshot's sprint to the finish of Kate "The Murraygram" Murray?

Let's just say -- most optimistically -- that, in the Town of Hempstead, its too early to make that call.

We Are All "Aware" Of Breast Cancer

Now We Actually Have To Do Something To Wipe It Out In Our Lifetime

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

You already knew that, didn't you?

But did you know that, each year, it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die? Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year.

Yes, we are making great strides in the battle to rid the world of breast cancer. Still, there remains so much more to be done.

As long as there is one person diagnosed, we all suffer. Families. Friends. Neighbors. All of us.

Okay. You know the drill.

Donate to your favorite charity to help find a cure for breast cancer, for improved diagnostics, early detection, treatment, and prevention.

And be sure to click on the Google Ad atop this blog (early and often), for each click (none costing you so much as a penny) will generate money, all of which received, during the month of October, will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

In eradicating breast cancer, we build a better, stronger community, and improve everyone's quality of life.

And that's what we're all about at The Community Alliance!

Inherit The Wind (And The Sun, Too)

Town To Use Wind Power, Solar Energy To Grow Clams

Folks, put this one in the "you can't make this stuff up" pile.

Only from the Town of Hempstead (Kate Murray, Stuporvisor), where, get this, alternative energy will be used -- what else would you expect? -- to grow clams.

Yes, clams! Not oysters. Not mussels. Not even a special taxing district for wayward whitefish. CLAMS!

Leave it to Kate & Kompany to brainstorm FLUPSY, the Floating Updwelling System, to cultivate "eight million hard clams per year" (yes, but how many of them will be registered to vote?) at the new "green" shellfish nursery in Point Lookout.

What next? Cultivating pods, all bearing a frightening resemblance to Town Councilman Tony Santino, at the Levy Preserve, ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers?

If Town of Hempstead residents didn't already have too many troubles (not truffles) on their plates -- from present property taxes to the future of the Nassau hub -- this shellfish chicanery, and the fishy press release (as in, catch and release) out of Hempstead Town Hall, might be cute, even funny.

Okay, it is funny, but certainly not as the folks at Town Hall intended.

We always knew the Town Supervisor to put pets before people. Adopt a dog. Adopt a cat. Adopt a Kate. But crustaceans?

Give us a break!

Saving the planet? How 'bout we save America's largest township first?

We're all for the environment, and for going green. Exploiting these selfless shellfish, however, for what is little more than political gain (how many of them will be eaten at the Town's Festival By The Sea, where clam eating and clam chowder contests abound), is just too much.

Clams on the half shell. Okay. But this idea of solar and wind harvested clams -- call them Angie Cullin's culls -- well, it seems rather half-baked to us.

Cultivating clams by wind and sun is great, Kate. At this point, though, we think that the residents of Hempstead Town are clam-oring for more!
- - -
From the Town of Hempstead:

Using Mother Nature to Help Save the Planet:
Town Officials Launch Solar and Wind Powered Shellfish Nursery

Supervisor Kate Murray and members of the town board joined with LIPA and local environmental groups to launch Hempstead Town's new "green" shellfish nursery at the Department of Conservation and Waterways in Point Lookout. The nursery is an innovative project designed to utilize alternative energy to grow clams, an activity beneficial to both the ecosystem and the local shellfish industry.

"We are changing the way energy is harnessed to reduce Hempstead Town's carbon footprint on the planet," Supervisor Murray said. "By utilizing nature's power of wind and sun to raise clams, we are also keeping our waterways cleaner as clams help filter our bays." "In addition, the clams that we raise will help support recreational and commercial shellfishing," Councilwoman Cullin added.

The solar and wind powered shellfish nursery allows scientists to raise "seed" clams to deposit in local beds. Maintaining the hard shell clam population in our bays is closely linked to the ecological health of our local bodies of water. Utilizing an $180,000 contract from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority NYSERDA and $60,000 in funding from LIPA, the new FLUPSY system is an entirely self-sustaining design. FLUPSY (Floating Upweller System) supports a shellfish grow-out process that provides a controlled environment that force-feeds nutrient-rich water to infant shellfish, allowing them to grow more quickly with a higher survival rate. The clean energy technology and the innovative design of the shellfish nursery have slashed energy costs at the facility, while increasing its ability to raise shellfish by 800%. The town's new FLUPSY is expected to increase production to eight million hard clams per year.

