We Didn't Start The Fire

Special District Budgets Come Under Fire Anew

Well, if its Autumn, can special district elections -- at least in the fire and water districts -- be far behind?

As costs rise, particularly for fuel, budgets skyrocket, and the taxpayer/homeowner braces for yet another hit.

Yes, there is now more transparency, with fire district budget hearing dates required to be posted online by the respective townships in which they operate. But how many citizens (a) are aware of these postings, and/or (b) actually attend the budget hearings?

Whose fault is it when special district budgets rise, seemingly without limit? Okay, its the stupid economy, where we all pay more just to keep pace. More than this, however, it is the benign neglect, not so much of local government -- though they could do much more by way of oversight -- but rather, on our part, in turning the other cheek when it comes to watching where our money goes.

In these uncertain times, we should, by all rights, be guarding our wallets more dearly, and watching the pot more closely.
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From Newsday:

Fire district budgets on the rise
BY STACEY ALTHERR
stacey.altherr@newsday.com

As taxpayers across Long Island get a chance today to see how fire districts spend their money, a sampling shows volunteer agencies' budgets have continued to rise over the past four years at a steady pace.

"I don't know what's driving those increases without looking at each one individually," said William N. Young, counsel for the Association of Fire Districts of the state of New York. "Maybe it's the cost of fuel . . . Or maybe a bond issue passed by some, which would drive up the budget."

Fire districts are required by state laws enacted in 2007 to hold public hearings on the third Tuesday in October. Today fire districts will explain to residents what it costs to operate their district.A sampling of 50 fire districts shows budgets have risen by an average of 21 percent. In the Syosset Fire District, the rise in costs, about 38 percent over four years, can be attributed to a wide range of necessary expenses, said spokesman Robert Leonard.

The $7,108,700 budget is a 3.9 percent increase from last year, officials said.

"Over this period of time, we have had several capital programs, all passed by referendum, enacted to ensure the highest levels of response," Leonard said, including the leases on fire trucks, ambulances and purchases of equipment.Commack Fire District budget has risen about 50 percent over the past four years, to $3,638,427. A phone call seeking comment was not returned.

Hicksville, which at one time had the highest costs on Long Island, has decreased its budget by 7 percent in four years to a proposed $5,658,000.

"While we are always conscious of the bottom line, the safety of our residents as well as the volunteer members remains a top priority," Fire Commissioner Harry J. Single Jr. said in a statement yesterday.

Fire districts, and fire departments contracted by towns, must post the hearing time and location of meetings on town and district Web sites, message boards located at town halls and firehouses, and publicize the meetings in local newspapers five days in advance of the hearing.

As of yesterday, only the Town of North Hempstead did not post fire district hearing notices on its Web site, as required. Most districts or incorporated fire departments posted the information on either or both Web sites - the town and individual fire district sites. Young said many of the Web sites are run by the fire departments, not the districts.

The additional transparency regarding financial disclosure started with legislative bills, most enacted last year, that were introduced by Assemb. Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst) after a series of Newsday stories on the lack of fire agencies oversight. Before 2007, the districts were not required to present their budgets to the public.

Louise Delgado, president of the Suffolk County Fire Districts Association, said he sees a great change in district officials' attitude toward the new transparency laws."The taxpayer needs to know how their money is being spent, and why it's being spent," he said. "With the hearings, now they can."

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
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Postings of Fire District Hearings by Town:

Town of Hempstead

Town of North Hempstead

Town of Oyster Bay

Town of Babylon (no posting)

Town of Brookhaven (no posting)

Town of Riverhead (no posting)

Nassau County Fire Districts

Suffolk County Fire Districts

The Politics Of Anger

When Hate And Fear Suppress Hope And Future

Be careful what you say. Your words may come back to haunt you.

Vitriolic personal attacks have become all too commonplace in political campaigns. Character assassinations override the issues in the minds of candidates – especially when a grasp of the issues escapes their reach.

Negative ads. Baseless innuendo. Fiction substituted for fact.

“He’s not like you or I…” “He pals around with terrorists…” “He doesn’t see things the way we do…”

Gasoline poured upon the fire, and then, shock and surprise when the conflagration threatens to consume candidate, supporter, and country.

“He’s a terrorist…” “Kill him…” “Take off his head…”

Rally turned into lynch mob. Hatred stoked. Fears played upon.

A nation with a not so distant history of lynchings, cross-burnings, and presidential assassinations incited by those who would label such mongering patriotic.

In desperation, the fire is started, with the thought, as ridiculous as it may seem, of warming the home. All too soon, its flames burn out of control, embers threatening to burn down the entire house – divided as it may stand.

Even those who lit the match realize they’ve gone too far. “You need not be scared…”, they say, to the dismay of the angry mob.

Too late.

Like a wildfire fanned by the Santa Ana winds, the fires of hate, fear, and loathing scar the American landscape, destroying everything in their path, and threatening the very fiber of our democracy.

“If we don’t go on the attack, we’ll lose the election…”

Folks, when all you’ve got to offer up is hate, fear, and mindless supposition, you’ve already lost. Frankly, we all have.

The Trifecta Of Evil

Town of Hempstead Legalizes Illegal Signs, Hires Town Attorney's Son, And Puts Seniors On Hold

Only in the Town of Hempstead!

We've long complained about all of those illegal campaign signs -- from the billboard-sized placards on fences and sides of buildings, to the "lawn" signs and "bumper" stickers adorning utility poles and electrical boxes -- standing in violation of Town Ordinance prohibiting the posting of signs, even on private property, without permit.

Not anymore, folks. The Hempstead Town Board -- the people who have brought blight to your backyards, perenially put pets before people (hold those letters from PETA), and who championed full-employment in Levittown -- has gone ahead and made those annoying, eye-polluting, and oft-times dangerous to drivers and pedestrians alike campaign signs you see plastered all over town LEGAL. [Pssst. Its still illegal to steal those lawn signs, but don't tell public safety -- or the Town Highway Department -- we said that.]

And if any of you thought that patronage was dead, oh boy. The Town of Hempstead has outdone itself, even by our standards.

Seems that Ed Ra, son of Town Attorney (and/or was that counsel to Sanitary District 6?) Joe Ra, has been put on payroll ($65,000, for starters) at Town Hall. And we thought they weren't hiring? Say it isn't so, Joe! Heck, its only the taxpayers' money. Spend on!

And while heretofore illegal signs were getting the thumbs up, and disenlightened nepotism the customary wink and nod (well, at least Ed Ra isn't from Levittown), Town of Hempstead seniors were being put on hold, the Town Board reserving decision on a proposal to lower the age for residency in an East Meadow senior development.

Hey, those seniors can wait. We need to keep those lawn signs blooming and ye olde patronage mill a-grinding. The old folks love us, no matter how we stick it to them.

Well, at least the Hempstead Town Board, in its infinite show of support for our communities, has approved an urban renewal plan for Baldwin (you know, those brick pavers, stylized benches, Victorian streetlamps. The works).

Wait. Didn't Kate Murray & Kompany approve similar urban renewal plans for the suburban hamlets of West Hempstead and Elmont, with those communities, months, if not years later, still having absolutely nothing to show for it?

Oh, stop grumbling, boys and girls. Be proud to be a part of America's most blighted township, where illegal signage now ranks right up there as facade improvement, and everyone, if not everything at Town Hall, is (a) relative.

And seniors, despair not. We'll get back to you on housing sometime before the appointment of the next Town Supervisor. Stay tuned...
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Hempstead Town Board OKs Baldwin urban renewal measure
BY EDEN LAIKIN
eden.laikin@newsday.com

The Hempstead Town Board yesterday unanimously approved the go-ahead for an urban renewal plan in Baldwin, a town code amendment allowing campaign signs without permits, and the hiring of a top employee's son. And it reserved decision on whether to lower the age requirement for a senior housing complex.

The Baldwin vote approved the town's acquisition of a property and subsequent sale to Garden City-based Engel Burman Group as part of an $18-million revitalization plan of the blighted area along Grand Avenue. The plan aims to make the area a destination for shoppers from outside the community, with new businesses in place next year.

The amendment to the town's building ordinance allows campaign signs to be displayed 60 days before and 10 days after an election, without a permit, if the sign is 32 square feet or smaller.

And the hiring involved Edward Ra - son of Town Attorney Joseph Ra - who was named a $65,000-a-year deputy town attorney, assigned to the town's Engineering Department to work on legal aspects of environmental reviews. Ra interned for the town board in 2005.

