Surrounded by members of her administration and her political supporters, North Hempstead Supervisor May Newburger announced on May 23 that she will be a candidate for a fifth term as supervisor. As she often does, Mrs. Newburger praised members of her administration and her own ability to attract talented people to work for her.

In a prepared statement she said that her administration has brought "North Hempstead to the best shape it's been in for years--financially, environmentally and from a management perspective.

"We turned an inherited $7 million cumulative deficit into a cumulative $5.5 million surplus. We have a debt management plan in place (the first Long Island town to have one) that will reduce town debt by approximately $80 million in 10 years."

She pointed to the fact that Moody's had given the Town its second bond rating increase in two years, despite the fact that it will have to pay a $47 million judgment in a case relating to a garbage deal that was made by a previous administration.

Other points of pride were capping the town's landfills and creating the Harbor Links golf course in the former Morewood property on Hempstead Harbor in Port Washington.

Mrs. Newburger criticized Angelo Ferrara, the Republican town councilman who will be her opponent in November. "My opponent talks a lot about Town debt," she said. "What has he done to address it? He voted against every one of the budgets, which were so instrumental in turning around the Town's fiscal condition. He opposed both the Environmental Legacy Fund (which 72 percent of the voters supported) and the Debt Management plan that will reduce our debt. He's been here for almost four years. What positive things has he contributed?"

She concluded remarks saying that although she was proud of her administration's record, she did not think her job is finished. She said that she will continue to seek public-private partnerships and hopes to see a start on housing for young people in North Hempstead.