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No tax increase in proposed town budget debt reduction initiatives put in place by the Town Board,” he said. “The proposed budget for The Town of Oyster Bay 2022 will continue to pay down voted to move forward with its record amounts of town debt proposed 20220 while enhancing budget at Tuesthe delivery of our day’s board meetquality town sering. The spending vices.” plan will be the When Saladino, focus of a public a Re p u bl i c a n , hearing later this became supervisor month. Town in 2017, the town’s Supervisor Joseph debt had reached Saladino’s $311.6 $763 million. Since million proposal — then it has been the same total as reduced by $165 the current budget million — more — would increase than 20 percent — s p e n d i n g wh i l e without raising keeping the tax taxes, the largest levy flat. debt-reduction iniThe plan would t i a t iv e i n t h e extend the $1.3 miltown’s history. lion property tax As a result of cut approved by the that effort, debt Town Board in service will be $8 2018, freezing prop- JOSEPH SALADINO million lower in erty taxes for the Supervisor, Town 2022 than in 2021, fo u r t h s t r a i g h t and $15 million of Oyster Bay year. In total, some lower than in 2017, $6.5 million will helping to alleviate stay in the pockets of taxpayers pressure on the operating budget rather than being turned over to and allowing for more spending. the government, Saladino said. In 2017, before the property “This tax freeze is once again tax cut was approved, residents possible [because of] the spending restraints, efficiencies and CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
BY ANNEMARIE DURKIN adurkin@liherald.com
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Christina Daly/Herald
Homecoming happiness The Royal Court, including from left, Dakota Matt, Gianna Murphy, Elisia Gallo and Jonah Gluck, rode in style atop a black Chevy Camaro convertible at Oyster Bay High School’s Homecoming last Saturday. More photos, Page 3.
G.C. eye doctor is set to retire, but will continue work overseas BY JILL NOSSA jnossa@liherald.com
After three and a half decades of helping to improve people’s eyesight, Dr. Robert Appel has decided to slow down. And while his hundreds of patients across the North Shore are sorry to see his ophthalmology practice close, patients abroad, as well as medical students, will continue to benefit from his skills. Appel, 72, of Glen Head, will retire from his practice on Forest
Avenue, in Glen Cove, next month, but will continue teaching cataract surgery to residents at Northwell Health in Syosset, serving on the boards of a variety of organizations and taking part in mission work overseas. “I trust him,” said Grace Blank of Bayville, a patient of Appel’s for over 25 years. “If I ever needed eye surgery, it would only be him. He’s calm, caring and knowledgeable. And I love that he travels around the world to help the underprivileged.”
As a student at Cornell Medical School in the 1970s, Appel was introduced to the challenges and rewards of working abroad. “When I finished my training [at Boston University], I decided I w a n t e d t o d o m o re wo rk abroad,” he said. “After residency, I did some short-term volunteer stints in Africa, got a job in a government hospital in Soweto, in South Africa, and worked there for a couple years.” Then he got a job in New CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
he proposed budget for 2022 will continue to pay down record amounts of town debt while enhancing the delivery of our quality town services.
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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For more information, visit LongLiveLongIsland.org
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That’s why at every Catholic Health hospital, practice, and care facility, you’re far more than just another patient. So, we’re able to provide the highest quality, most innovative care because we know how much your humanity means to all of us.
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WHAT’S UP NEXT DOOR AND AROUND THE CORNER
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
HERALD NEIGHBORS
Photos by Christina Daly/Herald
EACH CLASS DISPLAYED a decorated banner as they marched in the homecoming parade through Oyster Bay on Saturday.
OBHS celebrates homecoming
O
yster Bay High School celebrated homecoming on Oct. 2. School spirit was on display as the school community marched from the high school, down Main Street, to Memorial Field at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School during the annual homecoming parade. The classes of Oyster Bay High School each displayed a banner as they marched, while decorated floats followed behind. Theodore Roosevelt and James H. Vernon students also carried banners during the parade. The OBHS varsity football team took home a 34-0 vic-
tory against Friends Academy in the homecoming game. Halftime was loaded with celebrations; the varsity cheerleading team performed in front of the crowd and OBHS Principal Sharon Lasher announced the homecoming court. As part of a longtime tradition, the junior and senior classes of OBHS performed their lipsync routines on the field. Prior to the day’s festivities, OBHS held a spirit week that culminated on Friday with a pep rally. The excitement continued into Saturday, making for a memorable and well-celebrated homecoming.
THE OBHS BAYMEN geared up for the homecoming football game that followed the parade.
THE VARSITY CHEER team helped the crowd stay excited for the remainder of the game with their halftime performance.
THE STUDENTS OF OBHS celebrated the conclusion of a school-spirit filled homecoming week on Saturday.
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Retiring eye doctor to continue mission work
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
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Courtesy Robin Appel
DR. ROBERT APPEL with a patient on a mission to Haiti in 2015. Cataract patients have a relatively short recovery period, which also makes it easier to do overseas, and the operation makes a big difference in people’s lives. “Even for a short-term clinic you can make a big difference for them,” Appel said, “more so than what you generally do at home.” In the U.S., Appel said, most people get cataract surgery when they have minor vision issues, such as not being able to read easily, or having trouble with lights or glares while driving. “But abroad, it’s mostly a matter of not being able to see, practically being blind,” he said. “That not only affects that person, but it means that somebody else has to take care of them, which means a whole family might not have any income because they aren’t able to work. So the impact is much bigger when you do that work abroad.” Robert and his wife, Robin, moved to
Glen Head from Manhattan in 1995, when both their family and his practice were growing. During his years in Glen Cove, he has known some patients from their first pair of eyeglasses to their cataract surgery. For many on the North Shore, Appel has been the trusted family ophthalmologist for more than one generation. Kathy Goodman, of Matinecock, has been a patient for over 25 years. “He’s very thorough, and has a very calm demeanor,” she said of Appel. “And he’s not an egotist. He’s been following my
New infections, Sept. 27-Oct. 4
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COMMUNITY UPDATE
Total infections as of Oct. 4 3,494
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MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/oysterbay ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: llane@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 327 E-mail: oysterbayeditor@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Oyster Bay Herald USPS 416660, is published every Friday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Oyster Bay Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Subscriptions: $50 for 1 year within Nassau County, $60 for 1 year out of Nassau County or by qualified request in zip codes 11709, 11732, 11765, 11771. © 2021 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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York, and took over the practice in Glen Cove in 1986. “But I always had it in the back of my mind to be able to some work abroad,” he said. About 10 years ago, Appel finally revisited that idea, and took his talent to underdeveloped areas. “It’s an opportunity to practice medicine the way you were taught, without regard to any government oversight or having to worry about reimbursement,” he said. “You’re taking care of people who really need the care and don’t have access to it any other way.” Appel is on the board of directors of Izote, a nonprofit founded in Sea Cliff in 2010 that serves the people of El Salvador. He is also on the medical staff of Sights on Health, a nonprofit that operates in South Dakota, Ecuador and Peru. Risa Procton, president and executive director of Izote, said that its original mission was to create literacy programs in rural schools in El Salvador. “At the same time,” Procton said, “we wanted to do something for cataracts, which are a huge problem in the developing world. It’s very easy to solve, but there’s no access to care to a very simple surgery.” Procton recalled read a story in the local paper about Appel going to Africa to do surgeries, so she called him. “He signed up, and has been working with us ever since,” she said. Appel volunteers his time, working with a local eye surgeon in a public hospital. Izote raised the money to purchase the operating microscope needed for the surgery, with Appel’s consultation. “He has provided all the expertise, and led two surgical missions,” Procton said. “We couldn’t have done any of it without him.” This year, Izote organized a letter-writing fundraiser and raised $10,000, enough to buy a special laser that can correct the blurred vision that can sometimes occur after cataract surgery. Appel said he has gone on a total of 15 missions over the years with various groups, most recently in February 2020. “My main connection is to do cataract surgery with them,” he explained, “which is one of the few operations that you can actually show up and bring most of the equipment you would need to set up in a place where it might not be available.”