"Hempstead Town's shellfish nursery accomplishes two important goals: environmental conservation and energy efficiency," Supervisor Murray said. "The FLUPSY also serves as a potential learning tool to other communities looking to capitalize on renewable resources."

Raising and cultivating "baby" clams is important to support our local shellfish industry, provide area recreation and, most importantly, keep our waterways healthy with natural marine life that filters our bays. As filter feeders, hard shell clams are a critical species that maintain and potentially improve water quality.

Francis J. Murray, Jr., NYSERDA President and CEO noted that "This shellfish project will significantly improve Hempstead's clam beds, reduce maintenance and operational seed clam-bed costs through clean energy efficiency and most important, help sustain the livelihood of our Long Island fisheries. These are all part of Governor Paterson's vision to improve New York's economy through energy efficiency. NYSERDA's $180,000 co-funding, along with LIPA and the Town, substantially improved this high-energy-consumption process and we look forward to receiving the results of the project."

"I am happy to partner with Supervisor Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead for her plan to promote clean and renewable technology through the Town's FLUPSY project," said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. "LIPA remains committed to working with government officials, business leaders, and community members to help protect the environment while stimulating the local economy through the creation of clean energy jobs.

"Hempstead Town is at the forefront of environmental responsibility and has spearheaded several initiatives including utilizing solar energy at three government buildings, employing wind energy at Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve, utilizing electric cars among various town departments, and unveiling Long Island's first fleet of natural gas taxis. Additionally, the Conservation and Waterways Department hosts a self-relying "green" energy solar house, and is currently completing a fueling station that will provide pure hydrogen, blended hydrogen compressed natural gas, as well as pure natural gas for a variety of vehicles.

"I want to thank NYSERDA and LIPA for working closely with the town to support innovative uses of alternative energy," concluded Murray. "The work we do today will lay the groundwork for a cleaner planet for future generations."
- - -
Hmm. Francis J. Murray, Jr. Any relation to Kate?

Going Rogue In Hempstead Town

NEWS FLASH! If Re-Elected, Murray To Resign Supervisor's Post
Will Seek Governor's Seat -- In Alaska

Move over, Sarah Palin!

You're not the only one to quit while in office (or, for that matter, to pen a 400 page book, in less than four months, when it takes you twice that long just to read the front page of the Anchorage Daily News -- even if its blank).

By gosh, you've got nothing (well, maybe those waders) on Hempstead Town's Kate Murray.

Nope. Kate, sans book (she's working on it, Idiot's Guide To Publishing seen on her 4th floor office desk at Town Hall), is taking a cue from her mentor, Joe "Kate, I am your father" Mondello (you know, the fella who brought us Tom Gulotta), and will, should she be returned to office this November, quit her day job as Town Supervisor to seek higher office.

Yes, we have it on good word from GOP sources close -- or about as close as one could get -- to Kate Murray. She's just running because Mondello knows she can get re-elected, easily. With mission accomplished, Kate, following the precedent set by almost every past Supervisor, will be sworn in (so she can collect her pension for time served), and then promptly resign to run for Governor -- of Alaska. [Kate will simultaneously be appointed by the Town Board to serve as a clerk in the Town Attorney's office, drawing a salary of $150,000.]

Why Alaska?

Well, when pressed, the Town's Director of Misinformation, Mike Deery, had this to say: "Kate loves the great outdoors. Trapping. Hunting. Catching wild salmon with her bare teeth. And besides, once the Islanders leave Long Island, she has plans to lure the team north. Way north. As in, 'I can see Russia from my house' north."

The Community Alliance caught up with Kate as she rushed out of the Coliseum (Deli), triple-decker sandwich in hand.

"Is it true, Kate?" We asked. "Are you quitting to run for Governor of Alaska?"

"It is absolutely not true," she shot back. "I am not a quitter. I'm simply exploring other ways to serve the people."

Right. Serve the people.

"Have you considered a waitress position at the Coliseum Deli?," we asked, half in jest.

"Oh, I just love the Coliseum (Deli)," said Kate. "In fact, that's what I keep telling Charles Wang and his wacky Islander fans. The Coliseum (Deli) absolutely rocks! And my Zoning Board, bless their little souls, just approved a variance to expand this place. They love the Coliseum (Deli), too. Woo hoo! Oh, would you like a bite of this sandwich? Sorry about splattering the mustard on your tie. My bad..."

