The World According To GOP

Harvey The Reassessor

Funny, but to hear Peter Schmitt - the Nassau County Legislature’s Minority Leader – tell it, Harvey Levinson – the Chair of the Nassau County Board of Assessors – “helped create” the reassessment that so troubles Nassau County taxpayers.

Forget Charlie O’Shea. Forget the old Nassau County Board of Supervisors. Forget years – no, decades – of Republican hegemony that perpetuated an egregious tax system. Forget the machine-driven contentment to not only condone a broken and burdensome system, but to embellish it through a multitude of autonomous taxing jurisdictions. Forget all logic and reason. Harvey Levinson is responsible for the reassessment. Not only that, ladies and gentlemen, Harvey Levinson is also responsible for the sinking of the Titanic, the Great Depression and the Black Plague! You read it here first.

Yes folks, while Harvey Levinson was serving the good people of this County – 25 years in the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, the last of those as the right hand man to Denis Dillon – he was plotting to create the reassessment and to tax homeowners above and beyond even their wildest nightmares. The one public official who – against popular notion and self-preservation – isn’t afraid to suggest that at least a portion of the property tax be replaced by a nominal income tax. Oh no. He’s the cause of all our woes. How utterly absurd.

What galls us is not so much the laughingly inane sound bytes that flow from the gunked up guts of the GOP machine, but that there are folks out there who actually buy into it! And few among us – not even the press – call them on it.

Greg Peterson, the born-again former Town of Hempstead Supervisor who, with a flash that puts Tom Gulotta to shame, resurrected as the golden boy who would be County Exec, chides Tom Souzzi for raising County taxes 19% - this after the County had been thrown into a financial hole by a generation of mismanagement and incompetence under the rule of, guess who? Yup. The GOP. Who is he kidding? That’s like blaming a surgeon who saved his patient’s life by removing a lung, this after his predecessor and his predecessor’s team failed to diagnose and treat the Cancer in the first place. [And we won't mention the now familiar Peterson ploy that Suozzi plans to run for Governor in 2006. Oops. We just mentioned it. Remind us again who it was that resigned the position of Town of Hempstead Supervisor, shortly after his re-election, to take the job as chief of Nassau OTB, permitting Gentleman Joe Mondello to appoint Rich Guardino in his stead? Hmm. That would be Greg Peterson. Forget we ever mentioned it!]

All the talk of Bond ratings by the Town of Hempstead elite. Oh yeah. The Bond ratings are up there, all right. And you know what that means – more borrowing, and more taxes to pay back that which has been borrowed.

For those with rather short memories, let us take you back to the Gulotta years. The days of smoke and mirrors galore. We were told, in no uncertain terms and with the same constant dribble as now drones down to us, that the County’s finances were in fantastic shape. That our Bond rating was top notch. That there was no need to raise taxes or cut programs. That everything in America’s premier County was a picture perfect photo opportunity. And we bought into it, lock, stock and barrel of sitting ducks.

And so, the County borrowed, borrowed and borrowed some more, until the bottom fell out. Who was left to pick up the pieces and pay the piper? That would be us, the taxpayers. Hey, don’t blame the Republican machine. Its Tom Suozzi’s fault.

Today, that same scenario – one that should frighten us all – is being played out on the stage of the last bastion of GOP domination – the scene of the greatest puppet show on Earth, awaiting the final curtain - Hempstead Town Hall. The Bond rating is second to none. The Town’s finances have never been stronger. We’re freezing all Town taxes under our control. And we buy into every bit of it, don’t we?

What they don’t tell you – and dare not tell you – is that the Town is headed down that same road the County took – with us as paying passengers. They somehow forget to remind us that, for 2005, the Town increased taxes by 12.8%. [Since when does a municipality with a professed surplus RAISE taxes?] They conveniently forget to tell us that, thanks to that wonderful Bond rating, the Town of Hempstead is $56 million dollars in debt, and plans to borrow even more - $33 million to $35 million per year from 2006-2009. And they’re not going to tell us that the Town of Hempstead’s largest revenue fund (Sanitary – surprise, surprise) is running at a deficit. [This all according to Fitch Ratings, the folks who rate the Bonds.]

We sometimes ask ourselves, “With all the money the Town is borrowing, with all this debt being loaded on the backs of the taxpayer, why is Kate Murray always smiling?” Then again, until the very end, Tom Gulotta was smiling, too!

Heaven help you, Harvey, when you do take office as Town of Hempstead Supervisor, and all of the borrowing, bellowing and pork-barreling finally breaks the bank. Its all going to be your fault.

Sure, its all about taxes, stupid. Whether we cap the property tax increase or not isn’t the issue, and the finger-pointing mentality that is the hobgoblin of little minds is not the solution. Without a cap on tax rates – by school districts, sanitary districts and the plethora of other special districts that pick our pockets clean – you could, theoretically, lower the assessment, and our taxes will still go up.

The property tax is among the top quality of life issues confronting Nassau County residents. It festers, it spirals out of control, and it contributes to other evils, such as illegal accessory apartments, which in turn burden schools and essential services. There appears no end to the vicious cycle.

We can accept that the property tax system, which is oppressive and beyond the means of the ordinary wage-earner, cannot be fixed. That this is a system that needs to be replaced by a fair and equitable tax, based on one’s ability to pay, not on the artificial value of one’s house.

Or, we can continue to buy the broom they’ve inconspicuously placed at the checkout counter – a broom we’re going to pay for again and again – and then, we can blame it all on Harvey!

May The Force Be With You . . .

IT’S THE PROPERTY TAXES, STUPID

Once, in a galaxy far, far away, there were massive property taxes that threatened to consume every homeowner…

Duh… 46 school district budgets failed. Many that passed came through by razor thin margins. Are folks disgusted with the property taxes? Ya think? Sometimes, just sometimes, you wonder whether anyone is paying attention to us.

Upstate school districts get upwards of 60% of their budgets through State Aid. The average State Aid to Long Island school districts hovers around 13%. What gives? You wonder why our Governor has an approval rating in the 30s – and he has to “think about” whether he should run again. Run, George. All the way back to Peekskill!

Of course, you really can’t put all the blame on the elected. The electors have a little to do with the mediocrity we send and return to office – ad nauseum. How many times do I ask, “Just how stupid do they think we are?” The answer – pathetically stupid. And the proof is in the pudding – a complacent, uninformed, willing to believe whatever they see and hear (I’d say read, but most of them don’t – or can’t), stepping into that voting booth and sending buffoons to “represent” us everywhere from the State house to the White House. This in the vain hoping of savoring a few table scraps and fruit cake crumbs.

We buy into the myth and the mystique – like those warm and fuzzy TV spots for Haliburton, with all the trees, the clean air and water, the gushy concern for the environment. This from the folks who rape the forests, put money in the pockets of those who sponsor terrorists, and care for only one tree – or should I say Bush.

Closer to home, when a fella named Golisano was running for Governor as a third party candidate, telling us that the sky is falling on New York’s finances, nobody listened. The guy was barely a blip on our radar screen. We shrugged our shoulders and sent the two-bit grape farmer back to Albany. NOW we blame Pataki?

Truth is, its no different in our own backyard. We blindly followed the Nassau County parade – right off the edge of the cliff into the abyss – then blamed the showman we so willingly returned to office - again, and again, and again. Everyone knew Tom Gulotta was a larger than life personality – the man of a thousand photo ops who was wholly absent on the managerial scene. Why, even Joe Mondello knew what he was shoving down our throats all those years. Fact is, we kept closing our eyes, opening our mouths, and pleading, “More please.” Just how dumb are we? Tom Gulotta was who Tom Gulotta is. A genuinely decent, relatively humble, truly personable guy who lacked the skills to manage Nassau County, and whose underlings – the anointed and the appointed – knew and cared even less. You can’t fault Tom Gulotta for being, well, Tom Gulotta. Blame Joe Mondello? Sure, why not? In lesser counties, they would have run him out of town on a rail. In Nassau town, we just keep threatening to shut those rails down, lumbering along the potholed road on a broken wagon with three reinvented square wheels. Is it really Joe’s fault that we let them get away with it – year after year, decade after decade?

Last weekend, I was watching the Star Wars movies in anticipation of Episode III – The Trilogy, Episode I, and I really don’t know what happened to Episode II (Was there an Episode II? There had to have been.). Let me tell you, never watch these movies before you go to sleep. You’ll have the strangest dreams. Call it a nightmare, actually…

I found myself in the alien bar, as appeared in the original Star Wars. It was Election night, 2005, and the Nassau County Republicans had rented out the bar for the evening. The other-worldly were all in attendance, rattling their light sabers, speaking unintelligible gibberish, devouring gruel imported from The Sand Castle in Franklin Square. And then the shocker.

Up steps Joe Mondello to the microphone to announce that Greg Peterson – the once Town of Hempstead Supervisor regurgitated as the party’s answer to Tom Suozzi (Who asked the question?) – had been elected County Executive. [Apparently, Suozzi could not come back after the Lorna Goodman scandal broke in late September. Something about stiletto heels, whips, chains and a dungeon in the basement of the old County Court House. Hmm. Let’s not even go there…] In saunters Greg Peterson, a blinding flash of light glinting off of his gold jewelry. He gives us his broadest signature grin, with that whiter than white smile, and, before he can say a word, lifts his hand to his face and briskly pulls off a mask, revealing none other than Tom Gulotta. I gasp. The assembled begin to take notice.

