Please Send All Submissions to the Paper Through Email

Port Washington News asks everyone who submits items to the paper – letters to the editors, announcements, press releases, etc. – to do so through email from now on. The email address is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Calendar items and obituaries should be emailed to Jill Hellmer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Letter: Unfair Parking Enforcement Practices

Parking enforcement practices by the Town of North Hempstead unreasonably penalize Port Washington drivers and Port Washington businesses.

On Jan. 19, I had a business lunch at Yamaguchi on Main Street. I went to parking district area 2 just behind Yamaguchi. I pulled into an open space at Meter #32 just before 1 p.m. The meter was broken and was using a flashing message that stated it was inoperable.

As I had a 1 p.m. appointment with my accountant driving up to Port Washington from Lake Success, I made the decision to remain at the broken meter, and therefore not search for another parking space and arrive late for my meeting. I prepared a note that I left on my windshield. The note said: “Meter is not working.” After all, Port Washington is famous for its lack of parking in the downtown area and I didn’t want to take 15 or more minutes looking for a place to park.

Letter: Residents Need Full Disclosure on Proposed Housing at Petrus Park Site

From what I have just heard, the Town of North Hempstead Housing Authority has suddenly changed its plans for use of a one and a half acre space affectionately called Alvan Petrus Park, which has been used for recreational purposes and, someone has decided to build a huge four-story housing unit on the site.

The Housing Authority has clouded this project by identifying its location to be situated on the southwest corner of Harbor Board Port Washington Boulevard. It has been discovered that is not the actual location. Questions that have been asked about this sudden rush to construct have not been answered. The only information that has been made available is a one-page sales handout and residents of Port Washington have not even seen that document.

Letter: Proposed Housing Development at Alvan Petrus Park Site

Approximately a week ago, Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington (Residents) was informed that significant changes were being made in the North Hempstead’s Housing Authority’s development proposal for the one and a half acre open space parcel adjacent to Harbor Homes at the intersection of Harbor Road and Port Washington Boulevard.

The earlier development proposal was for a low-income facility to house residents of a similar facility in Great Neck that was slated for closure. The Housing Authority eliminated this proposal and instead has decided to renovate the Great Neck facility and have the current residents remain there.

The current development proposal calls for the construction of a 55 and older subsidized housing facility with 48 one-bedroom units for moderate income “seniors.” This new facility would be erected on the 1.5 acre open space site containing the Alvan Petrus Park.

Town Topics

Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year. This is a time that should be spent with friends and loved ones.

I am looking forward to the many important tasks that lay ahead, in particular my effort to preserve and protect our environment.

We have made it our mission to encourage residents to continue to reduce, reuse and recycle products they normally would toss out as garbage. We urge residents to take advantage of our recycling program with our efforts to recycle used Christmas trees and unwanted electronics. Our Tree Cycling program continues to operate as we work to turn old trees into mulch for use in gardening and landscaping.

New York Press Association Offers Paid Summer Internship Program

The New York Press Association is sponsoring its annual paid summer internship program for up to 13 students again this year. An application has been sent to the high schools and colleges within New York State. Any interested and qualifying students are requested to fill out the application and submit it directly to the newspaper(s) of their choice. Once the newspapers have received any applications, they will decide among those collected which one is the best fit for them, then submit it for consideration to NYPA’s headquarters by mail or fax.

Letter: Property Taxes

According to the “Tax Foundation” and Wall Street Journal research, as reported in their December 24 issue, the average property tax on owner-occupied single family homes in New York State is 1.23 percent of the home’s market value. Our residential property has an appraised market value of $862,800 according to the Nassau County Board of Assessment. If I paid the “average” rate, my 2010 property tax would have been $10,612. My actual tax paid in 2010 was $15,328. In my opinion, there are three possible explanations for this higher than average property tax.

A Statement from Senator Craig Johnson

“I congratulate Senator elect-Martins on his victory and wish him the best as the next representative of the 7th State Senate District.

“I am truly thankful to those who supported me throughout my 10 years of public service in Nassau County and Albany, during this hard fought campaign, and during this lengthy —but vitally important — recount process.

“We fought to make sure every vote counted and to ensure all votes in all future elections across this state are counted. This was an especially important task with new voting technology that has shown to be prone to deficiencies and inaccuracies.

Letter: Tradesmen Living in Port

I was recently talking to a neighbor of mine who is in the trades, has lived in Port Washington all his life, but now at age 55 has opted to move to Rhode Island to a home where he will be able to live affordably. He remarked to me that a tradesman cannot afford to survive here any more – his property taxes are up five fold from when he moved into his present home and the other high costs of living here are driving him away.

Kind of a sad commentary on the present state of affairs I would say –this has been a community of great ethnic and economic diversity, but unless the electorate send a message to school boards and legislatures for reform, we will become a town increasingly only for the extremely well to do.

Robert Brooks

Letter: Port Night Out Committee Thanks Community

On the nights of Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, something magical happened in Port Washington. All along Main Street, from the “Boulevard to the Bay,” brightly lit stores were open late, offering free and discounted food and drinks, entertainment, and a warm welcome to shoppers and strollers. Port Night Out demonstrated once again what a very special place Port Washington is to live, work and visit.

Although the weather was stormy earlier on Dec. 1 and very cold on Dec. 15, the wonderful people of Port Washington and neighboring communities came out in droves to see what our community shops have to offer, and we want to thank them all for their support. Many discovered stores they had never noticed before and became acquainted or reacquainted with our friendly and accommodating business owners. A free trolley took people from one end of Main Street to the other, making stops in each of the Main Street “Hubs.” Of course, Santa was there, along with carolers and numerous other performers who entertained the shoppers all evening. We even had a “Rockette” group of dancers in Santa outfits conclude the festivities in front of the train station.