Meanwhile, back in Hempstead Town, Kate's Democratic Challenger, Kristen McElroy -- who, from all disappearances, is still running for State Senate -- now has a campaign manager (she waited till now?), one Joe Conte, Islander fan extraordinaire, age 24, who, having majored in Poli Sci, now rushes in where only fools would dare to go, making his first foray (the words, sacrificial lamb, coming quickly to mind) into Long Island politics.

Joe (Conte, not Mondello), you may recall, is the guy Joe (Mondello, not Conte) yelled at -- "Go blow it out your dufflebag" -- at a Kate Murray rally. You go Joe! [Either one.]

Perhaps out from that dufflebag will pour the KRISTEN McELROY FOR SUPERVISOR lawn signs, bumper stickers, TV and radio spots, millions of dollars for the war chest, and, well whatdoyaknow, Kristen McElroy (the stealth candidate) herself.

And elsewhere in Nassau County?

Check out Chris Browne, GOP candidate (and current member of the Town of Hempstead Zoning Board -- also known as The Dead End Kids) for County Legislature, whose lawn signs have been popping up all over the district, including sections that are predominantly Jewish.

So? What's wrong with that?

Nothing. Just that the signs read, ELECT CHRISTIAN BROWNE, for Christ's sake! Way to corral the Jewish vote, Chris. [And how's Rihanna doing, by the way?]

Anyway, back to Murray.

Here's the quandary. For those who want to rid the Town of Hempstead of she of many Murraygrams, do they vote for McElroy, sending Kate back to Levittown (where she could build herself a McMansion out of that Levitt cape)? Or, do they vote for Kate, understanding (wink, wink) that she will quit come January, pack her dufflebag, and head off to that other land that time forgot (as John McCain wish he could), Alaska?

Tough call. If only we could convince Sarah Palin to take the job.

Wait a minute. There is always the write-in vote, isn't there? Worked for Chris Browne on the Conservative line, didn't it?

By George, I think we've got it! SARAH PALIN FOR TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD SUPERVISOR.

Really. Could it be any worse than what we've got now? And why not a Bridge to Nowhere for Hempstead Town? -- with Victorian-style street lamps, of course.



Postscript: Sarah Palin's book, Going Rogue, comes out in November. It is expected to be translated into English sometime in 2010.

A Cool Reception For "Cool Downtowns"?

90/10 Solution Evinces Mixed Reviews

They came. They listened. They pondered the future of Nassau County. And they wondered, amidst the lofty proposals and the enduring rhetoric, when will America's first suburb truly witness a rebirth?

Seems to us that this vision of New Suburbia, this ideal of Cool Downtowns, is caught up somplace between "make it happen" and "let it happen".

And then there's "don't let it happen", as in Hempstead Town -- where the answer to "When?" is "Never." Where planning is anathema, and zoning is by exception, rather than rule. Where "smart growth" and the revitalization of "Main Street" (other than by Victorian-style street lamp), are the new drugs, and the Town Supervisor's credo is, "Just say no."

Rarely, if ever, in places like Hempstead Town, does it "happen," even when residents go to great lengths to make it happen. [Do the Argo in Elmont, the Courtesy in West Hempstead, and the Lighthouse Project in Uniondale ring any bells?]

Franky, Nassau County residents can no longer afford to say "no," to stand pat, or to simply "let it happen."

We, as a community, as a determined citizenry, and yes, as taxpayers, dearly in need of a revitalized Nassau as cornerstone of property tax relief, must say "yes," embracing not only the re-imagining and re-engineering of that 10% of our county's landscape -- the blighted, the abandoned, the declining, and the decayed -- but also re-thinking, in a bold, new way, how we live our lives in that other 90%.

Nassau County has a new Master Plan, unlike any such plan that has come before it.

We need to not only scope it out, discuss its merits (and its shortcomings), and debate the pros and cons. That's a given.

We need to embrace the very essence of what this plan entails. A life-giving breath to a suburban community too long on life support, being sustained not by innovative design and thoughful implementation of quintessential ideas, but by our hard-earned tax dollars (as in, good money thrown after bad).

