Community Outcry Moves Task Force to Reinstate Alfano's Assembly District

Letters, voices, coupons and outrage that were heard from Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead were heard loud and clear in Albany as Assemblyman Tom Alfano announced today that the Legislative Task Force on Reapportionment released a new plan that would reinstate his assembly seat. "The district is back, the people spoke and the people won," said Alfano in a celebratory mood when he heard the Task Force's announcement. The one change for Alfano will be that his district will have a new number assigned to it. The current 22nd district will become the new 21st assembly district.

The Task Force made their findings and announced the new district maps for the whole state. When Alfano heard the news, he began to immediately call grassroots supports who helped mobilize his constituents to protect the original Task Force Plan. "This was true community outrage at what the Task Force tried to do and the people knew it and defeated it," said Alfano adding, "this was true democracy at work."

The redistricting process shattered the 22nd district and split communities in Elmont and Franklin Square and totally removed West Hempstead in a move announced by the Task Force some four weeks ago. In turn, community leaders mobilized one of the biggest grass roots movements in local history to keep Alfano assemblyman in the west-end and bring back his district. Letters, e-mails and petitions were circulated throughout the district in a move unprecedented in supporting a local elected official. Elmont residents were particularly outraged over the action and voiced vehement opposition to the plan. "This was an effort by all people regardless of party and background and it obviously got the attention of the bureaucrats," said Alfano.

It did indeed. Just a few days ago, before Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead residents traveled to Suffolk County and testified in front of the Redistricting Task Force and blasted its work as "dangerous and gratuitous to the communities it divided." Elmont School Board member Aubrey Phillips' testimony quieted the room when he graphically outlined the divisions the Task Force were creating by drawing the lines in the manner they proposed.

Residents wrote hundreds of letters, sent well over 2,000 e-mails to the Task Force and coupon cutouts from newspapers to the Task Force. One after another, community residents blasted the Task Force for splitting communities in half and disenfranchising communities from Alfano. Local observers noted that this was by far the largest public outcry on an issue in local memory.

Community leaders like Dr. Maria Palandra of the Elmont School District, Scott Jablow of the Cathedral Gardens Civic Association, Seth Bykofsky of the West Hempstead Civic Association, Pat Boyle of Gateway Youth Outreach, Mabel Johnston of Elmont, Cheryl Lee, president of the Parkhurst Civic Association, Ken Williams, Aubrey Phillips and Joy Madera of the Elmont School Board, Commander Tom Bennet of the Elmont VFW, Joe Cavaliere of the Carey Dad's Club, Fire Commissioners Doris Griffin and Dennis Lyons of the Franklin Square Munson Fire Department, Elmont Commissioner Ralph Esposito rallied community support for Alfano along with hundreds of others in the effort.

"I truly never saw anything like the outpouring of community support I witnessed in this campaign and I only say thank you to everyone for their efforts and confidence," Alfano said.

Reaction over the original plan from Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead was that of pure outrage. Leaders from the Jamaican, Haitian and Latino community members in Elmont expressed disgust over the Task Force's actions. PTA groups signed letters and circulated petitions. The West Hempstead Civic Association had an e-mail writing campaign that logged hundreds of e-mails in opposition to the Task Force's actions. In Franklin Square and Elmont, thousands of residents cut coupons out of local papers and signed a statement rejecting the Task Force's action. In all, well over 2,000 pieces of testimony were transmitted to the Task Force. "The other day we stacked up the letters and coupons and it was six inches high," Alfano quipped.

Local students also got in on the action. Children wrote letters to the Task Force asking them why they and taken Alfano away from their community. "As I read all the letters I learned that you can have a real impact on people's lives," Alfano said adding, "I can only say that I'll continue to work hard for our community and be everyone's representative."

Alfano's district will indeed stay the same in the final maps released by the Task Force. Alfano will represent Elmont, Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Garden City South, Floral Park, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village, South Floral Park, North Valley Steam, Stewart Manor, Malverne and a new portion of Garden City.