changes for years, and when he can’t deal with the problem, he refers me to someone who can.” John Grella, 55, of Glen Cove, has been seeing Appel “for decades,” Grella said, adding that Appel is the preferred family ophthalmologist: Grella’s mother, sisters, wife and son are also patients. “He’s been working on my eyes for a very long time,” Grella said, “and he really cares about the health of his patients.” Grella said that one of the ways Appel has earned his trust is by monitoring a condition, and not rushing in to surgery or the use of medication. And, Grella said, Appel knows when to refer patients to other specialists. “He’s not just an excellent surgeon,” Grella said, “but he knows where to send you.” He said he owes his sight to Appel, who caught a deteriorating condition in time. “I would possibly be blind without him,” Grella said. Rich Barrett, of Sea Cliff, has been a patient for 25 years. Appel did cataract surgery, and has been treating Barrett for glaucoma. “He’s a terrific doctor, and I really admire him,” he said. “He’s a true humanitarian.” Over the years, Barrett said, he and Appel have developed a friendship of sorts, sharing an interest in travel. “He’s treated me so well over the years, and fits me in whenever there’s a problem,” Barrett said. “I’m happy for him, but am disappointed to see him retire.” Amy O’Regan, of Glen Cove, has been seeing Appel for about 20 years. Due to the condition of her eyes, she said, she sees several doctors, and goes to Appel every four months. “He’s soft-spoken and has a calming manner, and I need that,” O’Regan said. “I have a number of problems with my eyes, and he’s very thorough, always explains things to me and never rushes. I also have great respect for his humanitarian efforts. He’s just a good guy, and I’m very sad to see him go.”
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OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
PLEASE JOIN US IN APPRECIATION OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE HELPED CLEAR, PLANT AND MAINTAIN OUR BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2021 FROM 4-6 pm
O.B. Scout earns Gold Award, helps environment BY ANNEMARIE DURKIN adurkin@liherald.com
An Oyster Bay Girl Scout is doing her part in fighting the climate crisis through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, limiting the amount of e-waste headed to the landfill. Gold Award candidate Joan Olivero, 17, is currently hosting a cord collection drive until Oct. 15 at Oyster Bay Town Hall North and South. The term “E-waste” is often used to describe used electronics that are nearing the end of their useful life, and are discarded, donated or given to a recycler. E-waste contains a laundry list of chemicals that are harmful to people and the environment, like mercury, lead, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, and cadmium: stuff that sounds as bad as it is. When electronics are mishandled during disposal, these chemicals end up in our soil, water, and air. “Proper disposal prevents contamination of our environment,” Councilwoman Vicki Walsh said. “E-waste has been linked to health issues in humans and animals, and affects the safety of food production, yet it’s the world’s fastest growing solid waste stream and is predicted to double by 2050.” While the town already allows residents to bring e-waste to the Solid Waste Disposal Complex in Old Bethpage, this project will make disposal even more convenient. Residents can take unwanted or unused cords, cables and wires to Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Ave., in Oyster Bay and Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Rd., in Massapequa through Oct. 15. “My goal was to collect 300 pounds of cords, which I far exceeded,” Olivero said. “I have about 600 pounds of cords waiting to be recycled in my garage right now and am still collecting more.” Global electronic waste generation reached a record high of 53.6 million metric tons in 2019, an increase of 21 percent in just five years according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which is
approximately 16 pounds of e-waste per capita. In the same year, only 17.4 percent of e-waste was recycled. When e-waste is disposed of at the landfill, it’s usually burned by incinerators, releasing hydrocarbons in the atmosphere and polluting the air that humans and animals both rely on. Many scientists think hydrocarbons released in this burning process can contribute to the greenhouse gas effect and global warming. While the overall damage done to the environment from un-recycled waste may be incalculable, one thing is clear; the way in which we produce, consume and dispose of e-waste is unsustainable. Olivero said she hopes the town will continue the drive as an annual event, giving residents a convenient outlet to dispose of their used electronics. “The environmental department at Oyster Bay helped with forming the program to increase accessibility to e-waste recycling in the town,” the Oyster Bay High School senior said. “One of the major aspects of the Gold Award project is to ensure the project is sustainable and can continue helping the community even after it’s done. I’m currently working towards making the collection drive an annual event for the town.” Just 5.4 percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award annually since 1916. In order to be eligible for a Gold Award, scouts must complete two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journeys, or complete one Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador journey and have earned the Silver Award. In addition, they need to plan and implement an individual project that provides a sustainable, lasting benefit to the larger community. “We are extremely proud of Joan and so happy she chose such an important and creative topic for her Gold Award,” Diane Olivero, Joan’s mother said. “Her recycling program helps keep cords from landfills, helping the environment while helping people declutter their electronics.”
COFFIN WOODS* PARKING LOT Food and Beverages will be served Dogs are welcome! Donations are appreciated
*Directions to Coffin Woods
From Locust Valley: Follow Oyster Bay Road and look for immediate right once you pass the train trestle Proceed past the Warden’s home on the left and through the open gates
From Oyster Bay: Follow Oyster Bay Road and look for immediate left before you pass through the train trestle Proceed past the Warden’s home on the left and through the open gates
Herald Inside LI Webinar fights fears with facts Keeping our loved ones healthy and out of harm’s way— especially the senior members of our communities — has always been a priority, but perhaps never more so than during the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout this unprecedented time we’ve faced new challenges, constant changes and a perpetual wave of questions. So the Herald Inside LI webinar “Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe” brought together a panel of local experts on Sept. 30 to help find answers. The webinar was produced by RichnerLIVE and sponsored by Glen Cove Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Emerge, Harbor House, Oyster Bay Manor and Glen Cove Hospital Northwell Health. Dr. John Colletta, Dr. Usman Khan, Madeleine Moritz, Melissa Schumacher and Erika Weber gathered virtually to share their insights and expertise on topics ranging from safety protocols in hospitals and emergency departments to special precautions for patients with dementia in skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers. “We understand that it causes a lot of anxiety for people to come” to the emergency department, Colletta, the Glen Cove Hospital Emergency Department chair. “What we have seen is people are holding off on their medical care. They’re just not going.” No one should put off a trip to the emergency room, or even a regular doctor’s visit
and physical therapy and rehabilitation, he said. “A lot of families have put off coming to the skilled nursing facility after a stay at the hospital for fear that the nursing home has exposure and their loved one now, who was in the hospital, may be better off going home,” added Moritz, administrator at the Glen Cove Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Schumacher, director of business development at the Oyster Bay Senior Campus, noted that such fears have also extended to the assisted living world. At the height of the pandemic, she said, “unless there was a true crisis, families were holding off because of the fear of contracting Covid . . . in congregant living, but also the inability to visit their loved ones.” As the panelists reviewed the protocols in place at each of their facilities—whether they be for handling unvaccinated patients or those who have Covid, ensuring safe visits from family members, cleaning processes for high-touch surfaces, adapting social experiences for those in assisted living—the clearest takeaway was the importance of communication — of knowing where to go for the most current information and finding the right experts to ask. A replay of the Herald Inside LI webinar “Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe” is available now. You can find it at http:// www.richnerlive.com/insideli/.
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Photos courtesy Diane Olivero
DISPOSING OF CORDS, cables, wires, and other electronic devices through regular garbage or recycle collection is extremely dangerous, as e-waste contaminates our environment.