And we need to give a hard, swift kick to the shin -- or higher -- of those powers-that-be (namely, the Zoning Board of the Town of Hempstead and the Town Supervisor, whose "yea" or "nay" (mostly, "nay") is the difference between that new suburbia, and a vast suburban wasteland, over whose plains roll not the progress of a vibrant and enticing new century, but tumbleweeds, over the brownfields, into oblivion.


- - -
From The New York Times:

In the Region Long Island
Retrofitting for a ‘New Suburbia’
By MARCELLE S. FISCHLER

NINETY percent of Nassau County “needs to remain untouched,” Thomas R. Suozzi, the county executive, kept reiterating as he espoused his vision for a “new suburbia.” He extolled the virtues of single-family homes, the North Shore waterfront and the South Shore ocean beaches, the parks and the open spaces — seeing them all as elements that need not change.

But then he got to the topic of the county’s other 10 percent — and it, he asserted, “needs to be completely reimagined, completely re-envisioned.”

To that end, at back-to-back conferences late in September, Mr. Suozzi unveiled a master plan, the “90/10 solution,” cajoling community leaders, developers, environmentalists and change-phobic residents to join a coalition to fix things that need fixing — while retaining the backyards and ball fields that made one of the nation’s first suburbs a desirable place to call home.

The forums took place on consecutive days — the first in Jericho on “Cutting Through the Red Tape: Building on Long Island Today,” the second at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, site of the Lighthouse, one of four major projects that Mr. Suozzi is promoting in his retrofitting agenda.

“The public is afraid of anything new, because they are afraid that next development is going to be the last vestige of suburbia that they love,” he declared, even as he detailed a vision of a more enticing — and urban — suburbia, in the form of 18 “cool” new downtowns in places like Island Park and Port Washington. There would be multistory housing near commuter rail stations, he said; there would be restaurants, shops and entertainment.

The goals achieved through these changes, according to Mr. Suozzi, are an expanded county tax base; a halt to the exodus of young people; a cap on crippling traffic congestion; and help for poorer areas.

He also urged his listeners to forge ahead on several projects now being weighed by various communities. Chief among them is the $3.74 billion Lighthouse suburban town center, which is under the scrutiny of Hempstead’s zoning board. (On Thursday, Mr. Suozzi announced a ground lease that would keep the Islanders hockey team at the coliseum through July 2030, subject to county and town approval.)

Others involve the redevelopment of Belmont Park and adjacent parts of Elmont; the transformation of the Glen Cove waterfront with housing, shops and a hotel; and reuse of 105 acres on the Grumman Aerospace plot in Bethpage as a high-tech business incubator.

Among the big concerns he cited was the flight of younger residents. “They want to be where it is fun, where it is exciting, where they can meet other young people,” Mr. Suozzi said. With couples marrying later, and relatively few starting families in their 20s, the suburbs have begun to seem both expensive and dull.

Affordability is also an issue, and the dearth of rentals on Long Island is a factor in that. “It’s not affordable in Brooklyn or Manhattan either,” he said; but, helped along by those areas’ vigorous rental markets, “kids are moving to Manhattan and Brooklyn all the time.”

In Nassau and Suffolk, rentals make up 17 percent of available housing; by contrast, in Westchester County they represent 37 percent.

Throughout the two days, Mr. Suozzi’s message remained consistent — even as the reactions it got were decidedly mixed.

Officials like John Cameron, the chairman of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, lent him their support. Declaring that the Island was “at a crossroads,” Mr. Cameron asserted, “either we will deal with our issues and challenges or it’s game over,” adding, the “no-action alternative will prove that we are not sustainable.”

Residents and other individual participants, however, had concerns. One was voiced by Emarinsie Funderbird, a Roosevelt business owner, who said Mr. Suozzi’s plans would bypass destitute communities like hers, even though they are beset with “all the ills they need to change,” like an abundance of foreclosures, and single-family homes occupied by five to six families. “All efforts will be on the 10 percent” represented by the new projects that the county executive is promoting, she predicted.

James Ruzicka, the mayor of Island Park, who also attended, received applause for asking the county to add his village to the potential downtown list, and made the point that “we could be cooler” right now. Specifically, he was hoping for help in beefing up a two-block area near the train station. “We could use a fix-up and get more business into town,” he said.

Mark Lesko, the Brookhaven town supervisor, said that on the issue of “smart downtowns,” Nassau and Suffolk Counties were in sync. Feeling the lack of town centers, he cited the daunting aspects of creating those “nodes” in places like Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson and Bellport.

