Suggestions for New Hyde Park

As the dust settles on what has been a very contentious year in the Village of New Hyde Park let's look at the central problem. Everyone is in agreement that the infrastructure, roads, curbs, and sidewalks are in need of repair. The Village has engineers reports that indicate that the community would have to spend $9 million to complete road repairs. The total Village budget is only $4,851,628 and after the promised roll back in the tax rate will be $3,736,616. Suffice it to say the community faces a difficult challenge.

What do we do? Certainly every effort has to be made to achieve economies and efficiencies in the operation of the Village. Current efforts by a citizen advisory group to make such recommendations are a step in the right direction.

Let me argue however that even if we are able to wring 10 percent out of the current budget the savings would only be $373,000. Using this amount applying it to road reconstruction, on a pay as you go basis, it would take 25 years to fix the streets that we need repaired today.

The character of our community is at stake. A crumbling infrastructure will affect future property values. The problem can no longer be swept under the carpet.

The money saved through streamlining village government and the village's share of Nassau County sales tax revenue (a new source of revenue), should be used to finance a bond issue devoted to road repair. The value of the bond, based solely upon the revenue generated from the sources mentioned above, would not be large enough to fund all road repairs. I would recommend that the worst 25 percent of the streets be repaired immediately. The village government should then invite the community to participate in an effort to determine the best way to finance the balance of the road work and future maintenance.

The time has come for proactive suggestions on how to best address the problems facing our community. The difficulties we currently face are to a certain extent the results of apathy; we need to reverse this trend and encourage the talented people of New Hyde Park to become involved.

Donald Barbieri

Response to "Why Empty Seats at High School Productions?"

This letter is in response to Sandi Taraska's letter in last week's issue of the llustrated News regarding the empty seats at Herricks High School productions.

Simple - No one heard or knew about it, except families of participants and others involved with school activities. How about letting the general public know about these events?

It pays to advertise. A simple flier mailed, at bulk rate, to all homes who pay school taxes would do wonders for your attendance and income. It might even bring out volunteers for other programs that are sponsored by the high school, middle school and even the elementary schools.

Sure, it would cost a few bucks to do a mailing, but you could combine some events into a single calendar-of-events type flier. Believe me you will profit. You could easily raise the price of tickets to $10 and $6. Money is not holding people back, it's the lack of information.

Stan Margolin

Happy Holiday!

On behalf of the Herricks Senior Citizens, Inc., I want to thank you for publishing the news and happenings of our organization this past year.

We wish you and all our friends, Happy Holidays and a Healthy, Wonderful 1998!

Rhoda Bloomberg