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
COMMUNITY UPDATE Friday, Oct. 8
produced for a hotel in Nuremberg where Hitler frequently visited, and the addition of a swastika that highlighted the hotel’s endorsement of the Nazi Party. This event will be held on Zoom; to register go to www.hmtcli.org.
Movie at the Library Gold Coast Public Library Annex, 50 Railroad Ave., Glen Head, 2 to 4 p.m. Watch “Queen Bees” (2021) at the library. After reluctantly agreeing to move to a senior’s home, a woman encounters a clique of mean-spirited women and an amorous widower. With Ellen Burstyn and James Caan.
Thursday, Oct. 14 Movie Showing: “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Saturday, Oct. 9 Deep Roots Farmers Market 100 Garvies Point Road, Glen Cove, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The weekly farmers market offers a selection of locally grown vegetables and eggs, fresh baked bread, honey, seafood and more.
Free Outdoor Vaccine Clinic The Locust Valley Library is holding a free vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the outside patio of the library. CVS will be administering free flu, pneumonia and shingles shots, as well as the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine and its booster shot. Residents can receive a vaccine only with an appointment, and must show a valid health insurance card to receive a shot. To make an appointment, register online at locustvalleylibrary.org.
Sunday, Oct. 10 Oyster Bay Market On Sunday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. , you can shop for local, fresh products in the Town of Oyster Bay Municipal Parking lot on Audrey ave in Oyster Bay. Shop from dozens of local vendors for anything from fresh produce, to handmade jewelry and more. For more info, visit oysterbaymainstreet.org.
Pumpkin Decorating with Girl Scouts Oyster Bay Girl Scout Troop 211 will host a pumpkin decorating station at the Oyster Bay Market. Support a local farmer by purchasing a pumpkin to decorate, while supplies last, as the girls share creative ways to use and recycle pumpkins rather than discarding them.
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Collage Workshop: Symbolic Self Portrait
Courtesy Planting Fields
Begining at 2 p.m. at the Oyster Bay East Norwich Library community room, enjoy a movie at the library. Oskar is convinced that his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a message for him hidden in the city. He begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father’s closet. His journey through the five boroughs takes him beyond his loss to a greater understanding of the world around him. The library is offering show times at both 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For more information visit oysterbaylibrary.org.
Explore your inner self at Planting Fields, diving deep and looking inward to discover and express your visual language at a collage workshop led by Abby Youngs Weir, collage and creative artist. Begining at noon on Oct. 9, Youngs Weir will lead immersive art activities to discover your visual language and explore your creativity through an intrinsic lens. No artistic skill or art experience necessary, simply bring your open mind, willingness to look inward, curiosity, and expression of self through symbolic imagery. Admission is $40 ($32 for members). To register, go to plantingfields.org.
Monday, Oct. 11 Short Story Soiree Every Monday at 12:15 p.m., the Sea Cliff Library hosts a “Short Story Soiree,” in which participants meet online via Zoom to discuss a New Yorker short story.
Tuesday, Oct. 12 Haunted History: Age of the Witch Hunts The Bayville Public Library is hosting a talk that will focus on one of humanity’s oldest fears: witches. In this program, participants will discuss how witch-hunts started, why they took off in some areas and not in others and what it was like to be accused. These true historical stories will be presented by archaeologist Patty
Hamrick, in the library meeting room at 1:30 p.m. Registration for this event is online, at bayvillefreelibrary.org.
OB Mega Job Fair The Town of Oyster Bay will hold a free job fair begining at 10 a.m. at the town’s Ice Skating Center, located at 1001 Stewart Avenue in Bethpage. Employers from across Long Island will be seeking candidates for positions including entry and middle management level, licensed professional, hospitality and food service industries, banking, staffing and individuals with technical and IT experience. There is no charge for admission and parking is free. For more information, call (516) 797-4560 or email business@oysterbay-ny.gov.
Wednesday, Oct. 13 Gold Coast Warriors - Long Island’s Gold Coast Elite and the Great War Based on the newly published, “Long Island’s Gold Coast Elite and the Great War,” by Richard Welch, this program explores how the leading families of the North Shore, through a potent combination of ethnic background, social status, clear-eyed geopolitical calculation,and financial self-interest, mobilized to support the Allies at the outbreak of war in 1914.
Curator’s Corner: Tea Service from Hitler’s Hotel in Nuremberg Begining at noon, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center’s Programming Director, Thorin Tritter will talk about a silver creamer that was
HAVING AN EVENT? Items on the Community Update pages are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to jnossa@liherald.com
The Glen Cove Senior Center Rose Shoppe Boutique is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Oyster Bay Town Board will meet on Oct. 19, at 10 a.m. The Locust Valley Boaard of Education will meet on Oct. 19, in the middle school/high school auditorium. The North Shore Board of Education will meet next on Oct. 21. Sea Cliff United Methodist Church’s thrift store is now open on Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
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WHAT’S NEWS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
HERALD SCHOOLS Locust Valley H.S. breaks ground on new turf field
Courtesy Locust Valley Schools
LOCUST VALLEY BOARD of Education Trustee Lauren Themis, Board of Education President Brian T. Nolan, Superintendent of Schools Kenneth E. Graham, Ed.D. and Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, Danielle Turner, broke ground on the school’s new turf field and track.
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Construction has begun on Locust Valley High School’s Fred Smith Field for the installation of the new turf field and improved track. It’s not only the Falcons that will benefit from this state-of-the-art field, as community groups will have access to the field as well. During the annual budget vote on May 18, residents approved the withdrawal of $2.8 million dollars from a capital reserve fund that was previously funded and therefore not increasing taxes. The withdrawal covers the cost of installing the turf field and replacing the track which needed extensive upgrades to allow competitions to take place at the high school safely. Members of the community have been advocating for a turf field for many years, citing the advantages such fields offer to our student-athletes, including remaining competitive with other schools that already play on turf and preparing them for collegiate sports where turf fields are the norm. During construction, the field, including the track, will be closed to the public. It is anticipated that the project will be complete in the spring.