Muzzio Tallini, a developer who had sought to build a 20,000-square-foot mixed-use project with 10 duplexes above retail shops in Elmont, but had his proposal rejected by Hempstead, bemoaned official resistance to change. “Getting anything done on Long Island is very difficult,” he said. “How can we get anything started if this government says no to us all the time?”

For his part Eric Alexander, the executive director of Vision Long Island, a “smart growth” group, took a practical, distanced stance to the entire issue. “Downtowns would regenerate themselves” and “the island will transform over the next 10 years whether we have big mega-projects or not,” he insisted. “The demographics will drive it.”

With residents struggling to maintain costly oversized homes and feeling isolated on cul-de-sacs, demand is already pushing developers to create smaller housing units near train stations, Mr. Alexander said. “That’s clear from applications we see from developers.”

Help Get The MTA Off Our Backs

Vote For George (Charlie) O'Brien On Election Day -- Or Walter ;-)

Now you citizens of Boston,
Don't you think it's a scandal
How the people have to pay and pay
Fight the fare increase!
Vote for Charlie O'Brien
Get poor Charlie off the MTA.

Ooops!

Wrong MTA. Different era. Still the same old song, though.

The MTA -- the one that continues to pick our pockets here in New York -- broke, borrowing, and morally bereft [we'd say bankrupt, but, for reasons known only to our State Legislators (and they're not talking), we insist on keeping this teetering public authority afloat], is spending our tax dollars again, insistent that their costly capital projects move forward.

The Second Avenue subway. [Weren't they working on that when we were kids, nearly half a century ago? Gosh, do we feel old!] $16 billion, and still digging.

East Side Access. [Any relation to West Side Story?]. Does the LIRR really need to pull into Grand Central? $6.3 billion, and counting. It would be an East Side Comedy, if this spending with abandon wasn't so darn serious!

But wait, there's more. . .

Extension of the subway to the far west side. Who told 'em to build a convention center without access to public transportation? Jacob Javits must be turning over in his grave.

The $750 million Fulton Transit Center. Sounds fishy to us.

$400 million for a new South Ferry terminal. Sure. Why not? Its only money.

$137.9 million to build a second track between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma. How about fixing and upgrading the existing tracks, system-wide? Can we get anybody on board with that?

When the MTA Board (how many presidents does it take to run a railroad?)voted in late Spetember -- after raising fares, tolls, and payroll taxes -- to spend $28.1 billion for infrastructure improvements through 2014 (a sum which will barely close the MTA's financial gap -- a gap no one in Albany is watching --through 2010), didn't anyone try to stop this runaway train?

"My overriding concern continues to be how this plan will be funded," said Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington), who sits on the MTA Capital Program Review Board. "We need to know if this is a realistic plan, or a wish list."

Realistic? How could the MTA's plan be realistic? THEY HAVE NO MONEY! [Wait a minute. They have our money!]

Understand. We believe, quite strongly, in rebuilding New York, as we do in reshaping suburbia here on Long Island, but folks, when you've got no money, essentially in hock up to your eyeballs, you simply cannot spend and spend some more.

How will the MTA's "wish list" be funded? As it always is -- by toll hikes, fare hikes, and taxes, taxes, taxes. And who will be called upon to bail out the MTA -- yet again -- when next they cry poverty? Ah, that would be we, the people, from the Dashing Dans, to those who frequent New York's bridges, tunnels, and toll roads, themselves victims of the MTA's blunders and plunders.

Back in 2000, then NYS Comptroller, Carl McCall, issued a report on the MTA's Capital Program. It was entitled, Unanswered Questions.

Well, now we know the answers. Indeed, we -- and they -- knew them way back when. DON'T SPEND WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE!

Oh yes. You can get a Charlie Card to ride the Boston MTA. Not a nickel anymore. Then again, that subway ride in NYC hasn't been a dime for quite some time.

And what do we get in New York when we shout, scream, and yell -- to just about anyone who will listen (though no no seems to actually care) -- about the latest outrages at the MTA?

Charlie horse, that's all. Charlie horse.

Well, at least the Boston MTA had a catchy tune. For New York's MTA, just another public authority run amuck, its the same old tired song.