The vote to reserve decision involved a request to grant the Seasons at East Meadow permission to offer its condos for sale to people as young as 55. The development was initially approved with a minimum age of 62, as required for town Golden Age housing. In November 2006, the town board approved the firm's application to build the 416 two-bedroom unit senior housing complex. Such zoning requires fewer parking spaces per unit than multifamily developments without age restriction. The developers' attorney, Albert D'Agostino, presented experts who said that no more parking would be needed for the expanded age group.

He blamed the slow sales on the economy. Shareholders in the firm that's building the Seasons include former State Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, his son, Christopher, and D'Amato's brother, Armand. D'Agostino had his $106,700 annual pension revoked by the state comptroller last month when the state determined he was not an employee of the school districts and local governments for which he had done independent contracting work. D'Agostino is fighting the action.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

All Politics Is Local - - No, Really

Putting Community First

If the time-honored adage is true, and “all politics is local,” the races in New York’s 9th Senatorial District and 21st Assembly District are, to paraphrase News12, as local as local politics gets.

Indeed, the incumbents, Majority Leader Dean Skelos in the Senate’s 9th, and Tom Alfano in the Assembly’s 21st, face-off on November 4th against two relative unknowns, both of whom hail from the same hometown, West Hempstead.

Roy D. Simon, Jr., a professor of ethics at Hofstra Law School, is vying to unseat the widely popular, and increasingly more powerful, State Senator Dean Skelos. Alan Smilowitz, an attorney in private practice, is challenging the soft-spoken but hard-hitting Tom Alfano, for his seat in the Assembly chamber.

To say that the odds against both Simon and Smilowitz are long, given the power of incumbency and the popularity of two public servants who serve their constituencies with distinction, is an understatement.

Add to the mix the relative obscurity (okay, complete obscurity) of the challengers – who, even among their neighbors, are hardly household names – and the attempt on the part of these Democratic contenders, obviously offered up at the altar of sacrifice on behalf of their Party, to climb the proverbial Everest, falters and fails at the base camp.

And what of the West Hempstead connection? Is there an anti-Skelos sentiment or an oust-Alfano mindset afoot in this typically conservative and traditionally Republican stronghold? Hardly.

Both Skelos and Alfano enjoy almost universal support among those they represent – with West Hempsteaders being no exception.

On the issues, from record aid to education to an affordable prescription drug program, fighting for property tax relief to providing community grants to revitalize localities and grow the economy of our towns and hamlets, Dean Skelos and Tom Alfano have stood in the forefront of the local scene, not only talking the talk on State Street, but walking the walk on Main Street – call it Hempstead Turnpike, or otherwise.

The record of both men, often working as a dynamic team, is replete with accomplishments that shine brighter with each successive legislative session. Skelos’ rise to the ultimate seat of power in the Senate – a heartbeat away from the Governor’s office – was occasioned as much by intellect and the ability to get the job done – both in Albany and here at home – as it was on his political acumen. And Tom Alfano’s easy-going manner and endearing charm, winning over the hearts of his constituency, by no means diminishes his capacity as a tough street fighter who mans the barricades of community.

But it is those local issues that have been and remain the mainstay of the focus of Dean Skelos and Tom Alfano, and the backbone of enduring support as voters reaffirm their confidence in these two forceful leaders.

In West Hempstead, Skelos and Alfano have been outspoken opponents of the Town’s mishandling of the Courtesy Hotel, ardent supporters of the revitalization of Hempstead Avenue, and, year after year, advocates for our children, in word and deed, lessening the tax burden of homeowners by providing our public schools with the money they need to provide a top-notch education.

This is not to say that Messrs. Simon and Smilowitz lack the character or qualifications to serve the good people of SD 9 and AD 21, respectively. We are sure both gentlemen measure up, and are, to borrow the phrase, “likeable enough.” Indeed, their willingness, if not desire to serve the public good is to be applauded.

Unfortunately for Simon and Smilowitz, their obscurity is eclipsed only by their conspicuous absence from the community stage.

Those who, for what seems like eons, have pledged time and talent to West Hempstead’s civic associations, chamber of commerce, PTA groups, and the other organizations that must be considered as the root of community activism, are hard-pressed to say they’ve so much as heard of Roy Simon or Alan Smilowitz, let alone to attest to the activism or advocacy of these gentlemen on the causes near and dear to the West Hempstead community.

Where Skelos and Alfano have taken a stand, Simon and Smilowitz have yet to stand up. And that, at least for those of us who, as a matter of course, put community first – and expect our elected officials to do likewise – is more that a little disconcerting.

That New York is likely to go Democratic in a big way on November 4th, with the head of the ticket raking in the votes and, perhaps, carrying wide-sweeping coattails, the vote down-ticket matters.

“Change” may be the buzzword in this election, but experience counts and results matter. And being present and accountable locally, as advocates and activists, trumps all.

Here on Long Island, the vote down-ticket is crucial, and keeping the likes of Dean Skelos and Tom Alfano as our representatives in the State capital should be paramount in the minds of the electorate.

The Community Alliance endorses Senator Dean G. Skelos in the 9th SD and Assemblyman Thomas W. Alfano in the 21st AD.
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ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th. VOTE!

Albany Giveth, And Albany Taketh Away

Property Tax Rebate Checks To Be Offset By Decrease In STAR Payments To School Districts

There they go again!

Putting money in one pocket (the annual, pre-election STAR Rebate check, your reminder to vote on November 4), while picking the other pocket (by a decrease in the STAR exemption, which Albany lawmakers won't tell you about) at the same time.

Yes, the sleight of hand, played with our tax dollars, impacting where? On YOUR wallet, of course.

Those STAR Rebate checks -- to be sent automatically this year -- will begin to show up in homeowners' mailboxes in October.

Rebates will range from $0, for those with 2006 combined incomes of $250,000 or more, to $799.85, for those qualified for Enhanced STAR.

Click HERE to determine the amount of your rebate check, and the expected mailing date.

The decrease in the STAR Exemption, as enacted by our State Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, will cost the "average" homeowner somewhere in the neighborhood of $320. [Will the "average" homeowner on Long Island please raise his hand?]

Net-Net, Long Island homeowners may well see a wash as they STAR-gaze at that Rebate check. Best case scenario -- chump change in your pocket (use it to help pay for the Wall Street bailout); worst case -- an out-of-pocket loss of, perhaps, of hundreds of dollars, all added on to your property tax bill. [The one they hope you'll never notice.]

Okay, so Albany faces the same fiscal crunch the feds -- and the rest of us -- must contend with. Money -- and credit -- are tight. Deficits are on the rise. Shortfalls must be made up for.

We all understand that.

So, why not cancel, or temporarily postpone the STAR Rebates. At the very least, tell the taxpayer about the reduction in the STAR payments to school districts (a reduction which the homeowner will be held liable for in a corresponding increase in, yes, the dreaded school property tax).

What? You can't do that in an election year?

Oh. Sorry. We forgot, for a moment there, just how easy it has been to spend our money, and how difficult it is to tell the taxpayers the cold, hard truth!
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From Newsday:

Don't cash your STAR rebate, assessor says
BY JOHN HILDEBRAND
mailto:john.hildebrand@newsday.com?subject=Newsday.com

Long Island homeowners might want to bank those STAR rebate checks that are due from the state next month.

That way, they could use the money to make up for upcoming losses in their STAR tax exemptions.

In what some local government officials regard as political sleight-of-hand, Albany is preparing to send out annual tax-rebate checks ranging from $240 to $555, while reducing another form of tax assistance to most school districts. Both forms are part of the state's annual program of STAR school-tax relief.

The other type of STAR payments -- those going directly to school districts -- are due to drop this year in most localities, state authorities say. Nassau County officials say this will drive up homeowners' tax bills there by as much as $320.

Yesterday, County Assessor Harvey Levinson blasted Albany's two-handed approach as "wasteful and self-aggrandizing." Levinson also implied that the state's approach was sneaky -- an accusation denied by aides to Gov. David A. Paterson and state legislative leaders.

"I can understand why state lawmakers opted not to inform homeowners (in their many taxpayer-funded mailings) that they were responsible for increasing this year's school property tax burden," Levinson declared in a statement issued yesterday.

Levinson, a Democrat who is retiring next month, also contends that the state could save localities millions of dollars in paperwork if it folded the money now allocated for rebate checks into the payments going to school districts.

Rebate checks are mailed out under the state's imprint just before November's elections. In contrast, STAR payments to school districts are far more difficult for homeowners to track, because such payments are reflected only indirectly in the tax bills issued by counties and towns.