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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Nassau D.A. candidates trade accusations By James Bernstein and scott Brinton jbernstein@liherald.com, sbrinton@liherald.com
The race for Nassau district attorney has quickly become one of the most hotly contested in the county, with Democratic State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, of Long Beach, and Republican Anne Donnelly, of Garden City, trading blistering verbal barbs in a series of TV commercials. The spots, running on CNN and other cable networks, began three weeks ago, when Donnelly, a 3 0 - ye a r c a r e e r prosecutor in the Nassau district attorney’s office, aired one featuring a Syracuse woman, identified in the commercial as Jennifer P. The woman, Jennifer Payne, said her daughter’s killer was released without bail because of the state’s bailreform law, which Kaminsky voted for in the Senate. The State Legislature first passed the bailrefor m measure in 2019, restricting anne Donnelly, the the use of cash bail and pretrial detention in misdemeanor and nonviolent felony cases. It did, though, give judges discretion to assign bail in almost all violent felony cases and certain nonviolent cases, such as witness tampering, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. In Donnelly’s commercial, Payne holds a framed photograph of her daughter, Sarah Tombs, who was 22 at the time that she died. The man who allegedly shot her, Darien Shellman, then 24, a mall security guard who was a Navy veteran with no prior criminal record, was charged with second-degree (unintentional) manslaughter after, he claimed, his gun went
off when Tombs, his girlfriend at the time, grabbed the weapon and a bullet struck her in the head, killing her, according to Syracuse.com. Shellman had been held in jail on $75,000 cash bail or $150,000 bond following Tombs’s death in April 2019, but was released on Jan. 9, 2020, under the new bail-reform law, eight days after it took e f f e c t , a c c o r d i n g t o S y r a c u s e. com and CNYCentral.com. Under the original bail-reform law, unintentional manslaughter was among the alleged crimes for which defendants were automatically released. The Legislature amended the law in April 2020, a little more than three months after the measure took effect, to include a greater number of crimes fo r wh i ch b a i l could be assigned, including any alleged crimes in which someone had been killed, according to the Courtesy Anne Donnelly Brennan Center. Although bail Republican candidate. could have been reassigned in this case, it never was, and Shellman recently accepted a plea agreement for which he will serve no prison time, according to Syracuse.com. Kaminsky noted that the district attorney who offered the plea deal is a Republican. Kaminsky has repeatedly said he voted for the bail-reform bill, but was not a prime sponsor, and he did not write it, as Republicans, including Donnelly, have incorrectly claimed. He also emphasized that he voted for the amended law giving judges back the discretion to assign bail in crimes such as second-degree manslaughter. Kaminsky recently rolled out a commercial of his own, saying Donnelly had
Courtesy Todd Kaminsky
toDD KaminsKy, the Democratic candidate for Nassau County district attorney. “botched” a case involving a woman accused of plotting to kill her husband, saying Donnelly had lied to the judge in the case. At one point in the 2010 case against Susan Williams, a Garden City mother, a mistrial was declared after a taped phone conversation between Williams and her daughter was erroneously played for a jury. In the commercial, Kaminsky blamed Donnelly for the error, and said she had changed an agreement sent to the judge. Williams was ultimately found guilty in the case, but Kaminsky stressed that there “was a mistrial. That’s a serious thing.” Asked for a response, Donnelly wrote in an email, “It is no surprise that [Kaminsky] would lie about my unblemished record as a prosecutor. It is sad that Senator Kaminsky is embarrassing himself this way, and the voters always see through a politician’s lies.” So far in the campaign, Kaminsky has emphasized his law-enforcement background. In 2008, he joined the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, in Brooklyn, and worked for six years as an assistant U.S. attorney.
There he became acting deputy chief of the Public Integrity Section. He had been an assistant district attorney in the Queens County D.A.’s office, prosecuting domestic violence cases, robberies, shootings and other violent crimes. Donnelly resigned from the Nassau County district attorney’s office to run for the top job, as she was required to do, but she has emphasized her extensive law-enforcement background. She was most recently deputy chief of the office’s Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau. She was also liaison to the Nassau County Correctional Facility. She formerly oversaw public corruption trials as acting chief of the public corruption bureau, once served as the deputy chief of the economic crimes bureau and was a senior trial assistant in the rackets bureau, as well as a felony-screening supervisor. In the most recent financial filing, Kaminsky said he had raised $1.7 million for his campaign. A spokesman for Donnelly said she had raised more than $386,000. Both Kaminsky and Donnelly said they planned to run more TV commercials in the coming weeks.
Publication: Nassau is America’s safest county Nassau County has been named the “Safest Community in America” by U.S. News & World Report for the second straight year. The publication’s ranking is based on crime, public safety capacity and injuries. Individual metrics on which counties were assessed included violent crime rate, property crime rate, vehicle crash fatality rate, the share of public safety professionals within a population, and per capita spending on health and emergency services. Crime in Nassau has continued to decline to historic lows in recent years, down 10.5 percent over the past year and 36 percent over the past decade. Over the last 12 months, homicides have dropped 22.2 percent; bur-
W
hile crime has spiked in other parts of the country, Nassau County is safer than ever.
laura curran
Nassau County executive glaries, 15 percent; and grand larcenies, 11 percent. “While crime has spiked in other parts of the country, Nassau County is safer than ever,” County Execu-
tive Laura Curran, a Democrat who is up for re-election, said. “Nassau’s success in holding crime down shows that intelligence-led, community-oriented policing works. It also shows that Nassau has the finest Police Department in the nation.” Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said, “The hard-working, dedicated men and women, both sworn and civilian, of this Police Department, along with our Intelligence-led Policing Model, have brought our crime rate to historically low levels over the past 10 years. A 31 percent drop in major crime over the past 10 years, combined with another 7.4 percent year-todate, is a true testament to the excellent work being done daily.”
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OBITUARY By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com
Howard Weitzman, Nassau County’s comptroller from 2002 to 2009 who was known for challenging establishment politics through the power of the audit during this time in office, died Sept. 27 of a rare blood disorder called amyloidosis. He was 75. Born in Brooklyn in 1945, Weitzman was known as a loving husband to his wife of 52 years, Suzanne, and father to their daughter, Catherine Diamond, and sons Peter and Matthew Weitzman. Howard Weitzman was raised in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn and later Laurelton, Queens. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School and went on to graduate from Queens Colle ge with a de g ree in accounting, becoming a certified public accountant. Weitzman was said to have “reveled” in his role as “Nassau’s fiscal watchdog” when he was comptroller. He was also known for his personal approach to politics, holding town hall meetings in houses of worship and schools to meet with constituents from across Nassau to hear their concerns. His local approach to county politics stemmed from his time
as a trustee and mayor of Great Neck with eliminating special districts] are Estates from 1989 to 1995. He and his not large when divided by each home . . . wife had lived there for 35 years before in these times of extreme fiscal pressure on Nassau County taxpayers, all moving to Roslyn in 2013. As comptroller, Weitzman was relent- savings are worth pursuing. The outdatless in pursuing investigations of Nas- ed patchwork quilt of special districts is no longer viable in this day sau’s many special districts, and age when they cost resiincluding sanitation and dents money without providwater districts. In all, Nasing any benefit.” sau has more than 200 such Weitzman was first electdistricts, and Weitzman said ed comptroller in 2001 on a he was convinced they were ticket with Tom Suozzi, then key to helping rein in govan up-and-coming political ernment overspending. leader who had previously “Nassau residents can served as the Glen Cove pay two or three times as mayor and is now a U.S. conmuch for the same service gressman representing the depending on the district in 3rd District. They were which they live,” Weitzman Howard Weitzman swept into office following said in a published report in years of fiscal mismanage2010. “Our audits unveiled millions of dollars of waste by some ment at the county level, with a clear mandate to eliminate waste and abuse. special districts, and a general lack of Weitzman lost the comptroller’s post accountability, transparency and overto Republican George Maragos in 2009. sight.” Eliminating many of the special dis- Illness was said to have hindered tricts, Weitzman contended, could save Weitzman’s campaign. He then chaltaxpayers tens of millions of dollars lenged Maragos in 2013 and was again defeated. annually. In 2016, Weitzman was appointed to Speaking with the Herald in 2008, he said, “While the savings [associated the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a
fiscal oversight board created by the New York State Legislature in 2000 to monitor and oversee the county’s finances following a debt crisis in the late 1990s that nearly bankrupted Nassau. Weitzman had also been a board member of the American Jewish Committee, a treasurer of Temple Israel of Great Neck and a board member of the United Community Fund of Great Neck. An avid adventurer, he traveled the world with his family, with he and his wife taking trips to Cambodia, Australia and Italy when their children were grown. He was also an avid boater who was a member of the Shelter Bay Yacht Club. In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by a sister, Leslie Kornfeld, and her husband, Edward; four grandchildren, Leo, Max, Morris and Ema, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held last Thursday at Temple Israel of Great Neck, with burial following at Montefiore Cemetery in Springfield Gardens, Queens. Riverside-Nassau North Chapels made the arrangements.