Wait. It gets worse. The crowd ooohs and ahhs. [That’s all they ever do, isn’t it?] Petersen again lifts hand to face (I’m not certain it was his own hand, though that rarely matters in the circles he travels), and off comes yet another mask, this time revealing none other than Joe Mondello himself. Joe – the other Joe – which one is the real Joe makes no difference. They are all Joe. - puts his arm around the man we thought was Peterson, turns to the gathered GOP, and proudly proclaims, “Greg, I am your father…” At that moment, in slimes Jabba the Hut, disguised as none other than Town of Hemp…

It was at that point I awoke, bolted out of bed in a cold sweat, and ran to check the calendar. Phew. It was only May, not November. There was still time. But hold on. Was there time enough to save the Empire, let alone the Town and County, so far, far away. Where is Yoda when you need him? Geez, I can’t even pick up the phone to call the President to warn him that the alien invaders are walking among us. [Fade to the Oval Office, where the President has just screened Episode III – although he thinks its FOX news footage of the invasion of Afghanistan. As the credits role, W wipes the popcorn off of his PJs, as Dick Cheney approaches from behind. “George, I am your father…”].

But I digress. What were we talking about? Oh yeah. Those stupid property taxes. Who do we blame for this terrible, terrible mess in which we find ourselves? We’ve all heard the age-old expression, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” What do we do, however, when that tired, old machine finally does break down, and there’s no R2D2 around to make those crucial repairs? Why are we governed by our inferiors? Who, pray tell, do we blame?

We have seen the enemy, and he is us!

To Bed, Bath & Beyond . . .

Remember the Flea Market at the old Roosevelt Raceway? Many an afternoon spent looking for bargains, and finding the torn and tattered Wranglers mom tossed – 3 pair for $10. [Today, those same jeans – you know, the ones with holes in the knees and the frayed bottoms, faded beyond recognition of anything that might have been blue – sell (under a famous label, of course) for $200 a pair at National Jean Company. Mom, I coulda been a contender!]

In case you hadn’t noticed, Roosevelt Raceway – Flea Market and all – is no more, the surrounding area supplanted by a curious mix of big-box stores, restaurants, and now, housing.

In an era of “Smart (as in ‘Smart is what Smart does’) Growth,” one expects – indeed, desires - a favorable mix of retail, commercial and residential use, and yet, the Roosevelt Raceway “hub” (for lack of a better term) defies the rule of planned development.

True, we now have more stores than Disney’s Main Street, but no main street in the area can be crossed in safety by residents of the newly built apartment complex, and woe to the residents of the soon-to-be constructed “gated community” for the over 55 crowd, who will no doubt become prime targets for motor vehicle traffic en route to, well, Target.

The idea behind Smart Growth, at least as we understand it, is to create a truly livable community, centered around a “downtown,” interspersed with affordable housing and plentiful green/recreational space, accessible to all – ideally by means that promote pedestrian traffic. At least give us a tram!

Okay, so the Raceway Cinema will have to suffice as a reasonable excuse for recreation (at least on a rainy day), but let’s face fact – in the shadows of the American Ref-Fuel facility and within earshot of the Meadowbrook Parkway, we have built out of the wasteland a, ah, wasteland. Look, you can’t get from point A to Point B – or from your gated apartment to Chili’s – without a car. As if traffic congestion wasn’t bad enough, let’s add hundreds of residential units – many to be inhabited by seniors – and invite more cars, more congestion and more pollution. [A note to prospective tenants: Do not sign long-term leases. Assuming you don’t get whacked crossing Merchant’s Concourse, the Carbon Monoxide from all those cars passing under your balcony (overlooking what, I have no idea) – or the “harmless steam” flowing from the stacks of the trash recycling plant – will be sure to get you. Forget the gated community. You need a bubble. Hey, what did you expect for $300,000 plus, Shangri-La?

And let’s tax those underground aquifers – the limited source of all of Long Island’s drinking water – like we tax everything else: to the max. Why, we could establish a Special Aquifer District (SAD for short) tax, not based on usage, mind you, but rather, on how many times you visit the Home Depot.

As for green space, heck, this is the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau – if anything appears to be “green” or “open,” build on it. Need a variance? No problem. Zoning issues? Fugetaboutit! See Mrs. D’Amato next Tuesday at the Town Meeting Pavilion. You want green? Go to the food court at The Source or stop by the Olive Garden. They’ve got a great salad bar.

Anyone who ventures out to the maze that is now the Roosevelt Raceway hub will tell you – it’s a hellish nightmare. Why anyone in his/her right mind would want to live amidst this mess is beyond me, but I’m certain that the planners have this all figured out. Anyway, it really doesn’t matter. Someone’s gotten a sweatheart deal, made a buck or two, and paved over what little is left of paradise. No, not you. Someone else.

As for planning, development and “Smart Growth,” come on. Who are you kidding? This is, after all, the dominion of the Town of Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals – the benefactors of 20-miles of ugly we call Hempstead Turnpike; the sentinels of that long-standing tradition of “if there’s a rule, carve out an exception;” the folks who say, “build it, and they will come” (to rue the day).

There’s a Rolling Stones song the chorus of which goes something like this: “You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you'll get what you need.” Seems we don’t ever get what we want. We hardly ever get what we need. We do, of course, get what we get. Could it be that, sometimes, we just don’t try?

Well, if not to infinity and beyond, at least to Bed, Bath & Beyond. “Get in the car, kids, we’re going to the hub!”

TOWN TO RESIDENTS - PLEASE GO AWAY!

New meaning to “keep those cards and letters coming!” Still another mailing from our friends at the Town of Hempstead, this time to remind us about the Town’s “One Stop Passport Shop.”

Yes sir, why bother to go to your local neighborhood Post Office when you can go to Town Hall to complete your Passport application.

Why, they’ll even take your Passport picture for a nominal fee. [Surprise. They have photographers at the ready at Town Hall. Gee. Will wonders never cease?] Of course, there is just one small catch. Every Passport photo taken at Town Hall will show both the applicant AND Town Supervisor Kate Murray. SMILE!

Not only does the Town of Hempstead offer Passport services, so you can get out of town in a hurry, they also have a Mobile Passport Service, “bringing Passport services to your doorstep.” Funny. We always thought that those who applied for Passports were a relatively mobile lot, capable of traveling to the Passport Office under their own power. What do we know?

Looking to cut costs at Town Hall? Rethink the need for a One Stop Passport Shop. In these times, it is a luxury we cannot afford. If nothing else, axe the Mobile Passport Office (with the price of gas these days, taxpayers could go to Europe for what it costs to send a converted mobile home around our Town). And for goodness sake, stop with all those postcards, letters and glossy brochures. You’re not winning any friends by wasting taxpayers’ money!

Patronage As Way Of Life In Hempstead Town

Newsday confirmed today what most of us already knew – at Town Hall in Hempstead, its politics as usual, and rampant party patronage rules the day. Why, they don’t even try to hide it anymore!

The wife of former U.S. Senator and Republican Party big-wig, Al D’Amato, was named to the TOH Board of Zoning Appeals (the folks who ultimately decide what gets built in our township), and she also got a seat on the Town’s Planning Board. Katuria D’Amato, a securities attorney who, as reported by Newsday, once sued the University of Washington, alleging that she was rejected because she is white (we told you, Kate, always check the box next to “Other.”), was said to have submitted her resume (where her zoning and planning experience is limited to the million dollar property the D’Amatos purchased in Lido Beach) to Town Supervisor Kate Murray, and was given an obligatory thumbs up by the Republican dominated Town Board. [Dorothy Goosby, the lone Democrat on the Town Board, voted nay to the political plum.]

Patronage is one thing – after all, who are you going to appoint to key positions, your political enemies? This, however, is political cronyism run amuck. Fail to get re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives? No problem, you’ve got a job at Town Hall. Get the boot as Nassau County Comptroller? Don’t worry about it. We’ve got an office for you at One Washington Street. Marry “Senator Pothole” (the man who, by the way, holds second place in the Senate’s record books for the longest fillerbuster, suddenly the bane of every Republican), and you land an influential job on the Town Zoning Board. Can a cushy position at Town Hall for the ex-Mayor of the Village of Hempstead be far behind?

The dangers and downsides of one-party rule - and the miscarriage wrought upon democracy that results - are nowhere more obviously pervasive and overtly notorious than at Town Hall in Hempstead, where one party continues to serve itself, above all, and all at the expense of the people they are constitutionally bound to work for. There is a very real sense, given the cavalier and brazen attitude of both the appointed and the anointed, that the party’s place at Town Hall, secure for nearly 100 years, is more a birthright than a privilege bestowed by the electorate. Shame on them. Shame on us!

To paraphrase Town Supervisor Kate Murray, drawing (admittedly out of context) from her quote in Newsday, “I find it kind of sad…” So do we all, Kate. So do we all.

Perhaps Lord Acton said it best. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
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READ THE NEWSDAY ARTICLE:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lidama0526,0,7097594.story?coll=ny-top-headlines

Town Taxes On Hold? Show Us The Money

Town of Hempstead Supervisor, Kate Murray, has proudly informed Town residents that she “intend(s) to present a budget later this year that freezes all Town taxes.”

Now that would be nice, wouldn’t it? Of course, we will need Kate to define the word, “all,” as history serves to show us that “all Town taxes” refers only to the General Purposes” tax. Rarely beyond, and certainly, not to the so-called “Special District” taxes – taxes that Supervisor Murray recently told Newsday were beyond her control. “This is a tax freeze over every fund I control,” said Murray. “[Special District] commissioners are voted in by those communities. They have sole control and authority over those districts."

So, wait a minute. Those Sanitary Districts – you know, the ones with the trucks that have Town of Hempstead emblazoned on them, are staffed by TOH employees, and are overseen by the Party regulars – have nothing to do with the Town of Hempstead? Sure, they are separate legal entities but, duh, just how dumb do they think we really are? Next thing, the Supervisor will be telling us, the fact that the General Counsel for Sanitary District 6 is also the Town Attorney is mere coincidence!

Look for double-digit increases among the various taxing jurisdictions under Town and Party control, and please, resist those 8 ½” x 11” glossy fliers (soon to arrive in your mailbox, no doubt) wherein the Supervisor asks, “Pssst. Wanna buy a bridge?”

Alice In Wonderland

MURRAY RIPS ASSESSOR'S INCOME TAX PROPOSAL - HEMPSTEAD SUPERVISOR SAYS RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY TAXED TOO MUCH

Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray blasted a proposal that Nassau residents pay up to four percent of their income to help finance school districts in the county. The proposal, by the Chairman of Nassau's Board of Assessors, was made at a meeting in Mineola.