Ra, Ra For The Lighthouse Project

Hempstead Town Attorney And His Local Republican Club Reap Contributions from Consultant Hired By Town To Study Environmental Impact of Lighthouse Project

If isn't all in the family for Town of Hempstead officials, then, certainly, its "pay it close to the vest," with contributors to the GOP cause -- and the local Republican Club -- securing lucrative town contracts.

Hasn't that always been the case? A Quid Pro Quo, of sorts? You scratch my back, and.... Well, you get the picture.

And so it is with the consultant hired to review the environmental impact of the proposed Lighthouse project, F.P. Clark, which firm, just coincidentally, is a regular contributor to Hempstead Town Attorney, Joe Ra, as well at the Franklin Square Republican Club, of which Ra is leader.

Ah, keep your friends close, and your contributors even closer!

Not that there's anything illegal in these shenanigans -- although Ra is said to be returning monies received from Clark, post-Lighthouse project retention -- but the appearance of impropriety alone emits a stench that makes the effluent flowing from the Cedar Creek sewage treatment plant smell like roses.

The Town Attorney tells Newsday that Clark has been doing consulting work for the Republican-controlled Town of Hempstead for the past 25 years.

No doubt. And for how many years has the consulting firm been a donor to Joe Ra and his Republican Club?

And why is the Town Attorney, who should, at least in theory, be above the political fray, leading a local GOP Club? [A rhetorical question. We suppose it is much for the same reason that said Town Attorney had been, for many years, simultaneously on the payroll of the Town of Hempstead and the Town's Sanitary District 6, wearing the hat of Counsel. Does that mean two pensions, Joe? Hmmm.]

Okay. One hand washes the other. We understand that.

But whatever happened to competitive bidding and independent review? And where's the transparency we, the people, have been promised, from the State Capitol to Hempstead Town Hall?

When will the residents of Hempstead Town, particularly those who bother to vote, finally say, "no more"?
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From Newsday:
Consultant fee complaints prompt focus on GOP donations
by SANDRA PEDDIE / sandra.peddie@newsday.com

When Lighthouse president Michael Picker complained to Hempstead Town officials last May that the environmental consulting firm's bills for the proposed Nassau Coliseum project were "unfair," Town Attorney Joseph Ra responded that the fees were "reasonable and necessary in all respects."

In his letter, Ra did not tell Picker he was a longtime friend of the president of the consulting firm, David Stolman, or that Stolman's firm, F.P. Clark, had made thousands of dollars in contributions to Ra's Republican Club in Franklin Square.

Under state environmental law, all land-use applications must be reviewed for their environmental impact. The local municipality selects the consultant who does it, while the developer pays the bills. The Lighthouse group has deposited more than $550,000 in an escrow account held by the town for those bills.

State campaign filings show that Westchester-based F.P. Clark, selected by the town board in April 2008 as its consultant on the Lighthouse project, has donated $2,420 to the Franklin Square Republican Club, of which Ra is leader, since April 2006.

In an interview, Ra defended the contributions as "perfectly legal," but later said he would refund some of them and stop accepting them from the firm in the future.

Although there is no law barring such contributions, "There should be a rule that the town attorney is not involved in political clubs," said Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Group, a nonprofit organization that monitors campaign activities.

Picker first complained to Ra - who is the town's point person on the Lighthouse project - about at least $350,000 in bills May 12, calling them "inequitable and unfair."

Two weeks after Picker's complaint, Stolman contributed $455 to Ra's Republican club. A little more than a month later, on July 1, Ra defended Stolman's bills in a letter to Picker.

In an interview, both Stolman and Ra said they had been close friends for more than 30 years. Ra said he was not involved in selecting Stolman's firm for the work and that Stolman's political contributions were "not unlike anything that doesn't happen anywhere else in the state."

Ra said Town Supervisor Kate Murray, also a Republican, and town board members were not aware of the relationship, and that the firm had done consulting work for the town on other projects for 25 years.

In a later interview, Ra said that the relationship might have the appearance of impropriety and said he would refund all contributions, or a total of $910, made after he took over the project for the town in September 2008. According to a letter Ra sent to Stolman on Sept. 8, he did so.

COMPLETE NEWSDAY COVERAGE: Lighthouse Project

Who's Watching Out For The Special Taxing Districts?

Karl Schweitzer, We Presume!

