I was shocked to read last week of the Nassau County Legislature's plan to raise their salaries by almost 90 percent. Legislature [Dave] Mejias' refusal to accept the pay raise and his promise to donate the money to the district if the raise is passed is just what this county needs in an elected official. He is doing what is right for the people of Nassau County and not for a few political insiders.

(Editor's Note: This letter is being written in response to a letter to the editor published in the Oct. 1 edition of the Levittown Tribune and is being printed at the author's request.)

Reference is made to your letter which, although dated Sept. 16 has only just arrived in my office. In any event, it contains a number of misconceptions about the town's budget presentation history, state law setting forth the budget adoption schedule and logistical issues, which are beyond the town's control, and which affect budget adoption.

Let me explain:

At the outset, your assertion that residents did not have access to the town's 2004 budget document until moments before the budget hearing could not be further from the truth. In fact, the budget was publicly available for at least two weeks before the hearing was held, it having been filed (and subject to public inspection) by the legal deadline of Sept. 30. In addition, copies of the budget, which was the subject of the Oct. 14 hearing were circulated to local libraries and press releases, describing the document, were distributed to media outlets throughout the town.

In connection with the development of town budgets, it is important to understand that state law provides a specific timetable under which spending plans must be proposed, made preliminary, heard and adopted as final. Hempstead Town has adhered unwaveringly to this timetable.

Additionally, it is important to understand that the timing of the town's budget presentation is affected by forces beyond our control. These include:

• the fact that assessment information, necessary to the setting of tax rates, is usually furnished by the county to the town at the last minute, and

• the fact that some portions of the budget, which are supplied by independent, commissioner-operated districts, are not furnished timely to us.

Your suggestion that the budget and associated documents be posted on the Internet has been forwarded to the town's office of communications for an analysis of its feasibility. With respect to your recommendation that budgets be furnished to local libraries, please be advised that, for as long as anyone here can remember, copies of preliminary budgets have been hand-delivered to every library in the town as soon as they are printed.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide the information to you.