The Supervisor expressed outrage at the Assessor's county income tax plan in a letter to lawmakers who represent Hempstead Town in the New York State Legislature. An income tax could not be imposed on Nassau residents without legislative approval.

"Our residents are already overtaxed," Ms. Murray wrote in a letter to senators and assembly members. "Adding an income tax to the already lengthy list of taxes that citizens pay to finance local governments and schools would drive residents out of Nassau County. In addition, it would make the county less competitive from a business standpoint, slashing the number of jobs that are available here and reducing our commercial tax base.

"In short, taking up to four percent of the money earned by wage earners in Nassau is not in the best interest of our county or of the residents we mutually serve," the Supervisor's letter said.
In support of his proposal, the Assessor argued that a levy on residents' income would reduce the number of tax refunds that the county was ordered to make because property tax payments were based on incorrect real estate assessments. He also argued that an income tax would force renters to join property owners in financing school districts.

Supervisor Murray pointed out, however, that courts would not order tax refunds if the assessor's office was properly valuing real estate. Further, she called the assessor's renter argument "disingenuous," in that, according to press accounts, he is considering a "renter's deduction" as part of the income tax plan.

The Supervisor also attacked the Assessor's suggestion that property tax payments made by commercial real estate owners, which now finance school districts in which the property is located, be "pooled" and used to fund school districts county-wide. "What's being recommended," Supervisor Murray said, "is that local government, through its ability to tax, join the federal and state governments in attempting to redistribute the wealth of our constituents. Nothing can be more wrong. Counties are in business to provide services and finance them fairly - not to play the role of Robin Hood when it comes to funding our schools."
- - -
"But I was thinking of a plan To dye one's whiskers green,

And always use so large a fan

That they could not be seen.

So, having no reply to give

To what the old man said,

I cried 'Come, tell me how you live!'

And thumped him on the head."

"Outrage." "Overtaxed." "Disingenuous." Words that come to all Nassau County taxpayers' minds when looking at their tax bills and listening to the sparingly disguised political attacks offered in lieu of a realistic plan to contain - if not lower - our oppressive property tax.

So much for "hope for the rest of us" when our heretofore warm and fuzzy Town Supervisor takes off the gloves, wildly throwing punches in the direction of County Assessor Levinson (though none hit their intended mark), lambasting his proposals, offering nothing in the way of a counterplan or viable alternative to a modest income tax IN PLACE OF the school portion of the property tax. [Supervisor Murray neglects to say in her tirade that the nominal income tax would be INSTEAD OF the existing school portion of the property tax, making it seem that the income tax would be in addition to the property tax. Talk about disingenuous!]

And to "attack" (in the words of the Town's own press release) Mr. Levinson's proposal to more equitably "share the wealth" by distributing the whole of Nassau County's commercial property taxes, as collected, to all school districts within the County, rather than to the few that have a viable commercial tax base, as a "Robin Hood" approach [as if we all don't pour our money into the likes of Roosevelt Field, getting no tangible benefit in returned tax revenues (save for those who reside in Uniondale and, to a lesser extent, Garden City) for our school districts] is beyond cavalier. It reeks of the old smoke and mirrors of days gone by; the "Gulottanomics" that blindsided us in the 80s and 90s, and nearly brought the County to its financial knees as we crawled our way into the 21st Century.

If Harvey Levinson has taken on the role of Robin Hood, then Kate Murray, hold up in the looking glass, masquerades as Alice In Wonderland, the Mad Hatter holding court on the sacred north shore.

The classic race between tortoise and hare, thinly veiled in Ms. Murray's "Blast" from the past, may have begun in earnest. The Mad Tea Party now ensues. But Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber we must be no more. For to have no plan, no vision, no talk of cabbages and kings (let alone of ships, of shoes, of sealing-wax), is to invite disaster to the Queen's banquet.
There is, we sense, a great frustration in Supervisor Murray's words. Anger. And no doubt, fear. For having stood at the edge of the rabbit hole, precariously perched and losing balance, there is, alas, no place to fall but down.

Perhaps Lewis Carroll put it better than we ever could -

`Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the King's horses and all the King's men

Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty in his place again...'

"Alice waited a minute to see if he would speak again, but, as he never opened his eyes or took any further notice of her, she said `Good-bye!' once more, and, getting no answer to this, she quietly walked away: but she couldn't help saying to herself, as she went, `of all the unsatisfactory --' (she repeated this aloud, as it was a great comfort to have such a long word to say) `of all the unsatisfactory people I ever met --' She never finished the sentence, for at this moment a heavy crash shook the forest from end to end."

Survey On Local Efforts To Curb Illegal Apartments

Elected officials are telling us that things are getting better, that we’re gaining the upper hand on illegal accessory apartments. Others, mostly those in the trenches, say that, despite efforts to strengthen and plug loopholes in the law, the illegal apartment crisis is burgeoning.

We’d like to know how you perceive the situation in your hometown, and ask that you respond to this informal – and most unscientific – survey. You may withhold your name, if you’d like, but please tell us the locality (i.e., Town, village, etc.) in which you reside so that we may have a sense of place.

1. In your opinion, over the course of the past year, the illegal apartment situation in my town has:
(a) Improved;
(b) Gotten Worse;
(c) Remained the same;
(d) What illegal rental problem?

2. Local governments, be they the villages or the Towns, are responsible for enforcing the Building Codes that prohibit and restrict accessory apartments. In your opinion, over the course of the past year, has local government (please specify Town, village, etc.):
(a) Improved efforts to enforce the law;
(b) Paid lip service to the law, with no increase in enforcement;
(c) Done nothing to enforce the law;
(e) What law?

3. As concerns accountability, do you feel your elected officials have stepped up to the plate, doing what is required of them to stem the tide of illegal accessory apartments?
(a) Absolutely;
(b) Are you kidding?;
(c) They’ve done the bare minimum, and nothing more;
(d) What illegal rental problem?

4. In your opinion, what is required of government in order to eliminate, or at least limit, illegal rental apartments in your community?
(a) Enforcement of the law, with prosecution to the fullest extent;
(b) An increase in mailings and glossy brochures from elected officials;
(c) A bulldozer;
(d) More affordable housing for seniors, workforce and the middle class;
(e) Both (a) and (d) above.

Hey, these are loaded questions! Okay, we already know the answers. And by the way, so do you. Let’s here from you – by e-mail, smoke signal, at public forums and, mostly, at the polls that really count!

Of Carousels And Painted Ponies

Nunley Carousel Suddenly Appears On Everyone's Radar

We woke up this morning to a full e-mail box here at The Community Alliance. Funny. On the substantive quality of life issues that impact dearly upon pocketbook and psyche, a trickle. On a non-starter, a carousel of all things, a deluge.

Without attribution, most of the comments received on the recent Nunley carousel spat asked the same question: Why all the commotion over a merry-go-round when there are so many critical concerns – from property taxes to illegal housing – that we need to concentrate on?

Why indeed? After all, the Nunley carousel was dismantled when, yesterday? No. Try a decade ago. Since then, it’s been sitting in a warehouse gathering dust. Few seemed to notice, let alone care, that Baldwin was missing its famous landmark. Then, along comes Billy Joel, who apparently loves carousels almost as much as he enjoys driving his car through an occasional house, and Tom Suozzi, who just happened to have an old carousel on ice, with no money to restore to its former grandeur – in Baldwin or elsewhere. The Piano Man volunteered to raise money – privately – to fix the carousel and move it (from the warehouse, not Baldwin) to a location in Oyster Bay, and Tom Suozzi said, “Okay.”

Now we don’t have the inside track as to what Tom Suozzi was thinking, but it seems to me that the process went something like this: “I’m really not that concerned about where the carousel goes, as long as taxpayer dollars are not used to fix it up and move it. Next issue.”

Quite suddenly, as if the once proud carousel had only recently come to a screeching halt, another County – or at least a County Legislator in the form of Joe Scannell – is heard from. “We want our carousel in Baldwin!” Joe, where were you ten years ago? You just noticed the carousel was missing?

Then, like ants on a watermelon on a hot summer day, in march the great saviors of carousels – Republican County Legislators, and – riding that great white elephant (saved from destruction, no doubt, by the Town’s Adopt-A-Pet program) – the guardians of Town Hall in Hempstead. [SEE, It's A 'Good Thing', from the Oyster Bay Enterprise-Pilot.] “Here we come to save the day!” Why, surely Mighty Mouse himself would have been brought to tears. Hey, even yours truly, the original skeptic of all things governmental, was convinced. Suozzi bad. Town good.

Judging from the e-mails that even now continue to flood our in-box, we misread the County Exec, and were too quick to praise those who, with transparent selflessness, came to the aid of a fallen icon of amusement. Could it be that Tom Suozzi was saying, “Hey, I like carousels as much as the next guy, but we’ve got more important matters on the table and limited resources to play with. If someone from the private sector wants to pay to restore and relocate (from a warehouse, not Baldwin) this relic of the past, fine. We’ve got the future to worry about!”

Will private funds be raised to restore, move and maintain the carousel at the Town’s Baldwin Park? If taxpayer dollars are at stake, I’d like to put in a bid for this piece of south shore history for Echo Park in West Hempstead. :-)

As Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray put it, "Moving this south shore treasure to Oyster Bay makes about as much sense as moving the Coney Island Cyclone to Peoria, Illinois." Has the Supervisor taken a ride on the Cyclone of late? Did she complain when the Thunderbolt (which, in our humble opinion, trumped the Cyclone by far) came tumbling down? Has she been to Peoria?

Politics, like life, is a carousel. We get on the painted horse. We go round and round in circles, slow at first, then faster, then slow again. Up and down we go, to the upbeat melody of the calliope, reaching for the brass ring. Unlike life, where the music eventually quiets to a din and the forward motion stops, in politics, the carousel’s journey is seemingly endless, the circular motion relentless, and some of the riders just don’t know when to get off.