Nassau's tax bills go out early next month. In Suffolk County, where bills go out in December, some town officials in charge of assessments also expect the drop in STAR payments to negatively affect taxpayers.

However, these authorities expect effects to be slight, and some question Levinson's emphasis on the issue.

"The average loss here would only be about $5 -- you'd never notice it," said one Huntington official who asked not to be named.

In Albany, state government leaders describe their curbs on STAR payments to school districts as an effort to balance an increasingly precarious budget.

Last spring, Paterson, a Democrat, and legislative leaders from both parties agreed that STAR payments to school districts could drop by as much as 10 percent, compared to payments made the year before. That would save the state an estimated $110 million, according to the governor's budget office.

At the time, the agreement on reduced STAR payments was not mentioned in a news release issued by the governor's office. Paterson aides note, however, that the reductions were mentioned in a 130-page executive budget booklet.

Scott Reif, a spokesman for the State Senate's Republican majority, said leaders on that side initially opposed STAR reductions, but reluctantly agreed as part of an overall compromise that included a $1.75-billion boost in state aid for school operations.

"It was a difficult decision that was made in the context of balancing the budget," Reif added.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

NYS Attorney General To Host Freeport Forum October 7th

Andrew Cuomo Invites LIers To Join -- And Watch -- The Debate

Dear Friends:

The Office of the Attorney General is coming to the Nassau County! I write to invite you to join me and my senior staff at a community forum on Tuesday October 7th at 7:00 pm at the Caroline G. Atkinson School at 58 W. Seaman Ave. in Freeport.

We are hosting this meeting to discuss issues of concern to the residents of Nassau County. The forum will focus on priority issues such as environmental protection, health care, consumer protection, civil rights, workers rights, internet safety, and student loans.

I look forward to discussing these topics, but most importantly I am looking forward to hearing directly from you. In addition, we encourage you to stay around to watch the presidential debate at 9:00pm which we will be showing on site.

We need your help to ensure this forum’s success. We hope you will circulate word of this forum and encourage your friends, family and anyone else you know who may be interested to attend.

Please also visit our website at www.oag.state.ny.us to learn more about the Office of the Attorney General. We very much look forward to meeting you atthis important community forum. Light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP to our Nassau County Regional Office at 516-248-3316. Ifyou have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our NassauCounty Regional office at (516) 248-3300.

Sincerely,
ANDREW CUOMO
New York State Attorney General

Read Tom's Lips: Higher Property Taxes

County Exec Seeks 3.9% Hike

Nassau County ranks third in the nation in property tax burden, right behind number one Westchester County and number two Hunterdon County (NJ).

As the financial markets crumble and economic woes beset nearly every one of us on Long Island, Nassau County is trying harder to catch the pack and take the lead.

County Executive, Tom Suozzi, recently called for a 3.9% increase in the property tax – the first increase in 5 years. The price tag per Nassau County household? Roughly, $65.

At first blush, the thought of even a small increase, coming from the lips of the guy who set out to cut property taxes – the thorn in the side of county homeowners – would seem unconscionable.

The Chair of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief proposing a property tax increase? What is he thinking? What were we?

Of course, Mr. Suozzi is within the 4% cap (and we have not abandoned our position, mind you, that a tax cap is not a tax cut, by any means) his Commission proposed for school property taxes, so fair is fair, we suppose. Still, can Nassau County homeowners afford any increase in their already hefty tax burden?

The real question is, with declining revenues from other sources – particularly the dwindling sales tax receipts – can Nassau County afford not to raise property taxes.

Fact is, core services must be maintained, as must at least the aura of suburbia, as we have come to know it, lest Nassau County slip into the great abyss of economic depression ala NYC in the depths of the fiscal crisis of the 70s, where neglect of everything from infrastructure to community policing was the order of the day.

True, the argument can be made – and we have made it here, many times – that there is evidence of neglect in the way Nassau County does business in its regular course, evidence the decline in park upkeep and road maintenance, but make no mistake, without maintaining the core services by means of a modest tax increase in these tenuous economic times, a meltdown of the very attributes that make Nassau County so attractive to its inhabitants, from the provision of essential services to maintaining the bond rating that keeps Nassau afloat in the marketplace, are at risk, raising the potential for a financial quandary that would make the darkest days of the Gulotta administration look like fireworks over the East River on the Forth of July.

Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of our neighbor to the west, the City of New York, and a fiscal conservative under whose stewardship the city has flourished, has recently bantered about the prospect of a 7% property tax increase for city homeowners, warning that such increases may be necessary to close enormous deficits.

“I said we will look at all the different possibilities, but I think the solution is a combination of expense reduction, which nobody is going to be happy about, and revenue enhancements, which nobody is going to be happy about,” Bloomberg told The New York Times. “This is not going to be a feel-good time.”

Similarly, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, in proposing a number of significant budget cuts to complement, if not offset, the hike in property taxes, had this to say:

"Despite the worst national economic times in over a decade we kept the tax increase below 4%. We did this while maintaining our commitment to fiscal integrity by keeping our headcount low, by negotiating tough, but fair contracts with our public employee unions, by reducing our debt service and implementing smart government initiatives as we have each year of my administration."

Without doubt, when the proposed 2009 budget comes before the politically divided and essentially inept Nassau County Legislature, there will be the usual wrangling, finger-pointing, and posturing for which this gang has become infamous.

So, too, will this property tax increase become campaign fodder when the County Exec seat is up for grabs next year, despite the obvious shortfalls and economic realities beyond the control of even the most fiscally prudent CEO.

No, there is no room, and this is no time, for the partisan bickering that has, in the past, mired our county in a dysfunctional stupor. There is no Democratic or Republican way to either pick up garbage (except in the town’s Special Districts, where all yokels are political), or to set the county’s fiscal house in order, and no painless way to keep the county solvent while continuing to give moment to the great suburban dream.

There will be cuts, consolidations, give-backs, and, yes, more property taxes to pay. Why, they may even have to unplug those high-def flat screen TVs installed in the offices of our County Legislators at the newly restored courthouse. Ouch.

As Mike Bloomberg opined, “This is not going to be a feel-good time.”

No, it is not.

Still, with stringent belt-tightening, fiscally responsible governing, and, yes, a property tax hike that amounts to, more or less, a tank of gas per household, hard times will, in due course, lead to better times for all of us.
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Have an opinion of the proposed 2009 Nassau County Budget? Suggestions for keeping our fiscal house in order? Recipes for apple crumb pie or almond-encrusted monk fish?

Click on the COMMENTS link below and share your thoughts with friends, neighbors, and the elected officials who, at least in theory, represent them.

Have even more to say on the issues that impact on community? [You know you do!] Write to The Community Alliance at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com to post a Guest Blog.

The Case Against Government Efficiency

Don’t do it better. Do it bigger.

That seems to be the credo of The Association of Towns of the State of New York – the folks who obviously revel in the mockery of “local control” as somehow giving power to the people.

Okay, so those “people” are the ones who are in power at your local town hall – the folks who dole out the patronage jobs along with the SUVs, 52-inch HDTVs, lifetime health and medical benefits (even for the dearly departed) to the commissioners at the Sanitary Districts and their families – but hey, its great work, if you can get it.

But we digress.

Seems that The Association of Towns of the State of New York commissioned a study – prepared by Wendell Cox (any relation to Wally?) – which concludes that local control creates efficiency, saves the taxpayer big bucks, and keeps control of everything from water delivery to garbage collection where it belongs – local (as, in the hands of those who, for the last hundred years, or so, have maintained that stranglehold on your wallet by charging you more for trash collection than you pay for police protection).

Yes, as local as local taxation gets!

In Government Efficiency, The Case for Local Control, Wendell Cox opines, among other points of dubious contention, that “claims that local government consolidation would improve New York’s competitiveness are not supported by the experience.”

Of course not. We’ve rarely, if ever, experienced government consolidation in New York State, let alone in America’s largest township, where the tentacles of government are ever-expanding, reaching those treasured greenbacks wherever you may try to hide them.

The problem with The Association of Towns making the argument against consolidation is that it is as specious as it is self-serving. Kind of like the tobacco industry, having commissioned an “independent study” (conducted by the CEO of R.J. Reynolds), concluding not only that cigarette smoking is good for you, but, more than this, that nicotine prevents cancer, and may even be the long-sought after cure.

The Cox Report (and this is not meant as a sexist retort, mind you) concludes with a finding that may well prove true, assuming we ever get to that point – “New York’s system of smaller local governments are principal competitive assets.”

That’s smaller local government, right? Smaller, as in less of it? Smaller, as in less intrusive, fewer special districts, lower property taxes?

