Letter: Closing Precincts Will Jeopardize Community

On Monday March 5, I cast a vote against County Executive Ed Mangano’s plan to close half of the police precincts in Nassau County. Public safety is an essential government function and my fear is that this plan, which was approved by a 10-9 party line vote, will jeopardize the safety of our community.

Over the last month we have heard constantly changing and very sketchy details of this plan regarding cost savings, staffing levels and the impact it will have on the police’s ability to effectively patrol our neighborhoods. Sadly, these details were still changing while the legislature was considering the vote and on that fact alone I could not in good conscience support this proposal without the opportunity to review a finalized and completed plan.

Letter: Re: Senator’s Bill to Prohibit Fracking Waste Water Treatment On Long Island

While we certainly welcome any steps that would protect New Yorkers from the dangers of fracking, and steps to ban its waste will do that, we need our leaders to take more decisive action. Senator Martins has expressed concerns extending beyond this one issue of waste water treatment, and so have the 1,700 constituents who have signed a petition to him calling for a ban on fracking. Our senator needs to act on these concerns by supporting legislation to ban fracking in New York.

Sam Bernhardt
Long Island Organizer
Food and Water Watch
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Letter: Collective Community Action to Combat Aircraft Noise Abatement

Many residents of the Village of Plandome Heights and our sister villages have tenaciously pursued aircraft noise abatement for several years.  I concur with TONH Director of the Office of Intermunicipal Coordination, Ellen Birnbaum, who urges collective community action to retain our quality of life.  Now is the time to band together so our voices can be heard above the continual drone of aircraft rattling the teacups in our cupboards!  I urge residents to post their grievances about this at http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=FAA-2011-1082-0001

There is nothing stronger than community activism so if this means something to you, then do something about it.

Diana Merenda, Mayor
Village of Plandome Heights

Bill Introduced to Protect Drinking Water from Hydro-Fracking Waste

Senator Jack M. Martins has introduced a bill that prohibits the storing and processing of hydraulic-fracturing waste water in areas of New York State where drinking water is derived primarily from a sole source aquifer, including Nassau and Suffolk counties.     

The process of hydraulic-fracturing involves injecting water along with chemicals into shale rock formation at high pressure to release natural gas. Senator Martins’ bill (S.6583) will ban the treatment, storage or processing of that drilling fluid as well as any waste resulting from the exploration, development, extraction or production of crude oil or natural gas, in areas that rely primarily on a single water source.  

Letter: Re: Tax Deduction for College Tuition

It’s amazing that Congressman Gary Ackerman wants to “Reinstate Tax Deduction for College Tuition.” In the mind of politicians, who could possibly be against the redistribution of wealth from one group of citizens to another?

For Mr. Ackerman, giving money away has been a clear winner. He gets constantly re-elected, and when he retires he will receive a big pension from all the people.

Letter: Town of North Hempstead Redistricting Committee

(Editor’s note: this letter was sent to the Town of North Hempstead Board and to Anton Community Newspapers for publication.)

The League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset, the only League in the Town of North Hempstead, takes issue with the vote taken by the North Hempstead Town Board on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 that created a redistricting committee made up only of appointees of the town’s nine-member council. The League has long-believed that redistricting should be decided by an independent commission that draws fair lines and is devoid of partisan gerrymandering.

Letter: For Fair and Inclusive Redistricting

At the February 27, 2012 Nassau County Legislative meeting, the League of Women Voters and other good government groups will ask the Legislature to follow its own Nassau County Charter, Section 113 and appoint a Temporary Advisory Commission to execute fair and inclusive redistricting. The League has long believed that an independent, non-partisan commission should be convened. This commission must be transparent, geographically diverse and representative of the various populations of Nassau County.

We request that this commission:

• Hold public hearings prior to committee meetings and subsequent to same. These meetings will enable the commission to receive input from the public before the development of the plan as well as a public response to all proposals before presentation to the legislature.

Letter: Saving Africa

If there ever was a God forsaken place it has to be sub-Saharan Africa. The plight of most Africans is so dire that one has to wonder where to begin were one inclined to help. Disease is rampant. Malaria, ebola virus, Aids/HIV, yellow fever, dengue fever, typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, intestinal worm infection, dysentery, the list is endless. Many of these also occur in other parts of the world also but for the most part are under control. Mostly not so in Africa.

It is estimated that one billion Africans do not have enough clean water and as a result 2,500 children die each day. Add to all this the fact that parts of Africa are prone to severe recurring droughts and one has the makings of a disaster.

Letter: Open Letter to County Executive on Proposed Community Policing Plan

(This letter was sent to County Executive Edward Mangano and to this paper for publication.)

This letter is being submitted to you on behalf of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations (Greater Council), comprising the leadership of civic organizations in the Manhasset area, including the participation from the incorporated villages and other prominent community organizations, as reflected below.

Our members have reviewed information currently available to the public and attended the hearings and/or briefings offered to explain the proposed Community Policing Plan (the “Plan”) to reorganize the Nassau County Police Department (“NCPD”). For the majority of specific detail questions at said briefings, the County Executive’s office response has too frequently been that details are still being formulated and are fluid as days pass. The resounding concern is that the Plan moves police supervision and leadership farther from the residents they serve in precincts planned for conversion to Community Policing Centers, utilizing NCPD personnel on restricted duties staffed at two per Center, 24/7.

Letter: County Police Precinct Changes

I am writing this as an individual taxpayer. I realize that there is an organized local group opposing this proposal. However, I believe that Mr. Mangano’s proposal to consolidate the Nassau police precincts is a good one. The operation of the 911 Call Center and the number of police patrols will not be affected. Administrative positions have been downsized successfully in most businesses. Governments must downsize as well. This seems like a good place to start. If additional personnel are found necessary in the future, those posts probably can be handled by lower paid nonuniformed workers. At least we should give the Mangano proposal a chance! The cost of property taxes continues to drive too many people away from Long Island.