By the way, Binghamton, New York prides itself as “The Carousel Capital of the World.” Hmm. We wonder if they’d be interested in another carousel?

The Magical Mystery Bus Tour

County Exec's Economic Development Plan Needs To Move Forward

Nassau County Executive, Tom Suozzi, concluded yet another Road Trip promoting his much touted Strategic Economic Development Program with a bus ride through Lakeview and Malverne. Indeed, since the Economic Development Plan was announced in 2003, Mr. Suozzi has toured most if not all of the 35 Economic Development Zones established under his stewardship, hosting town-hall style meetings in the respective communities, giving local advocates and John Q. Public the opportunity not only to hear and reflect upon his ambitious plans, but to stick in their 2-cents as well.

Having toured the County, heard from and spoken with residents, and gotten a lay of the land, the time has come for Mr. Suozzi and his economic development team to get off the bus, and to start putting the Strategic Plan in motion. What Mr. Suozzi has planned for and been openly discussing over the past three and a half years should, during the course of the next four, be transformed from glowing vision to a real and lasting symbol of Nassau’s rebirth and resurgence as America’s premier county.

The “Main Streets” of our towns and hamlets, given short shrift when the plug was pulled on the “Operation Downtown” initiative under the prior County administration, and paid little more than lip service and a façade facial by townships within the County, cry out for revitalization and the infusion of new life. An extreme makeover is necessary to convert the brownfields, reclaim that which the big box stores have literally driven away, and create a neighborhood environment conducive not only to pedestrian traffic, but to a suburban lifestyle that beckons us back to the heart of community – to live, to work, to shop.

Other concerns, including but not limited to Nassau’s transportation mess, the hubbub of the Hub, the preservation and restoration of our public parks and open spaces, and the growing property tax dilemma, now coming to the fore through similarly bold and innovative proposals, must likewise be forcefully pursed with equal zeal.

Yes, Mr. Suozzi can, at times, be brash and outspoken – often exuding a self-assurance bordering on arrogance. His ideas are big, and his mouth, every so often, bigger. At a time of fiscal conservatism and restraint, Mr. Suozzi talks of creating jobs, rebuilding an aging infrastructure, and bringing the American Dream of affordable housing to all who would call our fair county “home.”

Visions of grandeur? Perhaps. But in a county where we have left things go for far too long – closing our eyes to the problems while simply hoping for the best – throwing a few brick pavers and a couple of vintage lamp-posts at the Turnpikes, the Avenues and the Boulevards just won’t do the trick.

Frankly, its going to take “big,” even in the face of the naysayers who, for as long as one can remember, have always thought small. Nassau County needs a renaissance that only grand vision can bring. A 60-story lighthouse at the foot of the Coliseum? Perhaps not. Or maybe, just maybe, that’s just what we need – in one incarnation or another. One thing’s for sure – economic empowerment in a county that has seen its financial might and suburban allure erode and slip away won't come with quiet platitudes. We cannot stand still if we want to regain our footing as the most desirable place to live in America, and we dare not go back to the mindset of benign neglect that brought our County to its knees and to the brink.

In terms of Economic Development – and the redevelopment envisioned by our County Executive - the bus stops here. We need to do more than call forth the slings and arrows, as Mr. Suozzi's detractors are known to do, seeking to derail worthy objectives without further. We, as proponents of a truly new and thriving Nassau County, need to get off that bus and start walking. The time has come to roll up our sleeves and get to work!

The "Special" Taxing Districts

We all cringe when that tax notice arrives in the mail, but have you taken a closer look at who is taxing you and what the increases have been? More than this, do you realize that you may be paying more for services such as sanitation, fire protection and water than your neighbors across town - and in some cases, more than your neighbor across the street?
Nassau County Assessor of Taxes, Harvey B. Levinson, examines the financial impact of so-called invisible taxing jurisdictions, and debunks the myth that the Town of Hempstead has been "holding the line on taxes."

"While some of these special taxing districts or invisible governments have existed since the 1930s," exclaimed Mr. Levinson, "the so-called Commissioner-operated fire, water and sanitary (garbage collection) districts are now collecting some of the biggest tax dollars with little or no oversight." A look at the 2005 Town tax bill of a West Hempstead home, for example, with a market value of $346,900 gives credence to Mr. Levinson's call for increased scrutiny, consolidation and, in some instances, the elimination of these special taxing jurisdictions.

While Town General taxes increased from 2004 by some 8.21% (enough of a burden), Town Highway went up $15.94%; Town Building & Zoning increased by 16.73%; Town Lighting by 14.65%; Town Park by 14%; West Hempstead Public Parking by 1.09% and Town Refuse Disposal by a whopping 18.77%.

Add to this already onerous tax burden (it hurts just to write it) "Special District" taxes for Sanitary District # 6, up 17.27%; West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District, up 3.41% (even more if you live in Cathedral Gardens); and West Hempstead Fire District, up 10.56%.

Assessor Levinson asserts, and the numbers bear him out, that "if a home in West Hempstead was not in Sanitary District # 6, and its garbage was picked-up by the Town of Hempstead Refuse and Garbage District (for which residents are also taxed), the taxes on this hypothetical home would be reduced from $656 to $308 - a reduction of 53%."---Statistics courtesy of the Office of the Nassau County Assessor.

Learn more about the financial impact of "Invisible Taxing Jurisdictions" by logging on to www.co.nassau.ny.us/assessor/pressrel/01-27-05.html.

The Times They Are A Changin'

"Come Senators, Congressmen, please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway or block up the halls
We'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
for the times they are a changin."
-Bob Dylan

An era comes to an end in Hempstead. The bright, cleansing light of the sun has begun to filter through the haze - a haze created by years of smoke and mirrors, benign neglect and an indifferent populace. A village on the brink of financial disaster. A failing school system. A bond rating just above junk. And taxes, taxes, taxes. James Garner, the eternal Mayor of Hempstead, is now history.

In the days of business as unusual, you-know-what hitting the fan wouldn't matter much to the more or less complacent electorate. Party line. Name recognition. Incumbency. You're in. Not any more. In a crowded field of five, Village of Hempstead Trustee Wayne Hall soundly defeated 4-term incumbent Mayor James Garner, 2334 to 1546. Who would have thought?

Well, officialdom better start thinking. The electorate, that small but stalwart group of people who trudge to the polls on the myriad election days we have on our island (and we have many, indeed), are rubbing the sand out of their eyes and beginning to awaken. Having been tethered to life support for over a generation, flat-lined on the EEG, we are summoning up the courage to pull the plug, to take a deep, life-assuring breathe and, yes, to think on our own. How extraordinarily refreshing!

On the streets of Hempstead, they weren't talking about political party. They weren't talking about incumbency. They weren't talking about cats and dogs. No, the talk on the street was dysfunctional government, a stagnating economy, broken schools, and TAXES.

Hopefully, the message of Hempstead 2005 will resonate - in Town Hall, at the County Legislature, and up in Albany. Yes, we know your names. True, many of you have become fixtures on the political scene (some more than figuratively). Okay, you've towed the party line. But neglect the quality of life issues that Long Islanders care most about - like schools and property taxes - and we'll remember to vote for the other guy.

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "A little revolution now and then is a good thing." The people of our island are beginning to accept this notion. Call it changing dynamics or demographics, changing mindsets, or merely changing times, the revolution is at hand. Its a quiet revolution, but a revolution just the same. Long Islanders are taking up arms, stoic guards of the status quo no more, and voting for change. BULLY!

"What Is Right Is Not Always Popular..."

With over 150 people (including civic and community leaders from across Nassau County) packed into the chambers of the Nassau County Legislature (with nary a legislator in sight), Chairman of the Nassau County Board of Assessors, Harvey Levinson, held back no punches at the March 12th Public Hearing on the future of property taxes.

The highlights of Mr. Levinson’s presentation:

- Eliminating the residential portion of the school property tax (which accounts for nearly 60% of the tax bill in most communities), same to be replaced with a nominal (2-4%) income tax;
- Creating a single commercial property tax rate for all school districts so that every district shares in and benefits from tax revenues generated by commercial properties throughout the County;
- Consolidating, or in some cases, eliminating, many of the Town’s special districts so that all homeowners pay the same tax rate for services within the Town.

On the proposed income tax, which has raised more eyebrows in the County than anyone can remember, it was evident that many in attendance – while weary of an income tax – recognized the need to do something about the residential portion of the school property tax, which has become, to say the least, oppressive.

“This is a matter of survival here in Nassau County,” said one speaker. “We simply can no longer afford to live in our homes, and few but the very wealthy can afford to buy homes in the County, let alone pay the property taxes.”

A senior from Levittown told of paying more in property taxes than he paid for his house back in the sixties, and of considering a move to Florida or South Carolina because he cannot afford the taxes. “On a fixed income,” said the senior, “how does one have the ability to pay? Its an outrage!”

An income tax, based on one’s ability to pay, is inherently more fair than a regressive property tax based solely on the value of one’s house. Tied to income rather than property value, such a tax would save most homeowners 50% or more over the existing system, and, by reaching the invisible population of renters (said to number more than 100,000), a modest income tax would not only generate more revenue than presently raised for our school districts, it would create a system where EVERYONE pays their fair share (certainly not the case today, where the homeowner pays the way for the renter, illegal and otherwise).

On creating a single commercial tax rate to be shared by all school districts, their was nearly universal support. Under the present system, commercial properties generate revenues only for the school districts in which they are situated. So, for instance, school taxes collected from Roosevelt Field, which lies mainly within the Uniondale School District, go (but for a small portion of Ring Road in Garden City), to the Uniondale School District. We all pour money into Roosevelt Field. Why shouldn’t all school districts share the revenues on a more or less equal footing?

Then there’s the issue of the special districts, those mini-governments that fly basically under the radar, with little or no public scrutiny, and the unfettered authority to set tax rates – another hand (or two) in our pockets.