Hmmm. If you believe that, here in New York, we have smaller local government, or, even in some oblique sense, are headed in the direction of efficient local government, well then, hold on to your wallets, my friends, ‘cause we’ve got a bridge to nowhere to sell you.

Are You Cool In Your Code?

Nassau Exec Envisions "Cool Towns"

On the heels of the late spring heat wave, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi is thinking cool. As in "cool downtowns."

Garden City, Rockville Centre, and Long Beach are among the few that, according to Suozzi, have already achieved "cool downtown" status.

Others, not enumerated, have yet to make it to the "cool" list. And some, Suozzi admits, may never be "cool."

We note that most -- if not all -- of the designated "cool downtowns" are within incorporated villages (surprise, surprise), with "potentially cool" downtowns including a few unincorporated areas, such as Farmingdale and Baldwin, said to be on their way toward coolness.

No Elmont on any of Mr. Suozzi's lists, although it would have been way cool if we had a Triple Crown winner at Belmont. [Darn you, Big Brown!]

As for hamlets the likes of West Hempstead, Uniondale, and Wantagh, well, you're working your way toward becoming "automobile-centered communities" (you mean they're not already?), which may be "cool" to car aficionados, but not so much to us advocates of viable, walkable, sustainable downtowns, sans all of those "cool" cars.

So, what's cool in your code? How does your community's "downtown" stack up?

Write to The Community Alliance at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com and dare to be cool!
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From Newsday:

Suozzi vows to help Nassau downtowns become 'cool'
BY SID CASSESE
sid.cassese@newsday.com

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi knows cool when he sees it and wants to see more of it in the county's aging downtowns.

Suozzi told about 400 local municipal and business officials at a conference in Rockville Centre yesterday that he plans to make good on a promise he made in his State of the County speech in March to usher in the economic benefits of "cool downtowns."

Downtowns can vary in vibrancy and appeal to residents and visitors, and some of them won't meet his standard of "cool downtowns," Suozzi said, adding that they will be near train stations, with residents living and or working in multistory buildings within walking distance to restaurants and small shops.

"Not all of our downtowns will be cool downtowns. Those that won't be, we will try to help enhance and upgrade," Suozzi told officials from Nassau's towns, villages and cities.

Suozzi is trying to coordinate the many plans for downtown revitalization, but the municipalities and their zoning boards will decide their reality.

Suozzi added three new categories for revitalized downtowns: quaint or historic; potentially cool; and auto-oriented commercial centers.

In the quaint or historic category, Suozzi included Bayville, Roslyn, New Hyde Park and Lawrence. In the potentially cool class, Suozzi put Port Washington, Farmingdale, Syosset and Baldwin. Auto-oriented communities are Plainview, West Hempstead, Uniondale and Wantagh, he said.

Some have already made it to the pinnacle of cool, Suozzi said, naming Rockville Centre, Garden City, Great Neck Plaza and Long Beach.

Sandra Johnson, chairwoman of the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce, told Suozzi her downtown could use his help because young men from a new community youth center on Bellmore Avenue are harassing passersby and restaurant patrons. Suozzi said he would look into it. Farmingdale Mayor George Starkie told Suozzi he and his board want to do the "cool downtown" plan and have been working on it for two years, but can't come up with the money for a serious study.

Suozzi said he would look to see if the county can help.

Staff writer Joseph Mallia contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

Albany Needs To Pick Up The Ball On Local Gov Efficiency

And The Long Island Delegation Should Take The Lead

Special District Commissioners serving without compensation or benefits. [Yes, true community volunteers.]

The transfer of garbage collection and recycling services from the Special Districts to the Towns in which they operate. [One Town. One rate. One standard of service.]

Special District Elections all on the SAME day. [What? No more Fridays, Tuesdays, and alternate Wednesday nights in August or December?]

All wonderful -- and potentially cost-saving ideas -- proposed not only to give true meaning to the term, "local control," but to curb (and perhaps bring an end to) the burgeoning abuses that accompany the unbridled proliferation of an unnecessary layer of medieval government.

So, where is Long Island's Assembly and Senate delegation, now that there are real solutions crying out for practical legislation (all supported by Governor Patterson) on the table?

Seems awfully quiet out there, as the legislative session winds down.

Long Islanders should be making some noise, and asking, "Why the silence on local government efficiency?"
- - -
Click HERE to contact your STATE LEGISLATORS
- - -
From Newsday's Editorial Page

LI delegation should step up
Reform bills are withering in Albany, and there's no excuse for that

So many good ideas to reform government spending on Long Island have been raised this season. Yet they are in danger of suffocating in the State Legislature. Most bills can't find sponsors among the Island's many lawmakers.

This situation is pathetic. With gas prices rising, foreclosures growing and all of us watching our pennies, the State Legislature should do its part and pass bills to limit special taxing districts.

First, lawmakers should eliminate pay and benefits for district commissioners. Long Island is the only place in New York where these people are paid; elsewhere, volunteers serve out of civic duty. This measure alone would cut off the blood supply that feeds the greed. Some commissioners receive full pensions, fully paid medical benefits, cars and even homes.

This reform was suggested by the state Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, and originally incorporated in former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's budget. Senate Republicans opposed it, and it would have died there, had Gov. David Paterson not adopted it.

He added another reform, shifting responsibility for sanitation cleanup to towns. But as of now, not one elected official from Long Island will sponsor this bill in the legislature.

What did we put them in office for, anyway?

Another bill, pushed by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, would require special districts to post their financial information and meeting dates on their town's Web site. Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) and Assemb. Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo) are sponsors.

A final effort is Suozzi's plan to reduce the confusion of 22 special district elections, to coincide with either the May school vote or the general election in November. The current arrangement not only guarantees low turnout but promotes voter intimidation. One election was held in the commissioner's kitchen. Is this any way to run a democracy?

The Suozzi plan also needs sponsors. And, by the way, we're still waiting for action on school pension double-dipping, as well as a halt to part-time consultants qualifying for school pensions.

Something is seriously wrong with our representation in Albany if, now that the problem's been diagnosed, Island residents cannot receive the medicine we need to make it better.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

State Comptroller To Address Nassau County Civic

DiNapoli To Discuss Fiscal Issues Impacting Upon All New Yorkers

"The government is us; we are the government, you and I."
--Teddy Roosevelt

From our friends at the Nassau County Civic Association:

General Meeting Notice

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Meeting Location: Rockville Centre Library, 221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY

Our Guest speaker, NYS Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli

Thomas P. DiNapoli was sworn in as the 54th Comptroller of the state of New York on February 7, 2007. As Chief Fiscal Officer for the State, he is responsible for managing and protecting the State pension fund, auditing the spending practices of all State agencies and local governments, reviewing the New York State and City budgets, reviewing and approving all State contracts, and administering the State Oil Spill Fund.

Since taking office, Mr. DiNapoli has instituted several reforms at the Comptroller’s office to ensure open and honest government. He has aggressively moved to end the practice of reporting private attorneys as school district employees in order to receive pension and medical benefits. He has been critical of excessive state spending and has called for capping the level of state debt.

Operating in a bi-partisan manner, Tom DiNapoli has advocated for the taxpayer as an independent voice in Albany. He will discuss the current fiscal issues facing New York and his reform agenda.

First Read: Property Tax Panel Recommends 4% Cap

And That Provides School Property Tax Relief, How?

A cap on school property taxes of 4% annually.

No local vote on the school budget unless the proposed budget increase is greater than 4%.

The "banking" of the difference between the actual budget and the 4% cap, for possible add-on in future years (with the proviso that there be a cap on the cap).

Is this the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief's idea of giving the taxpayer/homeowner a break?

Where's the "relief" here?

Quite frankly, we don't see anything to be gained by the proposed cap (most school districts on Long Island came in well under a 4% increase this year, anyway), and taking matters out of the hands of the voters certainly doesn't speak much for the much-touted local control.

Wasn't the whole idea of establishing this Commission in the first place to explore ways, and find the means to, LOWER school property taxes?

Has not the Commission simply sat on the ball, time having run out on the clock? Heck, a Hail Mary pass would have at least given us some hope.

To be fair, we've only given the Commission's rather lengthy Report a cursory review, having had little time to digest same in its entirety.

Many of the Commission's premises are valid, and the suggested remedies, reasonable.

This includes the recommendations to get a handle on those pesky mandates, both funded and unfunded, and to evaluate pensions, consider salary caps for superintendents, and the adoption of the recommendations of the NYS Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, all of which impact greatly upon school district costs.