TOWN OF OYSTER BAY U.S. TREASURY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TOWN OF OYSTER BAY RESIDENTS ONLY INTAKE FORMS MAY ONLY BE SUBMITTED BEGINNING 9:00 AM ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 THROUGH 5:00 PM ON OCTOBER 28, 2021. INTAKE FORMS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED VIA ONLINE SUBMISSION. DO NOT HAND DELIVER, FAX OR EMAIL THE INTAKE FORM AS IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ONLY 1 INTAKE FORM PER HOUSEHOLD MAY BE SUBMITTED. The Town of Oyster Bay is pleased to announce available funds for rental and utility assistance through the U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) for residents of the Town of Oyster Bay. The Program is intended to assist renters who are having difficulty paying their rent and utilities/home energy costs due to effects of COVID-19. The Program is being administered by the Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP). Who can apply? Tenants may apply and landlords may apply. If landlords apply, tenants must agree to participate. If tenants apply, landlords will be requested to participate. How are applicants reviewed? Applicants will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority consideration given to households with incomes at or below 50% of the HUD area median income, or households with one or more members who have been unemployed for more than 90 days prior to their application. Who Qualifies? To be eligible, a household must: I. Be renting in the Town of Oyster Bay as a primary residence (including all Villages but excluding the City of Glen Cove) II. Show that one or more individuals within the household has either qualified for unemployment benefits, experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due to the COVID-19 pandemic; III. Demonstrate that the household is at risk of homelessness or housing instability; and IV. Have household income at or below 80% of the HUD area median income based on calendar year 2020 or current projected 2021 income. Income guidelines vary based on the household size. Please see chart below. HOUSEHOLD SIZE 80% MAXIMUM INCOME 50% MAXIMUM INCOME* HOUSHOLD SIZE 80% MAXIMUM INCOME 50% MAXIMUM INCOME* 1 $72,750 $45,500 5 $112,250 $70,150 2 $83,150 $52,000 6 $120,550 $75,350 3 $93,550 $58,500 7 $128,850 $80,550 4 $103,900 $64,940 8 $137,150 $85,750 *Income limits are subject to change Awarded funds can assist with the following: • Current rent, prospective rent, and rent arrears • Current costs and arrears for utilities and home energy costs • Other expenses related to housing (e.g., relocation expenses such as security deposits and tenant screening fees if a household has been displaced due to COVID-19) How much may be awarded? Up to 18 months of assistance may be paid subject to restrictions.
Where can I get additional information? Detailed information on the program and the requirements are set forth in the Program Guidelines available at https://lihp.org/TOBerapintake.html (English), or https://lihp.org/TOBerapintake-SP.html (Spanish). NOTE: Please read the Program Guidelines carefully. Submission of the Intake Form does not guarantee eligibility. Applicants must meet all Program Guidelines. All Fair Housing laws will be followed.
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How to apply? To begin the Intake process, please submit an Intake Form to LIHP available at: https://www.lihp.org/TOBerapintake.html (English) or https://www.lihp.org/TOBerapintake-SP.html (Spanish). Intake Forms must be received by LIHP by 5:00 PM on October 28, 2021. Intake Forms may only be submitted online. If you need assistance (help) in submitting your intake form, you can use the LIHP Call Center at (844)260-7541 or call LIHP at (631)435-4710. You may also email LIHP at OysterBayERAP@lihp.org
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
Former Nassau comptroller Howard Weitzman dies
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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Hofstra’s first woman president is inaugurated By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com
Hofstra University inaugurated its ninth — and first woman — president on Oct. 1 in grand fashion. Dr. Susan Poser now leads the institution — she first assumed her duties on Aug. 1. This is Poser’s first foray into guiding a university as a president. She was previously the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois Chicago, a Carnegie Research One university with 16 colleges, including seven health science colleges and more than 35,000 students, from 2016 to 2021. Poser joins a tighter-knit community at Hofstra, with roughly 10,000 students. Poser succeeds Stuart Rabinowitz, who retired this year after serving as president for 20 years. Under his lead, the university grew to include schools of medicine, nursing and physician studies, engineering and government, putting Hofstra on the map as an internationally competitive institution. Celebrations leading up to the inauguration were held throughout the week in the form of symposia that looked toward the future of education at Hofstra. From “Building and Bridging Our Future Together” to “Innovative Experiential Learning Opportunities in Engineering and Computer Science,” each featured experts in their respective fields lending their advice to fellow professionals and students alike. A keynote address by New York Times columnist and best-selling author Charles Blow kicked off the week. Throughout her two months at her post so far, Poser has also made her presence known on campus. She has often been seen touring around, stopping to chat with groups of students. After the singing of the Hofstra alma mater “Blue and Gold” by the Inauguration Vocal Ensemble, as well as welcomes from several of the university’s student and faculty leaders, Poser was congratulated by three close friends and colleagues. “To me and many others, [Poser] has always been a light from which many have been lit — a shining light that no one would dare, or could, dim,” said Daniel Dawes, director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and a professor of law, policy and management. Dawes is one of Poser’s former students. As a first-generation immigrant student at the University of Nebraska, Poser, then a professor, took Dawes under her wing, he said. He was a young, anxious student who was 1,400 miles from home, but felt welcomed and accepted by Poser in the intimidating environment of law school. “I, for one, am frankly jealous of you all, because you get to bask in the warm glow of her light,” Dawes said. “But I’m also immensely excited to watch Hofstra shine brighter than ever before.” Barbara Wilson began a new position at the University of Illinois around the same time that Poser did, and their careers flourished together. In 2016, Wilson became the executive vice president for academic affairs, and the two worked
Photos by Christina Daly/Herald
hand in hand over five years on academic affairs. This year, Wilson was named the president of the University of Iowa a short five months after Poser received her promotion at Hofstra. “During the time we were in these positions, we navigated some sticky state politics; we managed a financial crisis in the state of Illinois that underfunded higher education pretty significantly; we managed the onslaught of Covid-19 and the challenging racial and equity issues, particularly after the murder of George Floyd,” Wilson said. “It was not an easy time. “Everyone that worked with Susan could see that she was destined to be a president,” Wilson said. “There is no shortage of persons who want to be the president of a university,” said Harvey Perlman, a professor of law and former chancellor at the University of Nebraska. “My experience, however, tells me there is a much smaller number of persons who want to do president of a university. “You have chosen wisely,” Perlman told the Hofstra community. “You have a new president who wants to do president, not just be one.” In her address, Poser reflected on Hofstra’s history of independence and innovations in education and student relations. “What a time we are living in, and what a time for higher education,” Poser said. “The pleasure of our renewed togetherness is real, but it cannot mask the challenges ahead.” Before Covid, the challenges were already apparent, she said: There were fewer high school graduation expectancies, skepticism about the value of a college education and new world of students who have always lived in a digital environment. “How we address these changes over the coming years will determine Hofstra’s future and the future of our students,” Poser said. “The idea of the pandemic as a portal or gateway serves as a useful metaphor to frame the challenges that we in higher education have before us,” Poser added. “If the pandemic is a portal, how will Hof-
DR. SuSAN PoSER was inaugurated as the ninth and first female president of Hofstra University on Oct. 1. CloSE CollEAGuES of Poser’s spoke at the inauguration, including Harvey Perlman, former chancellor and law professor at the University of Nebraska.
stra walk through it? What will we take, and what will we leave behind? What world are we ready to fight for? What kind of university and community do we want to imagine on the other side?” At UIC, Poser oversaw many accomplishments, including the acquisition of the John Marshall Law School as the first and only public law school in Chicago. She also focused on supporting faculty and enhancing diversity through several initiatives, including the creation of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence. She played a key role in creating two new cultural centers on campus, one focused on Arab American students and another on students with disabilities. Before becoming provost at UIC, Poser was the dean of the College of Law at the University of Nebraska from 2010 to 2016, the associate to the chancellor from 2007 to 2010 and a law professor for more than 15 years. While dean, the College of Law moved up 35 points in the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings. Poser grew up in New York City and majored in ancient Greek at Swarthmore College, graduating with honors. She earned a law degree and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.