The great disparity of rates (ranging from $12 and change for each $100 in assessed value for “at the door” garbage collection in the Five Towns to double that rate for curbside pick-up in Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead); to where a homeowner on one side of a street pays twice as much as his neighbor across the street solely by virtue of the fact that the houses are in different Sanitary Districts. The height of absurdity.

Yes, there was dissension even on this issue, notably from Managers and Commissioners of the Sanitary Districts who fear that the walls of their long-protected fiefdoms are about to be scaled – their villainy to be exposed to the brilliant, cleansing light of the sun. And who could blame them? The 20-hour work week, with full salary and benefits, outed; the end of double taxation (pay once for the Town’s Sanitation Department, then pay again for the local Sanitary Districts), no more; the day of the patronage “commissioner,” elected in near-secrecy, whose pensions we pay for “no-show” positions, over.

Let’s face it – the property tax system is broken beyond repair. If you don’t think so, just take a look at your property tax statement. Out of control and going nowhere but up. On the school side, left unchecked, that tax bill will double in five (5) years. Can YOU afford to foot that bill? No one can defend the present property tax system. At least not with a straight face.

As for these special districts, run by “special” people for the benefit of those special few, there is no question that most of them are simply unnecessary.

Take the Sanitary Districts (please) as a poignant example of wasted resources (read as, “our money!”). In the City of New York, there is a single Sanitation Department, under a single Commissioner, servicing, according to the 2000 Census, 8,008,278 people. Not only do they collect garbage and recycling with remarkable proficiency, they also keep the streets clean and remove snow.

Now, take a look at how the Town of Hempstead, servicing some 755,924 residents (that’s less than 10% of the City’s population, for those who have not mastered the math). Six (count ‘em, 6) Sanitary Districts, including the townwide Department of Sanitation, each with multiple Commissioners (in Sanitary 6, there are 6 Commissioners), setting their own rates, collecting garbage and recycling at the door in some communities and at the curb in others, with no responsibility to keep our streets clean or clear of snow (that’s a function of the Town Highway Department, the folks who have trouble maintaining our streets in good repair). Are the streets in the business districts of the Town’s hamlets cleaner than those in the 5 Boroughs? A rhetorical question. We all know the answer to that. This travesty must come to an end!

Of course, talk of income tax, eliminating unnecessary special districts, and changing the ways towns conduct business as unusual, is not always politically expedient. In fact, here on Long Island, it is often akin to political suicide. Which is probably why folks like Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi (of FixAlbany fame), were quoted in Newsday as having serious reservations about these significant proposals. From “I didn’t know the Assessor was holding a Public Hearing” (hey, look at the County’s website once in a while) to “An income tax would chase people away from Nassau County” (you mean to say the property tax and the dearth of affordable housing attract them?), the comments are within the realm of political correctness, but completely out of step with reality.

The finger can – and will – be pointed just as easily and readily at most other elected officials who, adrift in this lifeboat with dwindling provisions, would rather sit with arms folded than pick up an oar and row. Where were our County and State Legislators at the March 12th Hearing? Other than Assemblyman Charles Lavine, elected as part of the FixAlbany revolt, no one had the courage to show. We would suppose that none of them knew about this Hearing either, but for the fact that nearly all are on our e-mail list, receiving, if not reading, the many missives calling all to action, and all were asked to attend, at the invite of Harvey Levinson.

Face it. Few politically-inclined would touch these issues with a ten-foot pole. Guess what? They’d better. Our very survival here on Long Island depends on it. [And if anyone reading this thinks we exaggerate, again we say, take a look at your tax statement!]

Perhaps we need a litmus test for all of our elected officials. We need to ask everyone holding public office, “What’s your plan to reduce the property tax?” Demand an answer, not double-speak. Then draw that line at the polling place: NO PLAN. NO VOTE!

Abraham Lincoln, who faced decisions a lot tougher that the property tax and the elimination of special districts, said that “you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” Sure, Lincoln didn’t live in Nassau County, or under the smothering stranglehold of the Town of Hempstead, where “getting fooled” is not only a way of life, its an art form. Still, at some point, even the bleary-eyed, overtaxed, under-served and barely represented are heard to say, “We won’t get fooled again!”

Meanwhile, “thank you,” Harvey Levinson, for opening eyes, risking political capital, and laying it all on the line for the good people of Nassau County. You could, like so many before you, have ignored the crisis. You didn’t. You can, like most of your colleagues in elected office, go with the conventional wisdom. You won’t. You might have considered sugar-coating the problem and playing footsie with the special interests at the special districts. Not a chance.

There is a sign inside the entrance to the Meeting Pavilion at Hempstead Town Hall, inscribed with a quote the origin of which by far precedes the person to whom it is attributed. It reads, “What is right is not always popular. What is popular is not always right.” Would that all of our elected officials paused to read and reflect upon these pearls of wisdom. Would that some had the daring and gumption to so act. Would that there were more who had the backbone, the foresight, and the “let’s do what’s right” attitude of Nassau County Assessor Harvey Levinson. Who knows, maybe, just maybe, they will and there are. Although, with history as a guide, we wouldn’t put any money on that (assuming you have any money left, after you pay your property tax bill)!

The Bread Of Our Affliction

A Passover Story, As Told By Counsel For Town Of Hempstead Sanitary District 1
An article appeared in a recent edition of the Nassau Herald on the subject of the Nassau County Comptroller's pending audit of several of the Special Districts, including Sanitary District 1. [We are reprinting the article below in its entirety, because you simply cannot make this stuff up!]

Commenting on the services provided by the Sanitary District, Nat Swergold, the chief counsel for Sanitary District 1, said "The district... accommodates the large Orthodox Jewish population in the area by arranging for special trucks during the eight holy days of Passover so bread can be disposed of, since observant Jews do not eat bread during the holiday."

Now, don't get us wrong. We appreciate the great lengths our Sanitary Districts go to in order to serve the public, but "special trucks during... Passover" to collect the bread?

What next? The fire districts placing extra fire trucks in service just in case the horse radish on the gefilte fish burns the roofs of our mouths? Or maybe the water districts will pump in extra water to our homes to help wash down the matzo?

Let's face it, Jews, be they Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or unaffiliated, are not hording bread prior to the holiday. Indeed, most Jews, logic dictates, try to consume the bread they do have in the house before Passover. Assuming any bread remains, most Jews I know (this blogger included), clean the house of bread BEFORE the start of the holiday, and not, certainly, "during the eight holy days" referred to by Mr. Swergold. Just what are these "special trucks" picking up?

Is this the best counsel for the Sanitary District can offer up as a raison d'etre for these Special Taxing Jurisdictions? If so, we've only one word for him: Gevalt!

One has to ask, do we really need three garbage collection days, a recycling day, a bulk pick up day and a yard waste pick up day, keeping in mind that it is Town Highways, not the Sanitary Districts, that sweeps our streets (all too infrequently) and plows the snow. Why - and we’re embarrassed to say this - there are some days when we have absolutely no trash to put out at the curb. Are we eligible for a rebate?

It doesn't take an Einstein - who, by the way, celebrated Passover in a secular vein - to realize that the existence of the Sanitary Districts, and other Special Districts within the township, cannot be substantiated "as is," and the cost to run these districts - special trucks for Passover aside - cannot be justified. At least not with a straight face. Why, in Sanitary District 6, we only have six Commissioners, shy of the ten required for a Minyan!

Clearly, what the Sanitary Districts are trying to put over on the taxpayers amounts to nothing less than unmitigated chutzpah.

According to Andrew Parise, the Mayor of Cedarhurst (which is in Sanitary District 1), "Curbside service wouldn't fly here." You mean to tell me they're picking up garbage at the door? [And here we are, in Sanitary District 6, paying twice the rate for mere curbside service.]

We just have two simple questions: (1) How many Sanitary District Commissioners does it take to change that dim light bulb over the head of the unwittingly inane Nat Swergold, and (2) How long will we, the taxpaying homeowners of the Town of Hempstead, allow ourselves to be played for fools?

- - -
FROM THE NASSAU HERALD:

Sanitary district audit planned County comptroller plans to explore consolidation of garbage pickup

By Andrew Coen

In an effort to save county residents money on the taxes they pay for services like garbage pickup and water, Nassau County Comptroller Howard S. Weitzman has announced plans to begin auditing some of the more than 400 special taxing districts throughout the county.
Sanitary District 1, which services the Five Towns and small portions of Lynbrook and Valley Stream, is among the five districts to be audited and considered for consolidation with other areas.

Other districts that will undergo audits include Sanitary District 2, which encompasses Baldwin, South Hempstead and Roosevelt; District 6, which takes in Elmont, North Valley Stream, Franklin Square, West Hempstead and Lakeview; the Port Washington Garbage District in the Town of North Hempstead, and the Syosset Sanitary District in the Town of Oyster Bay.
The districts were selected for audits based on criteria such as high tax rates, large accumulated surpluses and high tax increases in 2004-05, the comptroller said.

According to Weitzman, along with residents paying village, town and county taxes, there are nearly 400 sanitation and water districts with 1,600 different tax rates, amounting to a "hidden government" that adds to the already heavy tax burden. Weitzman said he would like to explore the feasibility of town governments' consolidating some of the special districts to save taxpayers money and operate them with greater efficiency.

"The growth of these special districts reflects the haphazard development of Nassau County in the last century, from a collection of unassociated towns, villages and hamlets," said Weitzman. "Some of [these districts] may be necessary and some may be well-run, but the persistence of so many separate governmental authorities, with their own employees and tax rates, tends to hide the true cost of local government and contributes to our high local tax burden."

Nat Swergold, the chief counsel for Sanitary District 1, said he does not see his district meeting any of Weitzman's criteria for an audit, since, Swergold said, the district does not have a high surplus, has one of the lowest tax rates in the state and has not had any hefty tax increases. "We are probably a target for this audit because we are the largest [sanitary district]," said Swergold, adding that Sanitary District 1 services more than 30,000 households.

