After receiving an election flyer in the mail from councilman Gary Hudes and the Republican Party, we just cannot understand what the Republican Party is taking credit for.

The idea that there has not been a property tax increase in the Town of Hempstead needs to be addressed and questioned. Where did the "rainy day" surplus of $50 million come from? If 24 percent of town employees' jobs were cut, that means that the town was paying these employees for unnecessary jobs. Will these jobs eventually be needed again or will the town be shorthanded until after the election and then be refilled? How many of the 24 percent were political appointees or were they all civil service? Something does not add up.

If we were capable of laying off all these people, where have the town officials been that 24 percent of the work force were not needed with a $43 million savings? Were we overemployed and paying for unnecessary jobs or was the layoff done to show that we have an excess of funds and don't look like or be compared to the county with its over $300 million Republican deficit (which can possibly happen in our future)? When the elections are over, will these jobs be slowly refilled by using up the $50 million dollar surplus? With all the financial problems that Tom Gulotta and the Republican Party have put the county in, will the Town of Hempstead be forced to absorb some of the problems of the county?

It's time to start looking at more than one party control and not have to eliminate jobs to make the picture look good for the election year.