Blight Among The Ruins

Give The People What They Want? Well, Not Exactly.

With Supervisor Kate Murray -- known in certain circles as "she who must be obeyed" -- ruling the roost at Hempstead Town Hall (with Joe Mondello's hand pulling the strings), is it any wonder that few in the unincorporated areas of the township ever get what they actually want, let alone what they really need?

In Elmont, where the Town talks of revitalization (been there, haven't done that), residents have been begging for a supermarket, looking to transform the old Argo movie theater.

"We're waiting for residents to tell us what they want," says Murray.

Pssst! Kate. They want a supermarket, a safer, more aesthetically pleasing Turnpike, and an atmosphere conducive to vibrant commercial and retail growth and stability.

In Baldwin, the Town wants to give residents a big box store -- Kohl's -- while residents want to make way on a reinvigorated "Main Street" for the smaller Mom & Pops to flourish.

"It's one big brown box," said a Baldwin resident of the Merrick Road project. "We'd like to make that area look different."

"We're waiting for residents to tell us what they want," says Murray.

Pssst! Kate. They want a walkable, viable "Main Street", with smaller, community-centric stores.

How 'bout a Kohl's?

In Oceanside, its back to the Town Zoning Board -- again.

How 'bout a BIGGER Kohl's?

In Roosevelt, the Town redeveoped a single building on Nassau Road, and put a new face on an old facade in the Western Beef shopping center (the old "pave the parking lot" routine).

A nice start, but it will take a lot more than stucco, a fresh coat of paint, and some "Welcome to Roosevelt" banners to give a rebirth to Nassau Road. [And when the County takes over the lease at 380 Nassau Road, and the building comes off of the tax rolls, what will happen then?]

In Franklin Square, it's DON'T give us what we DON'T want -- another cell phone tower in a residential neighborhood.

"We're waiting for residents to tell us what they want," said Murray.

Pssst! Kate. The phone is ringing off the hook! Tell your Zoning Board to deny the Application, and let them take the matter to court.

Yup. Give the people what they want -- like in West Hempstead, where folks have wanted to rid themselves of the crime-ridden Courtesy hotel since the days when Al D'Amato (Katuria's boy) was changing Kate Murray's diapers.

"We're waiting for residents to tell us what they want," said Murray.

Pssst! Kate. Try Trammell-Crow!

Right. Give the people what they want, all over the Town of Hempstead. Consolidate the Town's Sanitary Districts, for instance, eliminating the patronage, the waste, the inefficiency, and saving the taxpayers wads of money?

"We're waiting for residents to tell us what they want," said Murray.

Pssst! Kate. We want to pay more. Heck, we enjoy it. Just ask Tony Santino.

Think about it. How much of what you want -- in terms of the quality of life issues that impact directly on your day-to-day and bottom line -- have you actually gotten from Kate Murray's Town Hall?

Not all that much, from what we can see.

Pssst! Town of Hempstead residents. On Tuesday, November 6th, tell Kate Murray what you really want. Perhaps she'll listen then.