According to Swergold, last year's tax rate for single-family residences in District 1 was $12.58 per $100 of the assessed value of a home, which is half the rate of District 2 ($24.62 per $100) and District 6 ($26.05 per $100).

"[District 1's] tax rates are much lower than the rest of the districts," said Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise. "I don't know who would provide better service than we get here."

Swergold said that while he welcomes an investigation into his district, because it is well run, he does not think the audit is necessary, since the state comptroller audits the district periodically. He added that he could not envision any sort of consolidation of the areas to save money, since each sanitation district has different needs. "I think [consolidation] is not a good idea, because each area and each district is unique," said Swergold, who has been the attorney for District 1 since 1972. "There is no way we could keep these services if there were consolidation."

Swergold said that District 1 is unique compared with other sanitary districts, in part because its workers pick up trash in the rear of residents' homes, which means residents do not have to place garbage curbside unless they are disposing of heavy items. The district operates its own recycling plant in North Lawrence and, as a result, has the highest recycling rate of any sanitary district in the state, according to Swergold. The district also accommodates the large Orthodox Jewish population in the area by arranging for special trucks during the eight holy days of Passover so bread can be disposed of, since observant Jews do not eat bread during the holiday.

"Curbside service wouldn't fly here," Parise said of the unique services offered to residents in District 1.
According to Weitzman, the goal of the audits is to provide a better understanding of the districts'
expenditures, hiring and procurements practices and the efficiency of their operations. He said that additional audits of other special districts in the county would be considered depending on how the initial examination goes.

The comptroller's decision to initiate audits follows a January report by County Assessor Harvey Levinson that showed that many special taxing jurisdictions, like garbage and water districts, spend millions of dollars each year with little observation by the public. The report prompted Levinson to call on the comptroller to audit those districts in the county.

"Homeowners who pay widely different tax rates for the same services within a town are entitled to know how their ever-increasing tax dollars are spent," said Levinson. "I am confident that Comptroller Weitzman's independent examination of sanitation districts operating within the towns will lead to sensible cost-cutting measures, consolidation or possibly even the elimination of these unnecessary invisible governments."

The planned audits have the support of some top state officials, including Comptroller Alan Hevesi, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. "In beginning these audits, Comptroller Weitzman is addressing the need for greater public oversight of these taxing districts," said Hevesi. A 2002 audit of some of these special districts by then state Comptroller Carl McCall found that several districts kept unreasonably high reserve balances.
Weitzman's audits will examine administrative and operating expenses and the appropriateness of fund balances.

Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.

Quality of Life as Job One!

Some months ago, Dr. Salvatore Lombardo, a West Hempstead Chiropractor and compatriot in community advocacy, penned a letter to News & Views, the West Hempstead Civic Association's print newsletter.

With profound apologies to the great (and not so great) Czars of Russia, we are reprinting the letter below, its theme relevant to our communities wherever they lie, and its implications of significance far beyond the fair hamlet of West Hempstead.

Sadly, and as a footnote to our story, Seth has not gotten the nod as Quality of Life Czar, either at the Town of Hempstead or elsewhere. He sits by his telephone, day in and day out, wondering whether the ringer is broken or the buttons on the phone on the other end just don't work. "Can you hear me now? Good!"

In the event anyone is paying attention, Seth remains interested. Its either this or a run for the School Board, we suppose. Operators are standing by...

Roy J. Mezzapelle
Co-Chair
The Community Alliance
---

I have enjoyed reading News & Views over the years (I even took pleasure in serving as editor), and am intrigued by the recurring Quality of Life theme. I applaud the Civic Association, not only for keeping tabs on the many and varied Quality of Life issues, but moreover, in keeping residents in the loop. Clearly, matters such as taxes, the development and redevelopment of our business and commercial districts, the performance of our schools, the appearance of our parks, byways and open spaces and the many aspects of code enforcement are crucial in maintaining our suburban way of life. The WHCA has been riding the crest of the wave on all fronts, and having “been there and done that,” I can fully appreciate the effort and the resolve.

Over the years, the Civic Association has taken umbrage to the Town of Hempstead’s piecemeal approach to Quality of Life issues – the so-called “Band-Aid” fix – taking the Town to task to be proactive rather than reactive. I would like to add my voice to the chorus. It appears that the “knee-jerk” reaction of the Town has supplanted both short and long term planning, and problems are addressed only as they arise, with a narrow scope and little if any view of the big picture.

Why is it that the Town only treats the symptoms rather than taking a holistic approach, not only to zoning and code enforcement issues, but to long range planning as well?

With a huge surplus, and increasing tax revenues (from a greater burden placed upon homeowners), the Town of Hempstead should be leading the charge on everything from the critical illegal rental dilemma to the mundane replacement of missing street signs. Code enforcement, from building violations to sanitation issues, should be the norm rather than aberration. Instead, the onus is placed upon local civic groups, particularly in the unincorporated areas of the Town, to carry the ball.

Understandably, the Town Supervisor is engaged in the day-to-day operation of America’s largest township, not to mention a multitude of appearances, conferences and meetings. Expecting, let alone requiring the Town’s CEO to keep up to speed on the whole host of Quality of Life concerns, micro-managing each department and every aspect of Town services, is unrealistic, if not counter-productive. To ask the Town Councilman, who essentially works full-time in what was intended as a part-time position, and whose function is, first, to legislate, second, to mediate and third, to facilitate, to serve as other than a conduit between the community and Town Hall and to assume an oversight function, is similarly unworkable.

What is necessary, as I see it, is the appointment of what is in effect a Quality of Life Czar – someone well-versed in and in tune with the problems that confront communities within the township, capable of acting as both liaison and ombudsman, empowered to take action, with the blessing of the Supervisor and the Town Board, as a coordinator and administrator of the various Town departments and agencies whose very functions, at least in theory, impact greatly upon our Quality of Life.

The creation of a Quality of Life Office at Town Hall, fully funded and staffed, under the direction of a non-partisan “hands-on” executive duly authorized to call the shots, take the hits, and get things done, would greatly improve not only our daily Quality of Life, but also, would effectively lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s planning and development. As for who would be best suited for this key position, certainly, one person comes immediately to mind – our Civic Association’s own Seth Bykofsky, the scion of community activism, the consummate neighborhood advocate, the no-holds-barred promoter of Quality of Life in this hamlet and beyond, and, as those who have had the privilege of serving with him on the Executive Board could attest, one heck of a Czar!

Sincerely,
Dr. Salvatore Lombardo

Editor’s Note: The writer is a former member of the West Hempstead Civic Association’s Executive Board and served as editor of News & Views from 1997 – 2002.

Town Holds Line On Taxes. Not Quite!

For nearly a decade, the Town of Hempstead touted, “We have held the line on taxes.” In October of 2003, blurring that line a bit, Town Supervisor Kate Murray released her 2004 budget proposal, proudly proclaiming that, for the ninth consecutive year, the Town was “freezing” General Town taxes. This, of course, left most of us with the impression that, once again, our Town, with a hefty $50+ million surplus, was holding that line on taxes. Not so fast, Kate Murray!

Lo and behold, we receive our Statement of Taxes for the 2004 General Levy, and the numbers begin to speak for themselves – making quite a racket, at that. Yes, the General County taxes increased by 8.06%. We expected as much. The “worst run county in America” had to bite the bullet to secure its fiscal house. But the Town of Hempstead?

True, the Town “held the line” on “General Purposes” taxes, actually decreasing the levy by 0.01%. We all felt that tax relief, didn’t we? Just go down the line under Town of Hempstead Taxes, however, and relief is offset by horror.

The tax levy for Town Highway-Repairs/Improvements increased 8.00% from 2003. So, the streets are paved with gold!

Part Town-Building-Zoning-Etc increased 5.98%. Must be the additional resources pumped into Code Enforcement, or the high cost of “etcetera.”

Town Lighting District taxes are up 8.98% from 2003. It does seem so much brighter, especially in the unincorporated areas of the township, doesn’t it?

Town Park District taxes saw an increase of 5.99%, and Town Refuse Disposal District levies jumped 6.00%. If only we didn’t make so much garbage.

Add in the taxes for the Special Districts (which, in reality, fall under the auspices of the Town), and we see a 9.61% increase for Sanitary District 6, a 3.41% increase for the West Hempstead Water District and a 7.10% rise for the West Hempstead Fire District.

So much for “holding the line” on taxes!

Of course, we’ve yet to touch upon School Taxes which, for 2003-04, witnessed a 10.66% increase over the prior year’s levy, and accounted for 58.2% of the property taxes we pay. As the 2004-05 school budget is formulated (a 7% - 10% rise is in the offing), we will likely endure additional increases, made necessary, in great measure, by unfunded State and Federal mandates, including the No Child Left Behind Act, the grand-daddy of all unfunded programs. Then there’s that whopping 18% increase in transportation costs for 2004-05, borne by a public school district which, again under mandate, must absorb the cost of transporting some 1000 students out-of-district to private and parochial schools. Your tax dollars at work!

Property Tax reassessment. The STAR program. State Aid and Sales Tax Credits. No apparent impact on the bottom line. No, the property taxes continue to spiral out of control, with no relief in sight.

And who is to blame? Sure, we can point fingers at our elected officials for talking tax relief yet doing little to replace a regressive property tax with a progressive income tax. After all, it is politically incorrect to so much as mention the word “taxes,” even when it would save most taxpayers hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year. We can fault Washington and Albany for their unfunded mandates, to the tune of billions, translating into millions of dollars which must be raised locally. The Feds have shifted health costs to states and forced states to pay for unfunded mandates for homeland security, election reform, and No Child Left Behind. As a result, states and communities have had no choice but to raise taxes and cut services.

Meanwhile, the State, promising mandate relief, continues to burden localities with the costs of Medicaid, public pensions, child welfare and instructional and non-instructional mandates imposed upon our public schools. Locally, the failure to coordinate and consolidate services, to enforce zoning and building regulations, to contain costs and to eliminate waste add to already top-heavy County and Town budgets, while squandered opportunities for economic growth and revitalization continue to place the tax burden squarely upon the shoulders of the homeowner.