Before starting her academic career, she clerked for the Dolores Sloviter, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia and served as the Zicklin Fellow in Ethics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Poser is also a recently appointed member of the Long Island Association Board of Directors, which will allow her to further engage with the Long Island community. Poser is married to Dr. Stephen DiMagno, an organic medicinal chemist, and they have two adult daughters. “I am so optimistic that if we come together, with pride and purpose,” Poser said, “we can do these things. Hofstra is beautifully positioned as a university — small enough to offer every student the opportunity to know their professors, participate in a wide variety of activities and influence their surroundings, and large enough to offer an array of academic and career opportunity for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. If we have the commitment, the discipline and the energy, we will prosper as never before.”
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HOST
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
PRESENTS
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October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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9/16/21 11:07 AM
Proposed budget keeps tax levy flat
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OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Herald file photo
THE OYSTER BAY Town Board is moving forward with the proposed 2022 town budget, which totals $311.6 million, the same as the current spending plan. program that was implemented in 2013 to keep the public informed about the factors impacting local governments’ financial health. The system evaluates local governments’ finances, using indicators including year-end fund balances, cash on hand, short-term borrowing,
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fixed costs and patterns of operating deficits, and creates fiscal stress scores. The Town Board will officially vote on the budget after the public hearing on Oct. 19.
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paid a total of $68.4 million in property taxes. Last year they paid just $55.6 million, a reduction of nearly 20 percent. The town plans to continue focusing on initiatives that enhance its suburban quality of life, Saladino said, investing in roads, parks, pools and beaches while also jump-starting environmental remediation, even with the decrease in taxes. Thanks to fiscally conservative budgeting over the past few years, Oyster Bay has produced four consecutive budget surpluses, and this year has its largest reserve fund ever, nearly $50 million. Local Democrats oppose the budget proposal, saying that the current debt-reduction initiative is not enough, and that residents are due more tax relief. Some, including Amanda Field, the Democratic candidate running against Saladino in the upcoming election, say that tax revenue should be used to make improvements to the town, instead of increasing town employee salaries and producing election literature. “The Town of Oyster Bay remains almost $600 million in debt and residents continue to pay for it — that’s an average of $7,000 in debt owed per household,” Field said. “That’s unacceptable. The town’s debt and continuous spending is what keeps taxes high year after year. Saladino and his administration are spending taxpayer money, doling out almost $700,000 in raises during the pandemic and promoting themselves with political mailers, while they could be paying down the debt or repaving our roads that are in desperate need of repaving.” Oyster Bay is among the most financially stressed municipalities in Nassau County, with only 16 communities assigned worse fiscal scores, according to the New York State Fiscal Monitoring System, a data-collection
Oyster Bay receives A+ rating from Wall Street
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
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Laura Lane/Herald
STANDARD & POOR'S Global Ratings upgraded the town to an A+ credit rating from a junk bond rating.
Oyster Bay town finances have officially improved from a "junk bond" rating to an "A+" credit rating. On July 30, Wall Street credit rating agency, Standard & Poor's (S&P) Global Ratings upgraded the Town of Oyster Bay's credit rating by three levels due to the Town's “substantially improved financial position, even amid the pandemic.” S&P cited the Town's “robust operating performance” and “cost cutting” when also declaring a “positive outlook” for the Town's future.
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The Town will now pay significantly less money in interest expense when bonding for the costs associated with road repaving and other critical infrastructure improvements. In total, the Saladino administration has received five credit rating upgrades from Wall Street since 2017. “Wall Street recognizes the many positive steps taken by my administration and the Town Board to put the problems of the past behind us and return fiscal stability to the Town,” Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “In just four years, we have received five credit rating upgrades and several increased outlook designations from Wall Street. We've successfully restricted spending, significantly paid down debt and maintained a tax cut given to residents in 2018. We will continue to keep our promise to taxpayers by protecting their wallets while delivering important services." The 2019, 2020 and 2021 Town Budgets sustained the $1.3 million property tax cut approved by the Town Board for 2018 by implementing a plan that froze taxes. As a result, $5.2 million is in the pockets of taxpayers. Total Town debt has also declined by a historic $165 million. In addition a multi-year operational deficit, which hit a high of $44 million under the prior administration, was ended and is now a $47.6 million surplus as of December 31, 2020. As a result of this combined success, the New York State Comptroller's Office removed the Town of Oyster Bay from its fiscal stress-monitoring list for the first time since the program's inception in 2013.
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To help residents looking to obtain new passports, the Town of Oyster Bay will offer a special one-stop Passport Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 23 and Sunday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at both Town Hall North in Oyster Bay and Town Hall South in Massapequa. Requirements for applying for a passport include one 2x2 color photograph with a clear view of the applicant’s face against a plain white or light colored background; proof of U.S. citizenship, and proof of identity. To make an appointment or for more information, contact the Office of Oyster Bay Town Clerk Richard LaMarca at (516) 624-6343 or email townclerk@oysterbay-ny.gov. For information on passport requirements and processing times, as well as instructions for passport renewals, visit www.travel.state.gov.
Public Notices
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LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED LOCAL LAW C-2021 INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF UPPER BROOKVILLE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held before and by the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Upper Brookville, Nassau County, New York at the Upper Brookville Village Hall, 24 Wolver Hollow Road, in said Village on Monday, October 18, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. The hearing will be on whether to enact proposed Local Law C-2021 which allows the Village of Upper Brookville to opt out of allowing retail cannabis dispensaries and/or onsite cannabis consumption establishments to locate and operate within the Village boundaries pursuant to Cannabis Law Section 131. A copy of proposed Local Law C-2021 is on file at the office of the Attorneys for the Village, Humes & Wagner, LLP, 147 Forest Avenue, Locust Valley, New York, where it may be reviewed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. during usual business days until the time of the hearing. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at said hearing. Any person
needing special assistance in attending, please notify the Village Attorney at (516) 676-4600 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. By Order of the Board of Trustees Tracy L. Lynch Village Clerk/Treasurer Dated: October 8, 2021 127805
LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE INC. VILLAGE OF LAUREL HOLLOW BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing and meeting will be held by and before the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Inc. Village of Laurel Hollow, Nassau County, New York, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. Public participation in this meeting will be available via the Zoom application which can be accessed under the “News” tab at the Laurel Hollow website https://www.laurelhollow. org. Due to the current coronavirus restrictions, physical attendance is not permissible. ZV6-2021, ZS5-2021, and F1-2021: The continuation of the public hearing on the appeal and application of Walden Engineering on behalf of Anthony Core and Gina Core to install retaining walls at 48 Laurel Cove Road, where the retaining walls exceed three feet in height and are located within a required setback, in violation of Section 145-18(B) of the Laurel Hollow Village Code. Proposed sections of the wall are as high as 7.5 feet and as close as 15 feet to the property line where a 40-foot side yard setback is required. The proposed retaining walls also involve the excavation of approximately 2035 cubic yards of land and installation of approximately 1715 cubic yards of fill as well as disturbance of steep, very steep, and severely steep slopes as defined in Section 145-12 of the Village Code as shown on: the Cut/Fill Concept Plan, the Topographical Site Map, and the Retaining Wall Details prepared by Walden Environmental Engineers, PLLC dated 4/14/2021 and last revised on 9/2/2021. This property is designated as Section 26 Block A Lot 289 on the Land and Tax Map of Nassau County. ZV14-2021: The public hearing on the appeal and application of Anthony Core by Forchelli Deegan Terrana to construct a new principal dwelling at 48 Laurel Cove Road where: “ No building shall be erected, altered, or enlarged except on a lot that has a frontage on
