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.