The Town of Hempstead Democratic committee has launched a last-minute campaign effort urging residents to vote in Tuesday’s election and end a century of Republican control in Hempstead.
A newsletter targeting Democrats who don't usually vote in off year elections and a biting radio ad, both lob charges at the town’s Republicans, including allegations of patronage, excessive salaries and building department corruption.
"These are all issues that have come before and everybody knows about it, but it hasn't galvanized the voters to come out to stop it," said Hempstead Democratic leader John Lewis. "That's what this is for, to remind people why they should come out and vote against 100 years of one-party rule."
A spokesperson for Supervisor Kate Murray's campaign called the Democratic effort a desperate act in the final days before the election.
"It's not unusual when you're behind in a race to make desperate claims," said William Corbett.
The radio commercial airs two people talking about whether they’ll vote.
"What about the corruption?," a woman asks. "The building commissioner renovates his home without permits on the very block the supervisor drives on every day?"
"What about the 400 Republican committee workers on the payroll?" a man answers. "A hundred of them make more than $100,000. They set up special taxing districts with no -show jobs just to steal our money."
The newsletter, which urges voters to make a difference and restore a two-party government in the country's largest township, calls the 107-year Republican rule a "malfunction of our representative system" and “not what the framers of the U.S. Constitution had in mind.”
Corbett said the town’s record speaks for itself.
"The goal is to have good government and good people,” Corbett said. “The supervisor has done a good job, she's holding the line on taxes and there are superior bond ratings in the town. The government is being run efficiently.”
Town Democrats have charged that the Republicans spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to mail dozens of glossy color brochures before elections, each with multiple pictures of Murray. Town officials put the cost at $45,000 per mailing.
Democrat’s black-and-white newsletter cost $14,000 and the radio ad was $7,000. The candidates pay for their own signs, Lewis said.
Hemsptead town spokesman Michael Deery said the town's mailings are for informational purposes.
"We have the best programs and services anywhere,” Deery said. “But what good are they if we keep them a secret from our residents?”
The Democrat’s newsletter includes bios of their six town candidates: Kevin Gorman for supervisor, Geoffry Prime for receiver of taxes, Steve Turman for town clerk, and N. Scott Banks, Gary Carlton an Robert Young for town board seats.
The rest of the mailing is divided into sections citing various instances of ignorance, arrogance, ineffectiveness or excessiveness on the part of the republican town leadership.
One entitled “Kate Murray’s Neighborhood” asks how the supervisor could have not known that the building commissioner she appointed, John Loeffel, was doubling the size of his Levittown home without permits, and while paying taxes on a house half the size. “Where does John Loeffel live?” the newsletter asks. “Right down the street, on the same block as guess who? Kate Murray!”
Corbett said Loeffel was “gone within an hour once the supervisor found out and she aggressively followed this.”
A section entitled “Banner Day in West Hempstead” accuses town officials of blocking the controversial sale of the Courtesy Hotel and in doing so, delaying its closing. It claims that Murray is “doing it the Republican way- using the costly and time consuming eminent domain process to acquire and redevelop the Courtesy.”
The “Precious Perks for Part Timers” section resurrects the controversy over whether part-time board members should continue to get costly health benefits through the town. “On April 26, 2007, the Republican members of the town board voted to continue paying full health benefits to politically connected individuals who spend just a few hours a week on the town’s board of zoning appeals,” it read. One board member singled out is Katuria D’Amato, the wife of former State Sen. Alfonse D’Amato.
Deery said that “Kate Murray proposed a measure (at that time) to remove those benefits."
The former senator is featured in the last of the sections, entitled “Senator Pothole Seeks to Sink the Sands.” It talks about D’Amato attempting to end a 2-decade ban on development along the oceanfront by tearing down the 50-year old Sands and building a luxury condo complex. “One thing you can be sure of is that Gary Garlton, the Democratic candidate for the town of Hempstead’s 3rd Councilmatic District, will fight to preserve our marine recreation areas.”
- BY EDEN LAIKIN
Comments (4)
The Democratic Party has control in Nassau County. They are worried about losing it in the 5th District due to a weak incumbent candidate. With Independent Party voters like me not towing the party line they stand to lose the majority. As we take it upon ourselves to campaign against him. I am not working this hard for the opponent as much as against Scannell. Here is one example why.
What 4 Million Of Your Tax Dollars Buy in the 5th District Nassau County
Our Legislator Joseph Scannell has forgotten some of the things he has done for our lovely town of Baldwin. One is the Parkway Drive Nature Preserve. Scannell refers to it on his printing as 3 acres of open space. He paid 4 million of the tax payers money to purchase the property at the end of Parkway Drive that was slated to be developed and bring Millions of dollars worth of homes to our area. As a parent I have no problem with the need of open spaces and Nature Preserves in Nassau County for the use of all residents. I do have a problem when I contacted Legislator Scannell's office asking what was going to be done to clean all the beer cans, condoms and other various trash which has been dumped for years in our new Nature Preserve. I also asked who would be maintaining and patrolling the area, for which I received no answers from his assistant. I was told that was not discussed as of yet. Now years later still nothing. When spending our tax dollars I only wish that our Legislator would think their projects all the way thru. When Joseph Scannell took 2 years of our discretionary fund money totaling $420,000.00 and donated it to the Carrousel after he knew it was to be a county project on museum row was he thinking about the cleanup and who was to maintain Baldwin's newest Nature Preserve? As a resident of Parkway Drive my family would love to take walks and enjoy the Preserve if it was not so full of trash and ticks.
I am writing this for people heading to the polls on election day to think about the fact of electing a Legislator who does not complete his projects. The projects HE doesn't discuss.
Michele Russo
Baldwin, NY
Registered Independent
This is why, the Independence Party should be forced to change their name, as Imbeciles like Michele actually think that they are Registered "Independents". Being a member of the tool controlled Independence Party hardly makes one either Independent or intelligent. Just another Republican Toady
Charlie is proof positive that I made the right decision when I left the Democrat Party. It appears that their definition of free speech is that you can say whatever you want as long as you agree with them. Then if you don't and you confront them with poor decisions made by one of their party members ,they don't respond with facts to dispute your point of view they just resort to name calling. As to being a Republican toady, I guess that's Charlie's name for anyone who isn't in lock step with his great party.
Charlie please stop embarrassing yourself and the Democrat party with your childish name calling and try to argue an issue on your candidates accomplishments if you can think of any.
Now that Kate is secure, do you think the Ex Building Commissioners John Loeffels, permits & variances will magically slide by the Zoning Board????!!!! Pay yor proper taxes, John Blowffel!