a street of at least 150 feet as per Section 145-5(A)(2) of the Laurel Hollow Village Code. Proposed erection of a new building is on a lot with insufficient frontage on a street of 0 feet. “ No building shall be erected, altered, or enlarged unless, if it is a principal building, it shall be setback at least 40 feet from every lot line that is not a street line as per Section 145-5(B)(1) of the Laurel Hollow Village Code. Proposed erection of a new principal building is setback 29.6 feet from the southerly side yard lot line. This property is designated as Section 26 Block A Lot 289 on the Land and Tax Map of Nassau County. By Order of the Board of Zoning Appeals Russell Mohr, Chairman October 5, 2021 127794
FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Subdivision 20 of Section 215 of the Town Law of the State of New York, the Board of Commissioners of the Oyster Bay Sewer District has adopted a resolution providing that candidates for the office of Sewer Commissioner shall file their names with the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners at least thirty days prior to the date of the District election, and, in addition, such nomination must be submitted in petition form subscribed by twenty-five registered voters of the Oyster Bay Sewer District. By Order of the Board of Sewer Commissioners of the Oyster Bay Sewer District. Dated: Oyster Bay, NY September 29, 2021 BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS 127793
Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: ZYLBERMAN CONSULTING LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 1/29/21. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: Benjamin Silverman Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. 127710
LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the qualified and registered voters of the OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of New York, that an election will be held within said District, at the Administration Office of the Oyster Bay Sewer District, located at 15 Bay Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, between the hours of six (6:00) o’clock p.m. and nine (9:00) o’clock p.m., for the purpose of the election of (a) a Sewer Commissioner for said District for a term of three (3) years beginning January 1, 2022 and expiring December 31, 2024. The incumbent, Joseph G. Pecora, is running for election. Said election is called pursuant to Sections 211 and 212 of Article 13 of the Town Law of the State of New York. Section 213 of the Town Law of the State of New York provides that no person shall be entitled to vote for improvement District Commissioners unless he or she is a registered voter who shall have resided in the improvement District for a period of thirty days next preceding any election of Commissioners. Pursuant to Subdivision 2 (a) of Section 213-a of the Town Law of the State of New York, only those persons registered with the Board of Elections on or before the 23rd day before such election and those persons whose names are placed on the improvement District register pursuant to the provisions of such Law, shall be entitled to vote in the Oyster Bay Sewer District Election.
LEGAL NOTICE VILLAGE OF UPPER BROOKVILLE PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC NOTICE A public hearing will be held by and before the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Upper Brookville, Nassau County, New York, on October 12, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the hearing will be conducted by Zoom Videoconference. The link to participate is: www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 831 9527 8899 The dial in phone number to participate by telephone, or for computers without audio capability is 1 929 205 6099. The hearing will be on the application of Oaks at Mill River SPE, LLC, owner of a 97.16 acre parcel of land located at 45 & 57 Mill River Road in the Village designated as Section 24, Block E, Lots 6, 11, 12A, 12B, 12C, 16, 25 & 1060 on the Land and Tax Map of Nassau County and located within the Village’s OP-1 (5 Acre) Zoning District. The Applicant is requesting an additional one-year extension of time to comply with the conditions of the decision dated April 13, 2016 which granted the Applicant final approval
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
LEGAL NOTICE LOCUST VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Public Notice Notice is hereby given that the fiscal affairs of the Locust Valley Central School District for the period beginning on July 1, 2020 and ending on June 30, 2021, have been examined by Nawrocki Smith LLP, a public accounting firm, and that the report and management letter prepared in conjunction with the external audit by the said independent public accountant has been filed in my office, where it is available as a public record for inspection by all interested persons. Pursuant to Article 35 of the General Municipal Law, the Board of Education of the Locust Valley Central School District may, in its discretion, prepare a written response to the report of external audit and management letter prepared by said independent public accountant and file any such response in my office as a public record for inspection by all interested persons not later than 90 days after their presentation to the Board. Susan Hammerschmidt District Clerk Locust Valley Central School District 127790
Courtesy Nassau County
WANTAGH PARK WAS the site of a pickleball clinic and tournament that hosted by Sportime in partnership with Nassau County.
Playing pickleball in Nassau Last month, Nassau County opened a “Dream Court” basketball court in Inwood Park; now it is pickleball courts that are the receiving end of the county’s wish to upgrade outside athletic areas as 21 new courts are available at Nickerson Beach, North Woodmere and Wantagh parks. Through a $1 million investment, Nassau also refurbished 17 cracked tennis courts that are striped for pickleball. “Pickleball is on the upswing and I am happy to meet the demand for our many residents flocking to this fast-growing sport,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said in a news release. “By modernizing our parks with popular new
amenities, we’re also attracting new markets, new partnerships and opportunities to boost our economy.” At Nickerson Beach, $175,300 was spent to resurface two basketball courts and a pair of tennis courts, and additional lines were added to the tennis courts for two pickleball courts. Ten tennis courts and two basketball courts were resurfaced and lines were added to five of the tennis courts to create 10 pickleball courts at North Woodmere at a cost of $560,000. For $167,000 five tennis courts were resurfaced and striped to create 10 pickleball courts at Wantagh Park, where a free adult pickleball clinic was held.
OBITUARIES Jacob Bernstein
Josephine M. Lomuscio
Jacob Bernstein, of Oyster Bay, died on Aug. 15, 2020. Loving husband of the late Eva, and father of Diane and Neal. Jack cared deeply about community affairs and was involved in a number of community organizations. He was a longtime congregant of the local synagogue and an active member of Sagamore Yacht Club. Jack was both an avid sailor and tennis player. Please join Jack’s children at a luncheon to celebrate his life, at Sagamore Yacht Club in Oyster Bay, Saturday, Oct. 23, from 1-5 p.m. Donations may be made to the Community Foundation of Oyster Bay.
Josephine M. Lomuscio, 91, of Mill Neck, died on Oct. 4. Wife of the late Nicholas; mother of Angela Trovato (Gary) and William; grandmother of Dana Patti (Jonathan), Mia Fitzharris (D.J.), Nicholas, Alyssa (Nicholas), Nicholas Trovato and Nina Trovato; Great grandmother of Dean Fitzharris, Vince Fitzharris, Jonathan and Nicolas Patti; sister of Alba Samperisi (the late Vincent) and the late Marie Murello (Cono). Also survived by many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Visiting will take place at Oyster Bay Funeral Home, 261 South St. in Oyster Bay on Friday, Oct. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Mass at St. Dominic RC Chapel, Oyster Bay on Saturday, 9:30 a.m. Entombment at St. John’s Cemetery.
Public Notices
to subdivide the 97.16 acre property into 13 lots and to create conservation areas totaling 52.95 acres. The Planning Board last granted an extension of time on October 21, 2020, which will expire on October 21, 2021.
The above application and plat are on file at the offices of Humes & Wagner, Attorneys for the Village, 147 Forest Avenue, Locust Valley, NY, where they may be by appointment only seen during business hours of usual business days until
the time of the hearing. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at said time and place. If any individual requires special assistance to attend, please notify the Village Attorney at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing.
Parker Kelsey Chairman P-107 127792
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OPINIONS
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ctober is a unique month. It’s time for apple picking, watching the trees change color and, if the weather permits, taking long car trips to interesting places. Depending on where you live, it’s also the time for candidates for public office to make their final arguments as to why you should vote for them on Nov. 2. And if you live in Nassau County and are a registered voter, you’re seeing that lastminute blitz to make sure you show up on Election Day. JERRY Unlike years when we elect a KREMER president, in politics this is considered an off year, with most of the campaigns involving candidates for local office. The biggest races in our county are for county executive, district attorney and comptroller. County Executive Laura Curran is favored to be re-elected, due to her professionalism and support from both political parties. That leaves the contests for district attorney and comptroller.