Yes, Karl Schweitzer, President of the Long Island Special Districts Association. [Did you even know that such an organization existed? A union of special districts, banded together? For what, you ask? Why, to insulate and protect themselves from us, the taxpaying public, of course.]

Anyway, on the heels of a report of a Nassau County Grand Jury, condemning pension abuses among the county's special districts, Mr. Schweitzer and his ilk will likely have some 'splainin' to do, should our dysfunctional State Legislature up in Albany ever decide to seriously take up the issue of pension reform, special district reform, and/or property tax reform.

Apparently, no laws were broken. But there oughta be a law!

Pedro Espada, reformist extraordinaire. Where are you when we need you?

But we digress. Back to Karl Schweitzer. He and his colleagues at LISDA opposed the legislation, signed into law earlier this year, that will permit residents -- as well as county government -- to commence a process that could, ultimately, by referendum, allow for the dissolution or consolidation of special districts -- namely, water, garbage, fire, and the like. [School districts are, unfortunately, exempt from the law, notwithstanding the fact that school taxes account for more than 60% of the property tax in most Long Island districts. So who's counting?]

Seems the special taxing districts don't care much for change, unless its the change that's coming out of taxpayers' -- primarily, homeowners -- pockets to fill their coffers for cars, junkets, orthodontics, and 52" HDTV monitors.

As for Karl Schweitzer -- who, by the way, is Chairman of the Board of the Hicksville Water District, as well as president of the Nassau-Suffolk Water Commissioners Association-- he is watching out for his special district pensioneers, whom he shall, some day soon, hope to join. You know. The folks who double and triple dip, without a single time sheet to show that they actually did anything for anyone other than themselves.

Yes, this band of brothers, under banner of the Long Island Special Districts Association [we wonder which Republican Club they run out of], is watching the pot. [That is, when they're not being paid for playing golf.] A pot into which millions of taxpayer dollars is poured, annually, never to be seen by the public eye again -- yet alone accounted for by boards, commissioners, and their "local government" cohorts, who say they have the best interests of the public (that's us, in case you had a brain freeze there) at heart.

Really? Could have fooled us. They didn't, of course, fool a Nassau County Grand Jury!

Hey Big Spender. . .

And You Thought We Didn't Need Campaign Finance Reform

With the general election a little over a month away, the money flows out of the campaign war chests like water down the Hudson River to the sea.

And may the biggest spender win!

Here's the tab for expenditures, to date, for the incumbents in the races for Town Supervisor in Oyster Bay, North Hempstead, and Hempstead, respectively:

John Venditto $50,194.47
John Kaiman $140,753.49
Kate Murray $199,685.89

And the winner is? As if you didn't know. [Only fitting that the biggest spender should find herself in America's biggest township, where there really isn't any challenge this year, to speak of. Hey, you think all those signs, placards, and mailings come cheap? Wait. We forgot. No campaign funds have been used for the mailing of those Murraygrams. That's your tax dollars at work!]

These are local races, mind you, where the opposition has been, at best, nominal, if not non-existent.

Even the money spent in the race for Nassau County Executive can be telling, where incumbent, Tom Suozzi has outspent challenger, Ed Mangano, by some $357,513.32 to $28,862.74, not to mention outraising his opponent (albeit in a race that is virtually no contest) to the tune of $1,127,358.50 to $78,759.10.

Okay. So there's nothing unlawful about amassing money in a campaign war chest, and then simply outspending your opponent (or, in the case of Michael Bloomberg in NYC (whose expenditures, through July, have been $36,645,273.82, outspending most developed nations in the world).

Maybe, just maybe, to level that playing field -- in the hope that the most qualified candidates (and not the biggest spenders) may win -- it just ought to be.

Time to take another look at campaign finance reform and the public financing of elections? You betcha!
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To Search the NYS Board of Elections Campaign Finance Disclosure database by candidate name, click HERE.

For a spreadsheet of 2009 campaign spending by the incumbents in the races for Town Supervisor in Nassau County, e-mail The Community Alliance at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

There Are None So Blind. . .

. . .As Those Who Still Do Not Embrace The Dire Need For Health Care Reform

If you can watch the following video, published by the St. Petersburg Times at tampabay.com, and conclude that our health care system is on the right track, and drastic reform, largely to hold costs in check and the drug and insurance complex accountabily, we'd suggest a visit to your own doctor (you pick up the tab) to check your pulse.