That said, in gleaning the "highlights," we are left to wonder whether the State Legislature wouldn't be exercising prudent judgment in putting a lid on that proposed cap, this in favor of a more strident effort to come up with a way to fund public education other than the local property tax, and to provide something in the way of actual tax relief.

In short, the "reform" here leaves us wanting for more, and the "relief" proferred is but more of the same as suggested in years gone by, only by a different name.
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Summary of the Commission's Preliminary Report:

The Property Tax Cap: The Commission proposes capping annual growth in the
property tax levy at 4 percent or 120 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI),
whichever is less. New construction, which results in an increase to the tax levy, may be
added to increase the capped amount. Any levy not used may be “banked,” to be used in
future years at a rate not exceeding 1½ percent of the prior year’s levy. School districts
that do not exceed the cap would no longer be required to submit their budgets for an
annual vote. If a school district wishes to exceed the cap, a positive vote by at least 55
percent of the voters would be required to override the cap. If a school district has
received a 5 percent or greater increase in state aid, 60 percent of the voters would be
required to override the cap. This 5 percent number is not intended to suggest that 5
percent growth in state aid is sufficient for high need districts.

The STAR Circuit Breaker: The Commission recommends that, after a property tax
levy cap is adopted, the State reexamine the STAR program, which provides payments to
school districts with no relation to individual taxpayers’ ability to pay and has failed to
effectively reduce property tax growth. A new STAR circuit breaker, targeted to relieve
the tax burden on individual taxpayers based upon their income and ability to pay, would
be a much more equitable way of reducing an individual’s property tax burden. A levy
cap is necessary to ensure that property tax growth is restrained for all taxpayers,
including businesses. A circuit breaker implemented after a cap has been enacted ensures
that, in addition to limiting property tax growth, individual relief is targeted to people
most in need. The STAR circuit breaker is the only Commission proposal which has a
cost to the State. Recognizing the financial pressure faced by the State, the Commission
recommends redirecting at least $2 billion from the ineffective STAR program to a more
effective circuit breaker.

Changing State Law and Mandate Relief: The Commission recommends that the
State support school districts’ efforts to rein in the costs of salaries, pensions and health
care, as well as general operating and capital expenses by changing state law. There are
three categories of proposed solutions:

I. New Recommendations to address the root causes of high property taxes:
• No new legislative mandates without a complete accounting of the fiscal
impact on local governments, which must include full documentation, local
government input and proposed revenue sources to fund the new mandates.
• No new regulatory mandates from the State Education Department without
a complete accounting of the fiscal impacts on local governments, which must
include full documentation, local government input, and proposed revenue
sources to fund the new mandates.
• Mandate accountability through an annual report from the Office of the
State Comptroller, which should include the cumulative cost to localities of
complying with all new regulatory and legislative mandates.
• Amend the Triborough provision of the Taylor Law to exclude teacher
step and lane increments from continuation until new contracts are
negotiated.
• Centralize and streamline school district reporting.
• Create a Commission task force on other State mandates to research other
reforms between now and the Commission’s final report (December 1, 2008).

II. Adopt twelve recommendations from the Commission on Local
Government Efficiency and Competitiveness (LGEC), including:
• Regional collective bargaining
• Health insurance contributions
• Health benefit trusts
• Non-instructional service consolidation through BOCES
• School district consolidation
• Wicks Law reform
• Procurement reform
• Countywide property tax assessment

III. Recommendations supplemental to the LGEC report:
• Require school districts to report collective bargaining outcomes to the
Governor’s Office of Employee Relations and in their budgets.
• Convene a study to evaluate creating a new Tier 5 pension system.
• Rescind the BOCES district superintendent salary cap.
• Create a BOCES statewide energy program.
• Establish uniform statewide assessing standards.
- - -
Click HERE to read the full Report of the Commission
- - -
From Newsday:

Panel recommends capping school taxes at 4%
BY JAMES T. MADORE
james.madore@newsday.com

A state commission Monday recommended capping at 4 percent annual increases in school property taxes, and requiring the approval of more than half of voters to exceed this spending limit.

In a 113-page report, the Commission on Property Tax Relief urged the State Legislature and Gov. David A. Paterson to adopt the property-tax cap as a means of dampening homeowners' anger at their escalating property tax bills.

The commission said in return for increasing levies by 4 percent or less school districts would no longer be required to submit their budgets for voter approval. Such votes would only occur in districts that want to exceed the cap.

To do so would require approval by at least 55 percent of voters. And if the district received an increase in state aid of 5 percent or more and still wanted to override the 4 percent cap, 60 percent of voters would have to agree.

School districts that don't exceed the cap and increase taxes by less than 4 percent per year would be able to "bank" the percentage between their levy and 4 percent for use in future years.
However, districts could not surpass the previous year's tax increase by more than 1 1/2 percent.

"Our recommendations, if adopted, would control the rate of school tax increases, provide overall property tax relief based upon a homeowner's ability to pay, and amend state law to help manage expense growth for school districts and local governments," said Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, the commission chairman.

"At the same time, we believe that reducing voter anger over school taxes will help redirect New Yorkers' attention toward maintaining and improving educational quality. Additionally, providing greater control over expenses to school districts and other municipalities will help redirect resources where they may most effectively impact educational quality."

The property-tax cap is similar to one instituted in Massachusetts and ardently opposed by school boards, superintendents and the powerful teachers union, New York State United Teachers. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D- Manhattan) has expressed reservations about a cap, saying improving the quality of instruction must be paramount.

After a property-tax cap is adopted, the commission suggested retooling the STAR rebate program to direct rebate checks to low- and middle-income homeowners. This so-called "circuit breaker" would be tied to residents' ability to pay property taxes. It would cost about $2 billion per year.

The commission also called for limiting new state mandates on localities and adoption of recommendations from another state commission aimed at consolidating some school operations such as purchasing and countywide property tax assessment.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

More Park Sausages, Mom

Please!

We all know about the pork barrel spending for pet projects that comes out of Washington (as in that famous earmark for a "bridge to nowhere"), and those formerly secretive member item grants that came out of Albany are now beginning to see the light of day (Project Sunlight), but do you know what your County Legislators have been doling out in their districts?

Not all of the spending is untoward. In fact, much of it, if not most, is warranted, and truly benefits the good of the greater community.

Still, in light of past wasteful and arguably inappropriate spending of the taxpayers' money, scandals as to where these expenditures have gone (ala the NYC Council), and a long history of what can only be categorized as "shush money" (as in, "don't tell anyone we're using tax dollars to refurbish a private club"), it would be nice -- and should be required -- that we, the people, know how, when, and where our tax money is being spent.

Full disclosure should be the norm, not the exception!
- - -
From The New York Times:

Government
They’re Grants to Some, Pork Barrel to Others
By DAVID McKAY WILSON

WITH $9.8 million in taxpayer money to spend at their discretion, Nassau County’s 19 legislators are in an enviable position as they look to do good and win friends.

Past grants have gone for capital projects, like signs congratulating high school athletic teams for successful seasons, a fire department monument, permanent playground equipment for schools, and road and sidewalk improvements. Now, based on a recent legal opinion, the legislators can hand out the money for a wider array of projects, including security cameras, scoreboards, trees and athletic equipment.

And the Legislature’s presiding officer, Diane Yatauro, wants to spend all that discretionary money, about $6 million of it carried over from previous years, in 2008. “My goal this year is to have a zero balance at the end of the year,” she said.

As Nassau legislators decide how to dole out their money, Suffolk’s 18 county legislators have $630,000 to divide among nonprofit organizations. The grants also aid community groups that care for the indigent and working poor.

The Nassau and Suffolk legislators’ programs are Long Island’s version of pork-barrel spending, akin to earmarks that members of Congress attach to federal spending bills or the member items long dispensed by the New York State Legislature. Government watchdogs say such programs can be wasteful because the grants are given on an ad hoc basis, without planning or an assessment of community needs.

There can even be legal questions about earmarked money. For example, federal and city investigations have begun looking into spending practices of the New York City Council; the office of the speaker, Christine C. Quinn, appropriated millions of dollars to nonexistent organizations, routing the money to groups favored by individual council members.

Oversight of the Long Island programs varies by county. In Nassau, legislators’ grant proposals are vetted by the Department of Public Works, which oversees the county’s capital program, and by the county attorney’s office. In Suffolk, the legislators’ requests are reviewed by the legislators’ legal and budget staffs.

Critics say such programs provide opportunities for politicians to boost their community image and woo voters by commandeering funds for cherished projects.

“It buys political support for them,” said Ester R. Fuchs, professor of public affairs and political science at Columbia University. “It gives them something to take credit for on Election Day.”