So, who is to blame? Initially, the onus is on those whom we have empowered to represent us, from Washington to Town Hall. They have the means, if not the impetus, to effect positive change. Where, year after year, nothing changes but for the names of those who represent us – if even that – then we can only look to blame ourselves. For the real power, whether it is found in our nation’s Capitol or in the Meeting Pavilion at Town Hall, belongs to the people, and the only weapon of true change in a democratic society is the ballot box. The greatest increase to the bottom line should, by all reason, be in the percentage of eligible voters who turn out to cast their ballots on any given election day!

NOTE: The INCREASE in Town of Hempstead Taxes for 2005 was calculated at 12.8%. So much for "holding the line!"

Levinson Promotes "Adopt-A-Human" Program

Reuters, UPI, AP, FOX NEWS and the Al-Jezerra Network

Assessor Levinson to Save TOHers from “Going to the Dogs”

Hempstead, NY – While Town of Hempstead Supervisor, Kate Murray, travels throughout the township touting her Adopt-A-Pet program, the man who would be the next Supervisor, Harvey B. Levinson, has made his first promise along the campaign trail: If elected, he will initiate an Adopt-A-Human program.

Levinson, who currently serves as Nassau County’s Assessor of Taxes, unveiled his bold initiative before an enthusiastic crowd gathered under a ‘CURB YOUR DOG’ sign along Washington Street in Hempstead. “The Town has been steadily going to the dogs,” quipped Levinson, “and while Kate Murray heralds the Adopt-A-Pet program, seemingly above all else as impacts upon our quality of life as citizens of America’s largest township, deluging (if not deluding) residents with glossy flyers, cuddly TV spots, and gratuitous links to pet adoption centers, we face crisis after crisis which go virtually unaddressed.”

Accompanied by his faithful dog, Champion, Levinson asserted that he had nothing against the pet adoption program, and, in fact, lauded the Supervisor for her efforts on behalf of the stray and the helpless. “To me, nothing is more sad than seeing a homeless dog on the street, with the exception, of course, of seeing homeless families on our streets. The displaced and dispossessed who suffer interminably by reason of an entrenched system of inflated property taxes and a housing stock out of reach, and a populace hoodwinked by ‘Special District’ fiefdoms rife with patronage and a quality of life spiraling into decline. Saving pets from a life of despair is well and good,” said Levinson, “but saving residents from a Town government that, for over a generation, has been going to the dogs, has got to be the Supervisor’s number one priority!”

Meanwhile, reached at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, a rather large Cheshire cat wrapped around her feet (and Town Clerk, Mark Bonilla at her side), Supervisor Murray denied that her administration was giving short shrift to the issues confronting the township. “When I took office, the Town had a $50 million dollar surplus. Okay, so we spent it all on flyers, brochures, TV ads and salaries for Republicans deposed from County government. So what? We’ve held the line on Town taxes. Pay no attention to those Special District taxes. Sanitation, lighting, parks, sewer, water, fire, and all the rest. They have absolutely nothing to do with the Town of Hempstead. In fact, there are no Special Districts. Its all a grand conspiracy of those left-wing pinko liberal Democrats. Lies, I tell you. Lies!”

Murray, who easily defeated her past opponents for the position of Supervisor (no one, when she was anointed by the Republican County Committee, and Democratic Town Councilwoman, Dorothy Goosby – again, no one) faces an uphill battle against the usually reserved and always strong-willed Levinson. The latest Quinnepeac Poll showed Levinson pulling ahead of both Murray and third-party candidate, Margin of Error. Based on a survey of 1254 registered voters (3 of whom described themselves as “likely to vote”), Levinson garnered 52%, Margin of Error 32%, Murray 9% and holdover candidates from the Iraqi election 7%.

“This will really be a tough race for Murray,” asserted political pundit, author and neocon d’jour Ann Coulter. “For the first time in memory, Republicans are going to have to run an incumbent Supervisor on her record.” County Republicans contend that they will be recording that record in Motown, right after the season finale of American Idol.

To thwart a potential death-blow come November, Republican strategists have borrowed the Bush White House wunderkind, Karl Rove, to run Murray’s (smear) campaign. “I see Harvey Levinson as the devil,” said Rove. “He’s the tax and spend Liberal. The Assessor. He’s BAAAAAD.” Already in the works is a made-for-television ad featuring Swift Boat captains and wolves in sheeps’ clothing. “We know just how stupid Town of Hempstead residents are,” laughed Rove. “Remember Tom Gulotta? We’re going to spend our political capital.”

Clearly worried about possibly losing their stranglehold on Town government, County Republicans are considering asking Murray to resign as Supervisor this spring, appointing in her stead someone who many party regulars consider to be a stronger candidate – George Pataki. “Their favorable ratings are about the same,” said a Town Hall insider on the condition of anonymity. “The only question is, can one carry the other’s coat?”

Levinson, taking the Town Hallers’ panic in stride, suggested that the Republicans heed the words of one of their own, Abraham Lincoln: “’You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.’ Bring it on!” To which Levinson’s dog, Champion, resoundingly retorted, “Arf, arf!”

The State of the Community

The Community Alliance, a quality of life watchdog group, offers the following perspective on the state of our community:

To look around our community – and we include every town, village and hamlet in the County as part and parcel of our “community” – little appears to have changed on the surface. Scratching just beneath that surface, however, we find that significant gains are being made – primarily as a direct result of an effective partnership between community organizations and the various strata of government that represent our villages and hamlets.

While illegal rentals continue to pot-mark our communities, escalating property taxes, reducing services, creating a clear and present danger for their inhabitants and eroding quality of life, action by State, County and Town, in terms of legislative initiatives, has provided the weapons and armor necessary to fight the battles and, yes, win the war.

From increasing fines and penalties to a level that truly stings the illegal landlord, rather than merely imposing a “cost of doing business,” to the recently enacted “Nail & Mail” statute, to the reclassification of multiple family dwellings that masquerade as single family houses as commercial properties for purposes of property tax assessment, the foundation has been laid and the message is beginning to resonate – illegal rental apartments have no place in suburbia and will not be tolerated!

Now, we ask that an additional weapon be called forth onto the battlefield – a Town Ordinance holding real estate brokers, agents and salespeople liable for listing, soliciting and/or showing houses with known or obvious illegal apartments. Let us, in the Town of Hempstead, follow the lead of townships such as North Hempstead and insist on accountability from the community of Realtors as we do from the community at large.

Armed with the weapons of mass deterrence, let us not be afraid or otherwise unwilling to use them. Every statute and ordinance on the books is only as good as the enforcement that shall follow. Enforcement on the building and zoning front, at least for those of us who reside in the unincorporated areas of the township, is the province of Town government. Let us make this the year we enforce the laws already on the books with the same vigor our legislators exert in putting new laws in those books!

One cannot have a meaningful discussion of illegal apartments without acknowledging the flip-side of the coin – the woeful lack of affordable housing on our Long Island. Our housing stock has become out of reach – not only for prospective homeowners, who cannot afford the “asking price,” but for existing homeowners as well, who cannot afford to pay upwards of $10,000 per year in regressive property taxes.

Where open land is available, we quickly build for the highest bidder, leaving aside little if any “scraps” for the middle income wage earner – let alone those who teeter on the brink of being “housing poor.”

Today, we call upon State, County and Town to recognize affordable housing as a critical issue in our communities, and to establish affordable housing empowerment zones within our communities, offering economic incentives to builders and contractors, streamlining the zoning process, and making public building sites now considered for private sale as available not for the building of high six-figure condominiums, but for safe, accessible and affordable housing for those who need it most – our seniors, our workforce and our housing displaced.

Let this be the year when the vision of economic development finally moves from drawing board and talking points to action and result in our communities; where brownfields become green spaces; where abandoned buildings and outdated manufacturing centers are given new lives as affordable housing; where “Main Street” once again becomes the thriving center of neighborhood life; where development and growth are “smart” and planned, and zoning laws are strictly enforced rather than carved off the bone and mutilated with exceptions.

Let this be the year when no school district is left behind; where every teacher – whether in Wyandanch or Great Neck, Roosevelt or Garden City – has the tools necessary to teach, and every student, from Buffalo to Bellmore, has the resources to learn.

We call upon our State Legislators and the Governor to do more than pay lip service to finding practical and workable solutions to how our school districts are funded; to adequately and equally provide aid to every district; to return the fair share of State income taxes to the community; to utilize the State Lottery exclusively for the purpose it was intended – education; to make certain that no child is deprived of the opportunity to learn in a safe and nurturing environment; to relieve our school districts of unfunded mandates; and, at long last, to fund our schools on time.

At the same time, we ask our school administrators to curtail costs and expenditures wherever and whenever possible; to trim administrative costs in favor of meeting the needs of our children; to consolidate services and collaborate with neighboring districts; to scrutinize every line of the annual budget and publicly account for every penny.

And while you’re at it up in Albany, let us make this the year when the property tax crisis is finally addressed – and with more than mere platitudes such as the much-touted STAR program; an initiative tied to a failed tax system that portends to put money in our pockets while skyrocketing tax rates wipe out any savings to the already overburdened homeowner.

While no one can disagree (at least not with a straight face) that Albany needs fixing, sometimes that which is broken cannot be fixed. Let’s send to the scrap heap that which no longer works, bringing fresh ideas and new faces to the table. FixAlbany is an imperative. So is FixNassau and FixTheTown. Let’s work to clean our own houses, our own county, our own communities, as we do our utmost to make Albany work for us.

Let this be the year when we stop pointing fingers and placing blame, instead rolling up our sleeves to work for the greater good of the community. We are not, in the larger sense, Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives. We are Long Islanders. We are New Yorkers. We are one community with common concerns in need of shared solutions.

