The present town board in North Hempstead consists of Democratic Supervisor May Newburger, Democratic Town Councilwoman Doreen Banks, Democratic Town Councilman Tony D'Urso and Republican Town Councilmen Anthony Ferrara and James O'Connor. The Republican members were elected in 1997 so it is the two Democratic incumbents whose seats are up for election. Ms. Banks and Mr. D'Urso are challenged by Republicans Bob Lazaro and Warren Brinker.

Doreen Banks says that she is running for re-election because she is proud of her accomplishments during the past four years. Among those are the initiating of the Traffic and Safety Commission, the Technology Commission and acting as the North Hempstead liaison to the Ecological Commission. Ms. Banks says: "The Town has done a great job of getting its fiscal house in order; completing a recreational golf complex; revising Senior Housing laws and adding services such as pneumonia to the flu shots already offered for seniors. The Democratic administration has proven fiscal and environmental stewardship in creating better conditions for the residents of the town. I hope to further the improvements for the Town of North Hempstead in the years ahead."

Doreen is a graduate of Wellesley College with a degree in English literature. She lives in East Williston with her husband, Bill, and their two sons. Prior to her political life she spent 10 years in the insurance business where she earned her CLU and ChFC designations. In 1993 she was elected Nassau County Clerk, the first Democrat in 25 years to win a county-wide elected position. She was elected to the North Hempstead Town Board in 1995.

If re-elected she says she would love to work on affordably priced senior housing. "What I have proposed," she says, "is that three or four acres of the Lockheed Martin property be used for the construction of 100 affordably priced one or two bedroom units which would sell for $100,000 to $113,000. We are also looking around for smaller parcels within the town." She is also looking forward to the passage of an Environmental Bond Act next year. Among projects that would be addressed with the proceeds from such a bond would be an investigation into the emissions from the Garden City incinerator. "An air pollution study could be financed through an environmental bond issue," she says. Her third concern is the rehabilitation of downtown areas throughout the town. "Huntington has done it," she says, "and I'd like to look at ways the town could be more helpful."

Republican Bob Lazaro, a life-long resident of Nassau County, has dedicated his career to public and community service. A graduate of St. John's University with a bachelor's degree in public administration, he began his career in 1980 upon his appointment as a legislative assistant to the chairman of the New York State Senate Commission on Critical Transportation Choices. In 1982 he was appointed as administrative assistant to John B. Kiernan, then supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead. In 1987 he was promoted to director of Legislative Affairs. In this position he drafted and lobbied for the town's legislative program. After Mr. Kiernan was defeated by Ben Zwirn, Mr. Lazaro left town government and became deputy director for legislative and economic affairs for the Long Island Association. He left the LIA to work for the Long Island Rail Road from 1993 to 1995 after which he rejoined government service as an aide to County Executive Thomas S. Gulotta, a position he holds at present. Mr. Lazaro is married to the former Carolyn Curran of Manhasset. They have a 7-year-old daughter, Kathryn Grace.

If elected to the town board, Mr. Lazaro says that he would like to see a new master plan for North Hempstead that would prepare the town for "proper and controlled development." Affordable senior citizen housing would also be a priority for him. Thirdly, he says that he believes there is room for improved enforcement of the zoning laws that are already on North Hempstead's books. Finally, he says he would work to "improve the town's fiscal condition."

Councilman Tony D'Urso was born and raised in Italy in a small town just south of Rome. He grew up on a small family farm and went to work full time in construction at 14 years of age. He came to America seeking better economic opportunities and a place to raise a family. His is a classic immigrant success story. His first job was washing dishes in a catering hall in Astoria, but he immediately registered for night school, which he attended for the next 20 years. He studied English for immigrants, received a high school diploma, then a bachelor of science degree from Pratt Institute, to which he later returned for a master's in planning. He progressed from dishwashing to working in construction as a laborer and a bricklayer. In 1971 he took a Civil Service position as an estimator of building construction for the City of New York and has risen through the ranks for the last 28 years. He is presently Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Design and Construction of the Department of Housing and Development of the City of New York. Tony and his wife, Maria, live in the Herricks area of New Hyde Park. They have raised four children.

Mr. D'Urso was elected to the North Hempstead Town Board in 1991 and re-elected in 1995. If elected this year he says he would like to see North Hempstead concentrate on creating affordable housing. "We're not in the construction business," he says, "but we could use the endowment of $2 million that we received from the developers of Harbor Ridge to leverage funds to build housing for seniors and young families who cannot afford to rent or buy" adding, modestly, "I bring some expertise to that field. People may ask why we have not already done this, but we've been so busy keeping earlier commitments..." He agrees with Councilwoman Banks that an Environmental Legacy Bond is needed. "We have to be more specific about what we want to do with it. The whole town will pay for it and every neighborhood will ask 'what's in it for us.'"

There are capital projects that need doing throughout the town, Councilman D'Urso says, and Republican support will be needed in order to get them done.

Warren Brinker to Run for North Hempstead Town Council

Warren Brinker, deputy mayor of the Village of Mineola, has announced that he is running for a North Hempstead Town Council seat in the upcoming Nov. 2 election.

Brinker and his wife Rene, who have been residents of Mineola since 1987, was first elected as a Mineola trustee in 1994 and then re-elected in 1996 and 1998 and with each election he was voted into office with increasing percentages of the total vote.

A former banker, Brinker is a securities industry executive with a degree from Hofstra University in banking, finance and investments.

Brinker said, "I know there is a better way to run a government because I have had the opportunity to serve in a very successful Mineola Village government for the past five years. Consider these North Hempstead Town facts: General Fund Taxes are up 44 percent; highway taxes are up 28 percent; part-town taxes are up 66 percent. This makes North Hempstead the number one debtor town on all of Long Island. Town debt is up $119 million in the last five years and now totals $320 million which is triple what it was just 10 years ago. Therefore, it now takes 43 cents of every tax dollar just to pay the Debt Service of the town."

Brinker went on to say that quality of life services in the town like the fall leaf removal program have been eliminated plus there are fewer STOP programs and fewer sidewalks and roads are repaired.

He added: "Further, taxpayers are paying twice for the use of the town's new golf and recreation facilities. Once in higher taxes and a second time in user fees. The North Hempstead Town Municipal Golf Course is now the most expensive golf course to play on in all of Long Island."

He pointed out that if elected he will fight for the same open government that he enacted in the Village of Mineola. He said, "The public is purposely left out of the loop on major issues that affect their communities and their property values. When given the opportunity to truly participate in government I believe the people will participate. When government cares what the people it serves thinks and asks them I am sure most will be happy to give their opinion and we are all better served in the process."

Brinker concluded: "I believe it will take new leadership in The Town of North Hempstead to correct and improve what's going on in town hall today. It's time for a change."