But there are also strong supporters of the programs. “Some people say there’s something wrong with a politician giving money to a Little League or a museum,” said Edward J. Morris, the executive director of the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, whose group received $8,000 in 2007 to pay for part of his assistant’s salary. “Well, I think it’s the greatest thing in the world.”

The Suffolk Legislature and County Executive Steve Levy have wrangled over the grants, called the Community Service Initiative Program, since the Legislature removed the program from the administration’s oversight in 2006.

In 2007, the program made grants totaling $540,000. They included $1,281 for sandwiches for elderly bingo players at St. Francis Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Coram; $2,015 for shoes for the Walt Whitman High School marching band; and $10,000 for the Lake Grove Triangle Soccer league, which included $2,380 for 400 “light-up” Lucite trophies and $1,745 for soccer balls.

The Greater Patchogue Foundation received $3,679 to irrigate the Lakeview Cemetery in Patchogue, where the caretakers wanted to improve landscaping around a 1909 monument to the Smith family, who date to Colonial days.

Mr. Levy criticized the cemetery grant, saying it served no purpose for the county. “The umbrella has gotten so big that everything and the kitchen sink is now fair game, and that’s where the wasteful spending comes in,” he said.

But Legislator Jack Eddington, a Working Family Party member from Medford who sponsored the grant, said its purpose was to honor those who had died. “We are trying to take care of the future, but can’t forget about the people who made us who we are now,” he said.

Several Suffolk grants went directly to churches. St. Louis de Monfort Roman Catholic Church in Sound Beach used a $2,000 grant to buy 80 food vouchers valued at $25 each to hand out to the poor. St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Center Moriches received $1,750 for its youth group; the money helped buy a movie projector and 71-inch screen that the church’s grant application said was needed for youth education films.

Legislator Edward P. Romaine of Center Moriches, a Republican, who sponsored the grant for St. John the Evangelist, said the youth education there was of a secular, not religious, nature. “It serves a public purpose, it doesn’t serve religion,” he said of the grant.

While the Suffolk grant program ties lawmakers to community groups, the Nassau Capital Revitalization Program links the county with its many municipalities, school districts and fire departments. It allows $200,000 in grants a year for each legislator (10 Democrats and 9 Republicans), for $3.8 million in all.

Peter J. Schmitt, a Massapequa Republican and the Legislature’s minority leader, said the program encouraged bipartisan cooperation at the county offices in Mineola and helped County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi gain support for the entire capital program. “We are happy with nine-nineteenths of the money,” Mr. Schmitt said.

In 2007, the program provided $30,000 to the Town of Oyster Bay for 114 decorative street signs in East Norwich, $2,500 to the North Merrick school district for trash cans at the Camp Avenue School, and $50,000 to the Town of North Hempstead for trees. There was also $34,000 for thermal imaging cameras for several fire departments, $80,000 for a kitchen at the Farmingdale Fire Department, and a grant for 13 signs congratulating Nassau County high schools for the accomplishments of sports teams. Many of the signs, which cost about $350 each, included the names of Mr. Suozzi and the legislator who sponsored the grant.

Judith A. Jacobs, a Nassau legislator who, with unspent money from previous years, gave out $396,000 in grants last year, said she reviewed requests from constituents and developed her own priorities because “I may discover something I believe — from my living there — is a necessary capital improvement for the community, and I’ll put that in.”

Jon D. Cooper, a Suffolk legislator, said that in choosing among nonprofit groups, he generally favored those in his district. Mr. Cooper, a Lloyds Harbor Democrat, gave out 24 grants last year totaling $33,381, including ones for youth sports clubs, an art museum, a food pantry, a veterans’ group and an animal adoption center.

One Suffolk legislator, Thomas F. Barraga of Islip, said he does not make grants. “It’s not my function to toss around money to support nonprofits and Little Leagues,” said Mr. Barraga, a Republican. “I have some groups very unhappy with me. They’ll get over it.”

A $70,000 Capital Revitalization Program grant to replace door knobs and make bathrooms accessible to the handicapped in the Great Neck school district was recently rejected by the county attorney’s office because it would have served only students in the school, not the broader community, said Charo Ezdrin, Nassau’s director of government relations.

To speed up spending this year, Ms. Yatauro has adopted the Nassau Republican method of allocating the funds by caucus rather than by individual legislator. No longer will each Democrat be given $200,000 to dole out or be able to carry over any unspent money to the next year. Instead, the entire Democratic caucus will compete for $2 million, with Ms. Yatauro and her staff determining which projects to finance.

“Everybody will submit projects to me,” Ms. Yatauro said. “Some legislators may need more, some may need less.”

The change does not sit well with Ms. Jacobs, a Woodbury Democrat who served as the Legislature’s presiding officer from 2000 to 2007.

“That brings politics into it, not the needs of the districts,” she said. “I never did that. With a 10-to-9 majority, you want every legislator to shine.”

But Ms. Yatauro said that she wants to find good projects and finance them. “I’ll make sure our 10 legislators are served properly,” she said.

Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

An Efficient Local Government Begins With YOU!

Residents For Efficient Special Districts (yes, we know, we know) Posts Call To Action

Today in Newsday, Executive Director of Residents for Efficient Special Districts (RESD), Laura Mallay, has an extensive op-ed piece that discusses four pieces of legislation that are currently being considered in Albany to lower property taxes and reform special taxing districts (see link to article below).

RESD is encouraging concerned citizens to contact their elected officials in Albany today and let them know this legislation needs to pass before they adjourn at the end of June. The window of opportunity will not remain open for long. If this legislation is not voted on before Albany adjourns, we will have to wait until the fall before this is considered again. We need you to take action today!!

Tell your elected officials that enough is enough.

RESD has developed a letter that is available on our website which you can use to send to your Assemblyman and Senator along with the email addresses of all Assemblymen and Senators from Long Island. It is very simple to do and won't take more than five to ten minutes of your time. Politicians react when they get a lot of emails, letters and phone calls on any given issue.

Let them know lowering property taxes is important to you and urge them to pass the legislation. Just click on the link below to go the page on the RESD website.

Feel free to forward this email on to others who are interested. We thank you for your support and hope that you will help us in this effort to bring back an affordable quality of life to Long Island.

Newsday Op-Ed Article by Laura Mallay

RESD Letter to Elected Officials in Albany

Tony Brita
Director of Communications
Resdients for Efficient Special Districts (RESD)
information@resd.info
http://www.resd.info/

What's In Their Wallets?

New Watchdog Website Tracks Public Payroll, Pensions

Now, in addition to tracking who is spending our tax dollars where and on what [Project Sunlight], New Yorkers can keep tabs on who's on the public payroll.

A new Internet website dedicated to news and analysis about state and local government employment in New York has been unveiled by the Empire Center for New York State Policy.

The website, www.NYPublicPayrollWatch.org, will feature daily commentary on government workforce issues, news stories from around the state, and related links. Lise Bang-Jensen, senior policy analyst with the Empire Center, will provide the site's commentary.

E.J. McMahon, director of the Empire Center and senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, said the website "is part of our effort to shine a stronger spotlight on an area with important financial and managerial implications for every level of government in New York State."

"Personnel costs are a major element in New York's sky-high taxes, yet New Yorkers are often unaware of important developments on the government labor relations front," McMahon said.

"The goal of the Payroll Watch website is to inform the public by illuminating the issue."

To visit NY Public Payroll Watch, go to: www.NYPublicPayrollWatch.org.
- - -
ADDENDUM

Our Memorial Day message, Waving One Flag, was posted before the release of former White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan's book, What Happened?, further exposing the "culture of deception" that enshrouds the Bush administration.

That Bush, and those who ill-advised him -- among them, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft, Condi Rice, and "The Architect" of deception himself, Karl Rove -- lied to the American public, and perpetuated the lies through a propaganda campaign that continues, even today, is not a shocking revelation.

We all knew it, and everyone with barely functioning neuro-pathways realizes that this White House had concocted and, even now, perpetuates, the biggest lies and cover-ups in America since, well, Watergate.

Only these lies have cost America hundreds of billions of dollars, thousands of young lives, and the loss of respect in the eyes of the entire free world.

"Disgruntled," Mr. President?

Yes, we are all disgruntled, and with every right to be.

For not only have you lied to us, time and time again, disgracing not only the office you hold, but the very honor of America, you, and your cohorts in crime, who now have to backpedal, yet again, to cover their tracks (and possibly avoid indictment), refuse to so much as admit that you have made mistakes -- on anything -- and to own up to those mistakes.