Finally, let this be the year when we, as leaders of the communities that make our island the pride and envy of every New Yorker, join together to tackle the quality of life issues that too often divide and destroy community. We will partner wherever possible with state, county and local government, kicking about ideas, striving toward ideals, and realistically implementing initiatives that restore suburbia while reducing our tax burden. We will reach out to the private sector, looking to revitalize our business districts, our community parks, our somewhat less than pristine landscape. Above all, we, as the penultimate advocates of community, must make this the year that we make up our minds to work together to improve community – our community. In our unparalleled unity as The Community Alliance, there is unprecedented strength. In our combined efforts as the clearinghouse for myriad matters of community concern, local civic groups now speak with a clear and convincing voice. In an era where it is commonplace for the small to be overshadowed, for the fledgling to be stymied, for the quiet to be drowned out, we have made an unmistakable impact, demonstrating to all that the voice of community will not be stifled and cannot be ignored.

There is a resurgence of community here on our island; a rebirth of the suburban way of life our parents and their parents before them envisioned. Today we begin anew our endeavor to reclaim the vision, to restore the glitter, and to redefine both image and reality of the community we call home. We have come a long way in a very short time. We have a long way yet to travel. We look forward to having you with us on what will surely be a journey of renewal; an adventure most rewarding!

State of the State

As many of you know, Governor George Pataki gave his annual State of the State address last week before a joint session of the legislature (times being what they are, the Senators had to sit on Assembly members’ laps).

Just in case you missed the Governor’s address (which can be read in its entirety at http://www.state.ny.us/governor ), we’ve compiled a few of the highlights, taken directly from the Governor’s first draft.

On behalf of all of us, from the Inner Circle to the Outer Limits, enjoy!
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Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, the Beaver, Mom, and visitors from galaxies far, far away….

Today we begin a new journey. A journey beyond time and space. A journey into a new dimension, into the depths of imagination. A journey through a place we call The Twilight Zone.

I would like to welcome Helmut Knickerbocker to the chamber. Helmut was found last week wandering in the sub-basement of the “egg,” having gotten lost en route to the LOB sometime during construction in 1976.

Ten years ago, I stepped to this podium for the first time as Governor of the great State of New York. Thankfully, none of us who serve in this chamber have aged a day since then. I make special note of how youthful Dean Skelos looks in his Bar Mitzvah picture. Yes, those of us who serve – and serve – and serve – here in Albany are truly frozen in time.

A decade ago, I reigned over a state that actually had money, actually had jobs and a booming economy, actually had hope for a bright and prosperous future. Then came that horrific day that is forever engrained in the psyche of every New Yorker – Shelly Silver was elected Speaker of the Assembly. The next thing we knew, it was Kosher food in the commissary, morning prayers outside the bill drafting office, and absolutely no business conducted between sundown on Friday and erev Tisha B’av.

I am delighted to be able to tell you that Hugh Carey is still alive and with us today. Its true. Alcohol does preserve you.

Nano-techies take note: A new center for the development of a deficit-reduction accelerator – the first in the nation – will be built on the campus of SUNY Albany (right under the Carillon). What six billion dollars?

Medicaid reform is high on my agenda. If you’re over 65, you have no business living in New York. Go to Canada for your meds; take out a reverse mortgage to pay those outrageous medical costs; and, at long last, let’s invoke the death penalty for anyone who buys Dentucreme.

Did I mention that six billion dollar deficit? Of course not.

This year, the State’s budget will be passed on time. Yeah, right. Anybody wanna buy a bridge?

As one of my first orders of business this session, my Mom has been tapped to head up a new commission to study whether we really need a State Legislature, or any State government, for that matter. She begins her work today, right after she prepares lunch. Thank you, Mom.

I’d like to pause for a moment of silence to honor the memory of a great New Yorker and consummate public servant, Joseph Bruno. Joe passed away while in office sometime during the 90s. Just don’t let him know. It would be a terrible burden to have to take his staff off payroll and move them out of their cushy offices in the Legislative Office Building.

This year, let’s take a good look at special interests, the lobbyists at our doors, and those free lunches at Jack’s. We’ll have no more of it. No less, of course, but certainly, no more. Okay, maybe a little more, since Mom will be too busy with her Commission to make lunch. Thank you, Mom.

We are the seventh safest state in the union. The safest large state. And dead last when it comes to accomplishing anything of significance. Let’s do it again this year.

Let’s debate the issues on the minds of every New Yorker – STAR-Plus (as in, “keep wishing upon…”); the addition of twenty new bird sanctuaries, including several reserved solely for cuckoos; a hydrogen refueling station in Buffalo and a hot air facility right here in Albany.

The Empire State is a wonderful place to conduct business. We have Centers of Excellence – we just don’t know where they are. And right here in the state capital, we have the Pepsi Arena. Albany, or Death Valley, as it has come to be known, is truly the place to be.
New Yorkers want a more open, accountable, and responsive government. I say, to Hell with them!

This year, let's give it to them by the numbers. Tax cuts? Sure, why not? By the time they figure out that we’ve mortgaged the future of every man, woman and child in this state, I’ll be well on my way toward the Republican nomination for President, and Rudy can carry my coat once again.

September 11th changed everything. On September 10, 2001, I was just another lackluster figure on the national scene. A grape farmer of little repute. A former Assemblyman from Peekskill, a small town nestled between nowhere and no place. A mediocre Governor with no record of accomplishment.

Today, your Governor is poised to move front and center on the national stage. Yes, the times do make the man. And even though New Yorkers generally hold me in low esteem, with approval ratings hovering around 40%, we all know that New York doesn’t matter anymore in national politics. We’ve been surpassed by Ohio, Minnesota, and a couple of states with palm-fringed beaches. So who really cares?

I am pleased to welcome among us Buster Crabbe, who, although he succumbed to Hunter’s Disease in 1985, is here with us today. Welcome, Buster. God bless you. And God bless America.
As we begin to think about the 2008 Presidential primaries, I can tell you that New York is stronger; New York is safer; New York is better educated; New York is a healthy, environmentally-friendly state. Heck, I can tell you anything I like. I’m the Governor. And most of you aren’t paying attention anyway.

Yes, I never quite figured out how to smile without looking like a duffis, but it doesn’t really matter. Most New Yorkers who actually care about property tax reform, affordable housing, quality education and health care, have already packed their bags and fled to warmer climes. The rest, including many of you who have secured lifetime pensions and medical coverage through your service in these hallowed halls, will soon follow suit.

This morning, I issued a Proclamation naming myself as the Best Governor EVER, a title I will wear with honor. I also signed an Executive Order, which directs Invitrogen of Grand Island to initiate the cloning of your Governor. In the not too distant future, there will be a Pataki in every pot, and a Libby on every label.

I stand here before you this afternoon to tell you that my daughters, Emily and Alison, are not gay. I can’t vouch for my son Ted, though. He’s always been a bit light in the pants. Anyway…
From Fulton to Hempstead (and you thought I wouldn’t mention Long Island at all), we’ve left more children behind than bills that have withered on the vine in this legislature’s committees. In Yonkers, we are spending millions of taxpayer dollars to uncover a lost river, while the public schools decay and academic achievement slides. In Coxsackie, ah, well, we actually aren’t doing anything in Coxsackie. I just like saying the name.

To quote a great New Yorker, Alfred E. Smith, “What, me worry?” No wait. That was Alfred E. Newman. Never mind.

But seriously, John Winthrop once saw America as a shining light to the nations. Hey, he should see what we’ve done with this place. Man, what a dump. And who decided to make Albany the State capital? They roll up the sidewalk at Noon, and try walking up State Street in the ice. Can’t wait ‘til Washington calls!

We’re going to have a great session in 2005. I can feel it in my bones. No, really. I can. The sun is peeking through the clouds; I don’t have to give this speech again until next January; and Mom is in the kitchen at the Executive Mansion making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for all of us. Thank you, Mom.

By the way, sign-up sheets for this year’s legislative softball teams are available at the door.
And so, with high hopes and well-grounded optimism, let us walk confidently into the future - leading New York, pointing the way to an even brighter and better tomorrow.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless New York. Oh, and one more thing – LIVE FROM THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE, ITS SATURDAY NIGHT!

2005 - The Year of the Community

Happy New Year, members and friends of The Community Alliance –

As some of you may already know, the Malvene/West Hempstead Herald has bestowed the honorarium of Person of the Year upon The Community Alliance Co-Chair, Seth Bykofsky. Of course, the year was 2004, so the reign was short-lived, and we’ve been informed that, alas, unlike the Nobel Prize, there is no monetary component.

We make mention of this accolade not for purposes of self-aggrandizement, but rather, to highlight yet again the importance of community organizations – individually, as civic groups, and collectively, under the umbrella of associations such as The Community Alliance – in advancing the many causes we categorize as “quality of life.”

To be sure, we have kept the issue of illegal accessory apartments front and center. We must, in the coming year, resolve to advance the cause through constant vigilance, persistently nudging both neighbor and officialdom toward compliance. The weapons necessary to eradicate the epidemic of the illegal rental are now in hand. Let us ensure that these tools are used effectively.

At the same time, let us resolve to find practical solutions to the other compelling issues that plague community. Here at The Community Alliance, we stand resolute and determined in the endeavor to bring affordable housing to Long Island. We are resolved to keep the pressure on State, County and Town government to give Long Islanders true property tax relief, this in the form of fundamental change in the way revenues are raised for our schools and our local services. We are resolved to assure that every child in every village and hamlet receives educational opportunities second-to-none, in an environment that is conducive to learning and free of the threat of gangs, of drugs, of intimidation of any kind. We are resolved that our streets will be safer, that our sidewalks will be cleaner, that local ordinances will be enforced, and that no community will be left behind.

In essence, The Community Alliance resolves to make 2005 the Year of the Community – your community and ours – a year during which our quality of life here on Long Island is not only secured, but vastly improved.

We look forward to working with our friends and neighbors through the local civic associations and community groups, to strengthening our partnership with State, County and Town government, and to forging new alliances as we move forward with vivacity, with renewed enthusiasm, and with that passion for advocacy that benefits all of us on this wonderful island we call home.