That we allow this abuse -- and make no mistake, it is abuse -- to go on in America, the wealthiest nation in the free world, is simply unconscionable.

That we pay any mind to the boneheads who scream "death panels," "socialism," and "you lie," is simply beyond belief.

The 'New Suburbia' Comes Into Focus

90/10 Master Plan Presented By Nassau County Executive

We're not convinced that 90/10 is quite the right mix, as we meander down Hempstead Turnpike, turning the corner at the intersection of Ugly and Blighted.

Still, turning the corner -- from downtrodden to upscale, from the 1950s to the 21st Century -- is what its all about!

With this in mind, Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi unveiled -- perhaps for the second, or is it the third time -- his Master Plan for the New Suburbia, the so-called "90/10 Solution" (which, hopefully, is not the year of its intended implementation).

Can Elmont or Hempstead Village have "Cool Downtowns?"

Will Belmont Park ever reach its potential as a community-builder?

Can we afford to build the megaprojects highlighted in the Master Plan? Can we afford not to?

And why doesn't Tom ever include The Community Alliance as part of his "teamwork to make the dream work"?

Yes, "re-imagining suburbia" has a whole new look to it.

Granted, it will take lots of "re-imagineering" -- from Disneyesque re-imagineers -- to bring much of Nassau County (or at least that 10% as envisioned by the 90/10 Coalition), from blight to delight.

Will this plan truly, realistically, feasibly, relieve us of high property taxes, the flight of young Long Islanders, traffic congestion, pockets of poverty, among other ills of an aging suburbia?

Time, effort, energy, and a will to get the job done, will tell.

Of course, we have to start somewhere, and sometime. Let that somewhere be America's first suburb. Let that sometime be now!

When Legislators Write Us On Our Dime

Its All About Them, Seldom About Us

This blogger received the most recent District Report (timed for release just prior to the upcoming election) from his Nassau County Legislator. A Report which, as we all know, but our legislators apparently forget (or is it that they just don't care?), is paid for with taxpayer dollars.

The entire first page, of this four page, full color newsletter, is little more than a rant against the folks who, figuratively, sit across the aisle.

"Their budget is flawed. We voted against it." "The Assessment is broken. They call it 'fair and accurate.'" "The county is borrowing tens of millions of dollars." "They spend too many hours considering trivial laws (e.g., a law to ban the sale of candy cigarettes)."

Forget, for the moment, that the County's finances, as rough a road as is traveled upon in these difficult economic times, is far better than it was when those who now complain brought Nassau to the brink of fiscal ruin.

Never mind that the Assessment process was "broken" when you had it under your watch, that a Court, not the opposition, ordered the reassessment, and it was, at the outset, your team, then in the majority, that had the ball to carry.

And talk about trivialities. Is parental consent to get a little rose tattoo on the ankle any more trivial -- or less significant, depending on point of view -- than is banning candy cigarettes?

Point is, nowhere in the missive that is the District Report -- this rude, petty, finger-pointing at "the other guy," self-aggrandizing rag -- is there any suggestion of a viable alternative course, or, for that matter, anything whatsoever signifying a record of accomplishment by the legislator who sent it.

Accomplishments? You want accomplishments? Isn't berating the majority, followed by two pages of glossy photos of our County Legislator attending street fairs, holding a shovel at a groundbreaking, or denouncing the State MTA tax, "accomplishment?"

Sorry, but showing up (for a photo op) at a pancake breakfast or a pasta dinner is not a legislative coup (use of the word not intended to conjure up flashbacks of what our State Senators "accomplished" earlier this year).

Having your name appear under your picture in the local papers, week after week after week, is not an accomplishment.

And wasting hard-earned tax dollars on what amounts to campaign literature turned hate mail, to rant about your fellow legislators and the other party, is certainly not accomplishment.

As this blogger's mother often said, "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything." [Not that I ever listened. Then again, I am not an elected official, and no tax dollars were used to publish and disseminate this rant].

Perhaps that line should be, "If you haven't actually done anything positive yourself, keep the malcontent in check, and stop using public money as part of your re-election campaign war chest."

More aptly, it is better for legislators to keep their mouths shut, and appear to have done little to improve the quality of life in our community, than to open them, and remove all doubt!

It is evident that our legislators just don't get it. The question is, "When will we?"