You should resign from office, Mr. President, effective immediately. And you should take that sneering war profiteer Dick Cheney with you.

Maybe FoxNews can find a spot for you both, right next to Karl Rove. Perhaps they can give you your own prime time slot. They can call it, The Liars Club!

Tag, You're It!

MTA Board Members -- Past And Present -- Get Free Ride (For Life)

Imagine never having to pay a toll on any bridge, tunnel, or roadway in the EZ-Pass system, or riding the subways FREE, for the rest of your natural days, without having to hop the turnstiles?

Well, as it turns out, members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Board -- current and retired (perhaps even deceased), who are supposed to serve without compensation (yeah, right), apparently have as a "perk" free passes to ride the rails and buses, as well as free use of the EZ-Pass. for life.

Now, with all the toll hikes and fare increases these folks impose upon us mere mortals, isn't it nice to know that these folks -- presumably serving "the public good" out of sheer benevolence -- don't have to share (let alone, feel) our pain?

Why, these officially-sanctioned toll-evaders are no better than those special taxing district commissioners, who use their official SUVs (paid for by and gassed up on our dime) for personal errands, and collect lifetime health benefits for a no-show, part-time job.

Of course, we never held New York's public authorities, vestiges of the era of power-brokering laid upon us by Robert Moses, in very high esteem.

They saddle us with debt, are beyond legislative oversight, and, as is custom and practice, answerable to no one other than themselves.

Imagine if MTA Board members -- past, present, and future -- had to pay their own tolls and carfare? Why, they might even entertain a decrease the next time tolls and fares come up for a vote!
- - -
From The New York Times:

M.T.A. Board Will Fight for Its Free E-ZPass Tags
By William Neuman


For years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has given its board members free passes to drive across its bridges and tunnels without paying tolls and to ride the subways, buses and commuter railroads without paying a fare. And when the board members retire, they are allowed to keep the passes for life.

On Wednesday the authority said it will go to court to defend the practice in the face of a challenge by Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who said that giving E-ZPass tags to board members violates a law that they must serve without compensation.


Mr. Cuomo sent a letter to the authority this week calling for it to rescind the passes after The Daily News reported that 21 current board members and 37 former board members have free E-ZPass tags. Some have multiple tags, including the former chairman Peter S. Kalikow, a millionaire with dozens of cars, who reportedly has eight tags.

The authority’s chairman, H. Dale Hemmerdinger, said on Wednesday after a meeting of the board:


The practice of providing board members free access to the system they oversee dates back at least to the 1950s. We believe the M.T.A. has acted in a manner fully consistent with the 1992 law referred to by the attorney general. The practice was not questioned when the law was passed and has not been legally challenged in the 16 years that have ensued. But given the newly stated view of the attorney general which is contrary to the M.T.A. position we are going to seek a declaratory judgment and allow a court to determine whether or not this constitutes compensation. We have never seen it that way and we don’t see it now but were going to let a court make this decision.

Mr. Hemmerdinger said the authority would ask for a ruling on both the free E-ZPass tags as well as the practice of giving board members a free ride on subways, buses and commuter trains.

Waving One Flag

Raising Another

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. -- John F. Kennedy

Memorial Day. Time to honor God, Country, and the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of both, not to mention to make the world safe for democracy.

Plenty of flag waving across this nation, at parades, at cemeteries, at political rallies, and in front yards.

And so it should be.

For all of the shortcomings of a flawed nation-state (such is the human condition) -- from deceit and arrogance in the White House, to much of the same at Town Hall -- these United States of America remain the best hope of millions, yearning to be free of tyranny, of hatred, of the yoke of oppression (and that's just in New York).

We love America, and we proudly wave the stars and stripes, without wrapping ourselves in that flag as if some cloak of invincibility or shield from dissent.

That said, we find it essential, in an America that speaks of a cherished freedom and rests upon a foundation of storied liberties, to raise a red flag, this in the face of restraints of liberties here at home, and the diminution of the prospect of democracy abroad.

We haven't done a very good job -- in fact, it has been an awful run, of late -- in making this world safe for democracy, let alone in promoting free will and fair elections abroad, or in preserving liberty where it may, in one form or another, appear.

Perhaps, in part, this stems from our failure to keep the torch of freedom aglow here at home.

Patriot Act. Rendition. The export of torture as an accepted means of fact-finding. The suspension of habeas corpus. The rebuffing of allies. The making of enemies.

Hate-baiting. Fear-mongering. Helpless and hapless, but for steering a course in a single direction, rudder locked in place, compass headed always south.

Maybe this is the way some perceive a nation's greatness, the citizens of Sean Hannity's America, where smug war profiteers serve as vice president and chief puppeteer, where "fear itself" and "see something, say something," have supplanted "spacious skies" and "e pluribus unim," the likes of Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reilly offering their own renditions of half-truth without consequence.

Frankly, we've had quite enough of that America, and so, we believe, have you.

Of course, it can all change, seemingly with the flick of a switch -- or, more aptly, the flip of a lever in that voting booth.

We will continue to proudly wave that star-spangled banner, not "right or wrong," but rather, to right the wrongs, here at home, and around the world.

We will also, consciously and consistently, raise that red flag, as warning to all who refuse to bear witness to the frailties of democracy.

Raise those flags, fellow Americans, and carry forth that torch of liberty, the glow from which "will truly light the world!"

From The NYS Commission On Property Tax Relief

Report To Follow

"The Commission on Property Tax Relief, in consultation with the Governor's office, has agreed that the Preliminary Report of the Commission will be issued on June 3."

Stay tuned. . .

What Can Big Brown Do For Elmont?

Elmont's Stake In The Triple Crown

The Belmont Stakes. The third leg in the legendary Triple Crown, and Big Brown, with the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness already under his saddle, poised to leave the field in his dust on June 7th at this annual Elmont classic.

Clearly, Big Brown's run at the Triple Crown will be a boost to horse racing, much needed after the recent falls -- literally and figuratively -- from grace.

Will Big Brown's appearance, and possible purse, at Belmont, be as big a boon for the communities that surround this historic park?

Hard to say.

Talk of revitalization abounds, like so much fodder in the feedbag.

An infusion of money from Albany. The possibility of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) ala Yonkers and Monticello. The much touted compact between Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead, designed, in theory, to bring Elmont back from the brink.

So far, the talk is just that, talk. Little action beyond what may take place on the track's oval, with the hoopla in the winner's circle about all there will likely be to cheer about on Elmont's race card.

Yes, the words -- of community groups, of not-for-profits, of elected officials -- sound as sweet as the bugle's call at post-time. The artists' renderings, as lovely as that shot of Big Brown wearing a horseshoe made of roses.

Still, would that the enthusiasm that will undoubtedly consume the Belmont throng spill out onto the streets of Elmont, Floral Park, and beyond, and that, in terms of converting lofty words into well-planned action, we'd hear someone shout, "And they're off!"
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Feedback from the Elmont community:

May the community of Elmont be saved, if such a thing as VLTs enter Belmont Park. Just like Monticello, where(the surrounding community) is going bankrupt, and trying to see if it can survive financially.

Imagine how the gambling industry will be hit, when the economy continues to go down, and the price of gas continues to go up. Tropicana went under, and they are a major component to the operations of Yonkers as well.

Then think about a new casino at Aqueduct, and a few more in CT, and PA.

Clearly, someone did not do so well in economics. More is not always better.

Then there are the social ills, the increased expenses in police, roads and bureaucracy. Imagine having to deal with the effects of a Racino in a community, and then having these same politicians with more money! Do you honestly think that will bring positive change?

What major plan of revitalization did some of these politicians want for Elmont? A Racino and a hotel. Not only do they want a Racino, they want a hotel, which, in all honesty, is designed to replace the Courtesy Hotel. Clearly, it is hypocrisy at its finest.

For years (dare I say decades), the community, including past Presidents of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce, thought to revitalize Belmont, with a greater sense of community, by constructing a museum/cultural center.

The idea has fallen on deaf ears since. Much to the same, of the safety concerns of Hempstead Turnpike to our state representatives.

On June 7th, regardless of how financially successful the day, or week maybe, it helps to serve as a reminder of what Historic Belmont Park really stands for. Whether you enjoy horse racing or not, it is what it is. What is left standing in our town that represents the history of the Hempstead Plains? Let me tell you what that day really means. It is a day that helps us to remember passion, culture and history. That is something that money can't necessarily replace.

Sincerely,
Xavier Rodriguez
Elmont, New York

The writer serves as secretary of the Locustwood/Gotham Civic Association in Elmont. The views expressed are his own.
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Thank you for writing, Xavier.

