The state budget, Empire Zones and Medicaid were among the topics discussed last Thursday at a sparsely attended town meeting held by Assemblyman David Sidikman at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library. About 15 people attended the meeting, which focused around the increasingly late New York State budget.

Sidikman stressed that an on-time budget is "not necessarily a good thing." The $100 billion budget Governor George Pataki proposed in January, which included cuts to school aid and the Tuition Assistance Program, was just "not enough money," according to Sidikman.

Another reason for the delay is a lawsuit brought against the state by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE). The suit, which the CFE won, claimed the state was not giving New York City enough money to provide its students with proper education. Now the State Assembly is trying to work the CFE settlement into the state budget, which would ensure better education for not only New York City students, but for all New York students, according to Sidikman.

"For the first time [last year], the assembly and the senate agreed on a budget without the governor," Sidikman said. "This year we're going to have to negotiate - if [Governor Pataki] will negotiate."

Sidikman also touched on the local effect of the Long Island Power Authority's new plan to run a power cable from New Jersey and set up windmills off Fire Island.

"The Spagnoli Road power plant is dead," Sidikman said. "It will not be built." He called the end of the Spagnoli power plant plan "good news." Instead, to meet Long Island's increasing power demands, Sidikman said a power plant will be built in Bellport in Suffolk County.

Another topic discussed during the hour-long meeting were Empire Zones, which are designated low-income, low-production areas throughout New York State in which tax breaks are offered to incoming businesses and economic development.

"Theoretically, it provides employment," Sidikman said. "It's a boost to the community and the area because you have businesses coming in."

There are 71 current Empire Zones but none in Nassau County, a trend Sidikman would like to see change as the Assembly works on creating new Empire Zones and improving the system in the upcoming months. Nassau has never had an Empire Zone because previous administrations never applied for one.

Sidikman also took time to explain the situation surrounding Medicaid, which unlike Medicare is driven by income. Under the Medicaid plan, the federal government pays 50 percent, the state pays 25 percent and local government pays 25 percent. But with the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, many say Nassau County has become overburdened with Medicaid.

According to Sidikman, there is a bill going through the Assembly that would put a cap on local government contributions to Medicaid and defer all increasing costs to the state.

"We have services that we demand, but it has to be paid for," Sidikman said. "So what we have to do as policymakers is to decide what our priorities are. My priorities are kids, seniors... and the disabled."

With several other events, including an important PTA function on the same night as the town meeting, Sidikman thanked those who did turn out, saying that issues like these are much bigger than just Plainview and need to be known among residents.