tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14091116.post901662807974409405..comments2023-07-28T07:07:48.002-04:00Comments on The Community Alliance Blog: "Cool Downtown" Concept Gets Icy ReceptionThe Community Alliancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05874256614338547604noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14091116.post-37480096619122204312010-02-24T06:54:47.109-05:002010-02-24T06:54:47.109-05:00The whole "cool downtown" concept was as...The whole "cool downtown" concept was associated with Tom Suozzi, and so it's not a big surprise that Mangnano would choose to abandon this. In the early days of his administration, the number one order of business seems to have been to find new and creative ways to criticize the prior regime. Some of that criticism has been legitimate; on the other hand, given that Suozzi is now history, it's not exactly productive of anything.<br /><br />Hopefully, there'll be some alternative direction offered by our new County Executive when it comes to downtown revitalization. Actually, let me make that a stronger statement: I think voters should deem it as unacceptable for our County Executive not to exert leadership in this area.<br /><br />In his first year in office President Obama was criticized for trying to do "too much too soon." On Long Island, we seem to specialize in electing people who do "too little too late." Sunday's Newsday article, outlining the problems which, decades later, not only continue to exist but have actually gotten worse, highlight the fact that as voters we simply can't afford politicians who do nothing or who make only token efforts to address the most serious issues we face. <br /><br />Let me submit that, given the current state of affairs on Long Island, we'd all be better off with elected leaders who try to "too much" as opposed to "too little." Only time will tell what kind of leader Mr. Mangnano chooses to be.Questionauthoritynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14091116.post-47034081019474042162010-02-23T09:06:14.843-05:002010-02-23T09:06:14.843-05:00Cool Downtowns was one of the goods ideas of forme...Cool Downtowns was one of the goods ideas of former County Executive Suozzi. It started a real and necessary dialogue to chart where our future growth in Nassau County needed to be so that young people could stay here, our tax base could expand, and the community could have something to enjoy in their downtowns other than miles of blight. Sadly, it appears his idea is not a priority for Ed Mangano. Having all the pages removed from the County's website speaks volumes as to what he thinks about smart growth and re-energizing our downtowns.<br /><br />To be fair, the County Executive has little say over development in Nassau County. That responsibility lies primarily with our Towns and Villages, who have with very few exceptions failed miserably. The problem of course arises when all of the beautiful renderings come down from their easels, the lights and cameras leave, and it's time for our politicians to get something done. Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead have continuously denied, obstructed or at best frustrated any attempt to build smart growth projects in our downtowns. Baldwin, Elmont, West Hempstead and now Uniondale are some of her casualities. These communities had smart growth projects proposed with great hope and supported by their communities only to be swatted away by Kate, a person who proclaimed she would be a champion for smart growth when first becoming supervisor over 7 years ago.<br /><br />We can't afford inaction any longer. We have seen enough artist's renderings and read enough independent studies. It's time for us to get serious about swatting Kate Murray away if we want to have any Cool Downtowns in the Town of Hempstead.Kates Gotta Gonoreply@blogger.com