We certainly agree that we need more in the way of history and tradition in our hometowns, with a smattering of forward-looking vision that will help bring community into the 21st century.

On the VLT front, we couldn't agree with you more.

If anyone believes that revenues generated at the track will spill over into the local economy, we would simply ask them to take a drive through Yonkers or a stroll in downtown Monticello, such as it is.

Yonkers may be undergoing a renaissance, of sorts, having nothing to do with the VLTs at the raceway.

As for Monticello, Broadway, the main drag, is a a virtual ghost town, with economic revival as distant on the horizon as the Indian reservations are remote to the proposed casinos.

Throwing money at the problems -- be they of cities or suburbia -- rarely solves them, as we should have learned from the failures of many of the Great Society initiatives of the 1960s.

We can mask the symptoms -- be they the blight along the turnpike or the happenstance of aging facades -- but the underlying disease remains largely untreated.

For there to be a jewel in Elmont's claim to the Triple Crown, there must not only be a viable plan to revitalize and re-energize, there must also be summoned the courage and the wherewithal to take that plan to the streets.

Meanwhile, keep those cards and letters coming, folks. Write us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.

While Over 90% Of School District Budgets Passed. . .

. . .Less Than 10% Came Out To Vote

The big news is that the vast majority of school district budgets, at least here on Long Island, and presumably, all across the Empire State, passed muster on Tuesday, the few who braved foul weather giving the thumbs up to referendum designed to keep our schools in the black.

The sad news, and not quite as widely reported -- if reported at all -- is that only one in ten (that's a rough guesstimate, looking at the turnout versus registered voters in a handful of districts across the island) actually bothered to come out to the polls, whether in support of school budgets, or, as is their right, to simply say "no."

Of course, that's a vast improvement over voter turnout in other special district elections, such as water, fire, and sanitation, where the numbers hover somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5%. [And that's registered voters. Include the eligible, but not registered, and, well, we're probably talking about a 1% turnout, if that.]

Even the last general election produced, on average, a paltry 19% voter turnout, the election of County Legislators and Town Supervisors (as local as local government gets next to that Sanitary District Commish you didn't vote for) notwithstanding.

So much for taking local control!

Do we really wonder why few things change in our hometowns -- the blight gets more blighted -- and why our "elected" officials spend more time in front of the camera (smile, and spell your name exactly as it should appear on page one) than confronting our problems?

They know -- oh yes, they really know -- that most of the few who do come out to vote, won't concern themselves with the issues, assuming they have a clue as to what the pressing issues of the day may be. No, they'll pull the levers on those antiquated voting machines as they have for years -- by party, by name recognition, or by eenie-meenee-minee-moe.

More than this, the folks who the few (too often erroneously referred to as "we") put in office, are counting on the fact that 75, 80, or even 95 percent of registered voters will do what they do election day after election day -- stay home.

Yes, it is true: Bad politicians are elected by people who do not vote!

Seems that here, in the land that "talks" democracy, and pays flag-waving tribute -- as we will next week on Memorial Day -- to those who gave their lives for that cherished vote, we've disenfranchised ourselves in ways that no voter suppression effort could ever come close to.

In many places around the globe, they dodge bombs and bullets, coming out in droves to cast that privileged ballot.

Here on Long Island, sadly, most of us aren't even willing to dodge a few raindrops.
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For New York voter registration, click HERE.

Affordable Housing Bill To Get Legislature's Nod

. . .And A Wink

There is no denying that the affordable housing crisis in New York, and most particularly, on Long Island, is just that -- a crisis.

For years, proponents of affordable housing legislation -- requiring, among other things, that developers set aside a defined percentage of all units built for moderate income households -- have seen measure upon measure languish up in Albany, much to the dismay of those who cannot afford homes of their own, as well as the exasperation of existing homeowners, who must, invariably, bear the burden (and we mean, "tax burden") of illegal accessory apartments, the outgrowth of the dearth in affordable housing.

Now, the NYS Legislature stands ready, at long last, to pass what has been designated as an affordable housing bill -- a bill that, in reality, looks more like Swiss cheese than the cheese wheel needed to set in motion much-needed housing relief.

That the proposed measure may be too little, too late is an apparent overstatement, the emphasis on the "too little," New Yorkers having become well accustomed to "too late."

A developer building in, say, Great Neck or Manhasset, could, under the pending legislation, build luxury houses in those wealthy communities, while sealing a deal to set aside 10% of the units built as "affordable," not in Great Neck or Manhasset, mind you, but rather, in poorer communities, such as Hempstead or Roosevelt.

And while the legislation would create an additional housing stock -- somewhere, but not necessarily here -- of, perhaps, 200 homes per year (we're being generous), other measures floated (including a more comprehensive plan favored by Suffolk County Exec Steve Levy) would likely create thousands of new units, easing the crunch on both the overtaxed homeowner and the would-be homeowner.

We applaud State Senator Dean G. Skelos for sponsoring the present legislation (as well as the more compelling Levy bill), and for garnering the votes necessary to pass the measure through the GOP-controlled State Senate.

Its a weak bill, to be sure, but it is a start.

It remains for the Legislature, however, if not in this session (and it won't be), then, certainly, in the next, to pick up where this year's affordable housing bill leaves off.

The affordable housing crisis calls for relief beyond the quick, symbolic fix.

Hopefully, as Senator Carl Marcellino told Newsday, "We're going to get one (affordable housing bill) passed and we're going to move the process forward."

Here's to moving faster toward affordable housing in New York.
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From Newsday:

State set to pass LI affordable housing bill
BY ELIZABETH MOORE
elizabeth.moore@newsday.com

After several years of stalled efforts, the state Legislature is poised to pass a bill that would require 10 percent of Long Island housing developments to be affordable.

The inclusionary zoning measure, which could pass as soon as next week, is sponsored by state Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), and has bipartisan support.

The Long Island Association, Long Island's leading business group, has long championed this bill and says its passage is a political breakthrough for the region. But some housing advocates are not so sure. In a bid to get Nassau village officials to drop their longtime opposition, they contend, sponsors have so watered down the measure that its value is mainly symbolic.

The bill, which gives builders a density bonus for affordable units, now allows those units to be built on a different site owned by the builder in the same municipality, or pay a fee that will be used to build affordable housing in another municipality by mutual agreement. Or the money can go to the Long Island Housing Partnership for housing and down payment assistance.

"This has to happen before any other progress is made on workforce housing on Long Island," said Matthew Crosson, president of the Long Island Association. "You have in place a bipartisan consensus that this problem is real, and it needs to be solved urgently."

But the new language has dismayed many in the large coalition that had backed the bill.

"The concern is that this will perpetuate patterns of racial and class housing segregation," said Richard Koubek, Catholic Charities coordinator for the Mobilized Interfaith Coalition Against Hunger campaign. "Wealthier villages ... could get around the law by negotiating a deal with less wealthy villages to literally sell off their housing obligation. ... There are quite a few loopholes."

So while not opposing this bill, Koubek and other advocates are now working to pass one backed by Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and his chief deputy, former housing advocate James Morgo. That measure, covering seven downstate counties, would spell out how many homes should be built in each community, and offer incentives to governments that build them.

"The inclusionary bill is a good symbolic message, but would ultimately only get you about 100 to 200 units a year being built," said Levy, who nevertheless believes it should pass. "The downstate bill could lead to thousands and thousands." Already, he said, several Long Island municipalities have passed inclusionary zoning laws tougher than this bill.

But while Skelos also has sponsored Levy's favored bill, lawmakers say it is nowhere near passing, because it is new, complex and would require some $87 million in support.

"Compromises have to be made," insists Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset), a co-sponsor of the inclusionary bill. "We're going to get one passed and we're going to move the process forward."

The debate has strained relations between Morgo, who was critical of the inclusionary bill but thought both could pass, and Crosson, who had lobbied to stop the filing of the downstate bill at all.

In letters, phone calls and heated exchanges at meetings, Crosson argued the downstate bill would "derail" five years of work. He wrote to the Regional Plan Association demanding it "immediately cease" its work on the bill. In February, Crosson wrote to LIA directors saying Morgo was behind efforts to "undermine" and "misrepresent" the inclusionary bill.

This month, Crosson dismissed the frictions, saying his fears have not been borne out. "That's past, and we're moving forward," Crosson said.

But the LIA still does not endorse the bill Levy and Morgo drafted together with the other suburban counties. "I think the bill is complicated and difficult for people to understand, and needs to be simplified," Crosson said.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.