ELMONT, NY – Democratic candidate for Nassau County Legislature, Carrie Solages held a fundraising event at his home in Elmont yesterday. The intimate setting was perfect for thoughtful exploration of the issues facing the 3rd LD and Nassau County in general. The gathering was remarkably well attended by enthusiastic well wishers and party supporters.
Numerous 3rd LD residents including Elmont School District employees, present and past Elmont School Board members, residents from the Parkhurst , Tudor Manor, Jamaica Square, East End, and Alden Manor areas of Elmont were present.
Small business owner, Ali Mirza, said “this is an impressive gathering of local residents”, he continued, “Democrats have a real chance of unseating Ciotti this year”. Mirza had run very strong but unsuccessful campaigns against Ciotti in two consecutive election seasons for the 3rd LD seat.
Elected and appointed officials were also in attendance. Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, County Legislators Wayne Wink and Robert Troiano, Scottie Codes, and Mayor of the Village of Hempstead, Wayne Hall were also present.
After dinner, opening remarks were made by Councilwoman Goosby. Her remarks were sobering – “Democrats outnumber republicans in Nassau County”she said, “everyone here must encourage Democrats of like mind to bring a neighbor to the polls on November 8”. If Democrats vote in the numbers they represent, the 3rd LD will have its first democratic representative this year. “The next time we come together here it will be to congratulate the residents of the 3rd LD for standing up and defeating the well oiled republican machine”.
Her remarks were echoed by Marlene Natale, the teacher who introduced Solages to Councilwoman Goosby.
Mayor Hall said, “When I ran for Mayor I was running against an incumbent who, like John Ciotti, was in office for more than 15 years. I was ONLY listed on the Working Families Party Line, and I won. David can defeat Goliath if Democrats of like mind vote On November 8"!
Legislator Wink‘s remarks focused attention on Nassau County’s republican departures from consensus governance. He noted that on key legislative items republicans unilaterally make decisions that hurt the middle class and the poor in Nassau County. Examples like the failed Nassau Coliseum referendum, the selling off of the Long Island Bus without public hearings and the costly redistricting adventure that still looms like a dark shadow over the 3rd LD, an adventure that was unanimously struck down by the highest Court in the State, NY State Court of Appeals.
Carrie Solages remarks were at once pointed, deliberate, and forward looking. He thanked residents for coming out and then launched into a 4 point argument for change in the 3rd LD.
- Redistricting - Ciotti sat silently as Nassau residents were insulted by Legislators Schmitt and Becker. He then voted four (4) times in less than 3 months to dilute the Elmont vote! Every opportunity he had to prevent the dilution of the Elmont vote, he casted a vote with his party - If he is re-elected to office he WILL vote again to split Elmont’s voting strength.
- Long Island Bus – “Where is Ciotti’s voice on Long Island Bus? Silent again! He is a rubber stamp for Mangano and Schmitt. … Ciotti may be a nice guy, I have no personal fight with him”, but we need a legislator to push back the anti-middle class, anti-poor Republican - Tea Party public policy. “Selling public assets like Long Island Bus is not good policy for the middle class and poor Nassau county residents”, said Solages.
- Fiscal Mismanagement – Weather it’s the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on lawyers defending a temporarily failed redistricting plan or the purchase and use of software illegally; the approximately $2 million dollars on a failed referendum; the fuzzy math about selling Long Island Bus or the very fact that the County is being run by the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA), it all points to fiscal mismanagement.
- Jobs - The national republican strategy is “hold the middle class and poor hostage until after the next presidential election”. The county is laying off hundreds of employees, consolidating essential services like the Police and selling the Buses. It is resident in communities like Elmont that are hurt first and hurt the most. “Tomorrow, [Saturday, Sep. 17] Senator Martins hosts a Jobs Resource Workshop at the Elmont Public Library. It will be packed” said Solages and “I salute the senator for hosting the event”.
But local republican jobs rhetoric in the 3rd LD appears light on substance and heavy on politics. We need legislators who will stand up against the Republican – Tea Party economics.
There was an unofficial subtext to the event. The name Nicholas Famiglietti surfaced. It appears that many who supported Elsy Guibert in 2004 remember him. In 2004 Elsy Guibert, first Haitian-American to run for School Board in Elmont, lost her election bid by one vote. An investigation into voting irregularities during the election uncovered among other things that a republican committeeman, closely tied to the 2011 Ciotti re-election campaign, Nicholas Famiglietti drove west from his home in Bellmore, with his wife in tow, to Elmont. The Famigliettis voted illegally in the 2004 School and budget vote.
Sadly, that is one of the realities of Republican Party politics in Elmont. “When they are not drawing lines to dilute minority votes, they are nullifying Elmont’s will with operatives casting illegal votes. My enthusiasm to participate in local elections in Elmont has not been the same since” said one of the attendees “After Elsy lost by one illegal republican vote in 2004, I admit, I was so demoralized, I caved. I could not muster the strength to vote again in a local election” the voter, now registered independent, concluded the conversation saying “This year I will vote again and I will vote Democrat”.
The Republicans, until now, have not been exposed for their own illegal voting activities by Elmont Online like Democrat Craig Johnson. You may recall he had serious issues with his petitions which were fully documented here.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
After the disastrous move by the County Executive and the Republican Majority to close half of the police precincts in Nassau County, the Democratic caucus was successful in pushing Ed Mangano's back against the wall so that he gave us a signed guarantee that there would not be one less patrol car in any neighborhood. The agreement additionally stated that there would be more law enforcement personnel in all of the policing centers.
Comments
He has promised to be specific, thorough, accessible and accountable. He has said he will make a public record of his promises and his efforts and will keep the public timely informed. The foundation of his platform is dedication to honest public service, without control by any special interest.
What a breath of fresh air!
These are times of economic hardship, self-serving politicians who are bought and paid for, an almost total lack of real growth planning for Nassau County, deteriorating infrastructure and a virtual paralysis of public function. Nassau County has the potential of being one of the great counties of the United States. That will not happen unless we break the grip of mindless patronage, lazy politicians and "special" interests.
Solages promises reform. Give him the opportunity to show what he can do. Get on board his campaign as something that is important in the lives of all of us. Then, hold him and the other elected officials accountable during their tenure and when they seek to run again.
Vote. Get your family, neighbors and friends to vote. Volunteer to help get out the vote. This November election is critical to our future.
Now, instead of throwing up your hands saying “Elmont needs to wake up!”, offer a solution. Maybe Elmont should wakeup and offer lambs as sacrifice? Forget about the recent past and move on? Be disgusted and withdraw? Put out lawn signs for the very people that we KNOW corrupted the process? Wake up and do what? I say let’s talk solutions, let’s use this medium to talk about what is required to remove the fraud that is endemic. Party notwithstanding ! Personally, I like term limits as a solution, but most of all – Elmont must wake up and VOTE!
"republican committeeman, closely tied to the 2011 Ciotti re-election campaign... The Famigliettis voted illegally in the 2004 School and budget vote"
I'm tired of the corruption in Elmont. Crime is increasing, Property values are dropping and our kids are being left behind. Elmont needs to wake up!
RSS feed for comments to this post