Because of the removal of an assembly district due to the results of the 2000 Census, it appears as though there will be a reshuffling of the New York State Assembly Districts. As a result, Tom Alfano, the popular assemblyman who has served the 22nd Assembly District for the past seven years, may be leaving the areas of Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Floral Park and part of Elmont.

The plan is in its first stage but it is likely that Alfano's district, which is now comprised of Floral Park, Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Elmont and North Valley Stream, Elmont and Malverne, will soon be comprised of North Valley Stream, the Village of Valley Stream, East Rockaway, South Lynbrook, South Rockville Centre, part of Baldwin, part of Freeport and Elmont South.

The areas of Elmont North, Franklin Square, West Hempstead and Floral Park will fall under the jurisdiction of Assemblyman Bob Barra, a former member of the Town of Hempstead Board and former trustee for the Village of Lynbrook.

Although the plan to realign the districts is only in its first stage, Assemblyman Alfano's chief of staff Scott Cushing believes the change is likely to occur.

Cushing said Alfano regrets that he will be leaving the areas he was so proud to serve. Alfano's district office is even located on Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square. "We feel very badly that we've lost communities that he has taken a personal stake in, especially in Franklin Square, West Hempstead and Elmont North. In West Hempstead, we were able to do some extraordinary things like the new library at the high school and in Franklin Square, we have worked very closely with the Franklin Square/Munson Fire Department," said Cushing.

Alfano also showed concern for the school in his district and was known as a friend to the Elmont Schools among others. "His main focus has always been education and from that standpoint, he feels very badly that a lot of things that he's planned on doing, he's unfortunately not going to be able to follow through on in terms of dealing with some of the school districts' needs," Cushing said.

Many community members were upset upon hearing the news that Assemblyman Alfano will be leaving their areas. "There are very few people that pass through your life who have so much to give to the community of Franklin Square. We just feel that Tom Alfano has represented not only the people in the community, but he's come to relate to the different demographic changes we have had. I don't think we will have another Tom Alfano," said Franklin Square/Munson Fire Commissioner Doris Griffin, a 50-year resident of Franklin Square.

In West Hempstead, civic leaders were also upset about their community no longer being represented by Alfano. "It's like losing your best friend. Tom Alfano has been phenomenal for West Hempstead," said Cathedral Gardens Civic Association member Scott Jablow.

"Tom Alfano has been a great friend of our community," said West Hempstead Civic Association President, Seth Bykofsky. "From securing untold millions for our schools, to riding roughshod over public agencies, Tom has always been there for West Hempstead and the people of the 22nd, a true guardian of the public good."

In Elmont, Alfano will still represent a portion of the community and three of the schools - the Gotham Avenue School, Dutch Broadway School and Alden Terrace School - that fall within that portion.

While Alfano will still be representing the Gotham Avenue School, assistant principal Dennis Cowan said he will miss Alfano's leadership in his home community of Franklin Square. "In all the years I've been a voting citizen, I've never come across an elected official who is more dedicated to his constituency than Tom Alfano," Cowan said.

Elmont Interschool Council of PTAs President JoAnn Manetta expressed her disappointment at not only Alfano's departure from Elmont North, but also the splitting up of Elmont into two different assembly districts. "To split up Elmont is not good. You shouldn't be dividing the districts up in that way. We really should be one community. You're really splitting up the whole of Elmont," she said.

Barra, who was elected to serve the 21st Assembly District in 2000, was active in the Lynbrook community and said he is somewhat familiar with his new areas from being a Hempstead Town Councilman and also being a good friend of Alfano's. Barra said the two officials would carpool up to Albany and discuss many of the issues in their respective districts.

"I just want to serve. I know this is a long, tough process, but my goal is just to serve," Barra said about the change in district lines. "I'm going to work hard and we'll get to know each other. I'll do whatever I have to do. It's going to be hard work, but I look forward to it."

Cushing said that during the process for reshuffling the district, there would be public hearings during testimony on how the mechanics of the new district lines will work. A new set of lines will come out and will be voted on by the state legislature. Cushing said the vote is expected to take place in another month to six weeks.