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The hottest competition will be for the office of district attorney. Mailboxes all over the county are being flooded with materials promoting the candidacy of State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, and Anne Donnelly, a Republican and an assistant D.A. This one campaign could wind up costing the candidates as much as $6 million, and possibly more. Having once represented the South Shore of Nassau County in the State Assembly, I have gotten to know Todd Kaminsky, and have watched his political career rise rapidly. Our career paths are somewhat alike. I started out as a city attorney in Long Beach, and he started out as a federal prosecutor. I prosecuted local slumlords, and as a federal prosecutor he was given the opportunity to prosecute high-profile criminals. In my late 20s, I got a chance to run for the State Assembly, and he got his opening to run for the State Senate. To the benefit of Long Island taxpayers, Kaminsky has been a hard-working legislator who has been a leader on criminal and environmental issues. He was the principal sponsor of a law to take pen-
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sions away from corrupt elected officials. He has gotten tougher drunken-driving laws and battled opioid manufacturers and doctors who dispense drugs too freely. During my time in Albany, I passed many laws in similar areas, and like Kaminsky was the leader of the Long Island legislative delegation in Albany. I applauded his decision to run for district attorney, because he has been a strong voice on so many issues of concern to the public. The State Senate leaders turn to him for advice on criminal and environmental law issues. He is responsible for the $3 billion environmental cleanup bond that will be on the ballot in 2022. Donnelly, who claims that Kaminsky was the “author” of the bailreform law, has criticized him. I know for a fact that he was not its author, and he has battled his own party on this issue. Politics is a tough and unforgiving business. If you stay in one elected position for a long period of time, you are accused of being part of the “establishment.” If you run for higher office a few years after getting elected to a different job, you are accused of being too “ambi-
eciding who leads Nassau County is a great reason to go to the polls next month.
tious.” I had the chance to run for statewide office twice, but a family tragedy prevented that from happening. I know Kaminsky’s opponent to be a long-term veteran of the D.A.’s office. In the end, it will be up to the voters to decide whom they want for district attorney. There is another countywide contest on the ballot, for the important job of county comptroller. While the public focus has been on the D.A.’s race, the job of keeping an eye on taxpayers’ money is also crucial. Former Republican State Sen. Elaine Phillips is challenging Democrat Ryan Cronin for that position. I have worked with Phillips, and found her to be an excellent public official. This will be another important choice for Nassau County voters. I hope they won’t decide to skip this year’s election, because any election, whether for dogcatcher or president, is important. If you stay home on Election Day, you get the kind of government you deserve. Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.
Really, what’s up with the whole world?
ave you noticed that the seams don’t meet the right way and the doorjamb is wobbly? Our house is unstable. The beams of this great edifice called America are slightly off plumb in a number of disturbing ways.Nothing at all is exactly as it was before the pandemic overwhelmed the United States. In small ways and profound ways, cultural and political forces are impeding the ordinary progression of life in America. But then, what’s ordinary? Most of us have given up RANDI on the concept of KREISS going back to “normal,” and what passes for normal these days is disquieting. It isn’t just the pandemic, as if one could write off a highly infectious novel virus that swept around the world, killing 700,000 people here at home. It is how the pandemic was handled from the time it was discovered, then covered up, then ignored, then addressed with inoculation and medical efforts that ranged from inadequate to state-of-the-art medicine. I just checked in to the CDC website and
saw that they have now broken-down categories of information into: What We Know and What We Are Still Learning. That’s good. The fact that there is a learning curve in science seems to have challenged the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines, which by any reasonable account have been remarkably successful in saving lives. We are in a world where scientists are vilified for not having all the answers, the president is begging and bribing folks to take a shot that will keep them out of the hospital, and large swaths of people are bonding online and deciding that it is safer to throw away our protective masks, refuse the vaccine and embrace bizarre and debunked remedies for this deadly disease. With some few exceptions, there is no excuse for refusing a mask and a vaccine. Using horse de-wormer instead of monoclonal antibodies? It’s kind of like what Justice Potter Stewart said of pornography: I know crazy when I see it. The problem is that those of us who have followed the science and had the vaccine, and perhaps the booster, by now can feel safe, but not completely safe. If we have young children or grandchildren, we
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see those who refuse the vaccine as a direct threat to the health of our family. As we re-emerge into the world, the places we go are all changed. How did the “office” disappear in two years? Transportation is different from what it was, with some mask rules and some vaccine requirements on planes and trains. Some travel, like cruises, requires not just the time and money, but a willing suspension of disbelief. If you can’t bear cooking one more meal at home and venture out, chances are the server and possibly the chef are new hires. The workforce is sliced and diced, and not many people are fully trained for the jobs they are doing. If you talk to a friend of the heart for more than hi-and-how-are-you, chances are you’ll get into your mutual stress levels and anxiety. The psychiatrists don’t have enough hours for the people who need help, because we all need some help right now. If you live in a community or apartment building of some kind, then you know about improvement projects being delayed because the painter shows up but there’s no paint. My son finally got his
he places we go are all changed. How did the ‘office’ disappear in two years?
new roof, but the roofer had no gutters to install. Costco is out of toilet paper again. There are people who don’t have enough food, who can’t get to work, who have no health care and who don’t have proper shelter. We are living in a country that desperately needs new bridges and tunnels and roads. There is a good a plan to rebuild and, at this moment, it may not get passed by Congress. Not because we don’t need it. Not because most Americans don’t support it. But because the government is paralyzed by partisanship and ignorance and fear. This morning I read in The Washington Post that in Anchorage, Alaska, people attended a public hearing on mask wearing with yellow Stars of David on their arms, equating the mask requirement to Nazi-era restrictions on Jews in Germany that led to the Holocaust and the death of some 6 million people. I am worried for us. Most disturbing is the elevation of lies for personal and political gain. For me, there is some comfort in bearing witness to this time. We must keep talking and writing, acknowledging the losses and summoning the strength to tighten the floor joists and secure the roof. Copyright 2021 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
A wake-up call to voters
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HERALD
HERALD EDITORIAL
Laura Lane
Lessons learned during Hispanic Heritage Month
October 8, 2021 — OYSTER BAY HERALD
OYSTER BAY
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ispanics are Nassau County’s fastest-growing ethnic population, County Executive Laura Curran noted in mid-September, the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated each year since 1988, and before that as Hispanic Heritage Week, beginning in 1968. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we recognize the many rich cultural and economic contributions of Hispanic people to the United States. The celebration was first signed into law as a week by President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat, and expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan, a Republican. In 2016, the Herald explored Hispanic immigration to our region in a series, “The Changing Face of Long Island,” and we wrote this in a December editorial that year: “There is much talk about how Long Islanders are leaving for elsewhere because of the high cost of living. The Island, however, actually saw a net gain in population because of immigration. Suffolk’s population remained largely unchanged between 2000 and 2012, while Nassau’s increased by roughly 78,500 people, according to census data. “Immigrants have been arriving on Long Island for more than six decades, but the pace of immigration has accelerated within the last 10 years, with an average of 20,000 Long Island immigrants annually receiving citizenship. “Immigrants, it appears, are bypassing the big cities and settling in the suburbs. That’s a good thing for Long Island.” We should now add this: There is a false impression that most Hispanics are immigrants. While that might have once been true, it no longer is. Most Hispanics in the
United States were born here and are American citizens, having become deeply ingrained in the fabric of American society. According to the New American Economy Research Fund, a bipartisan, nonprofit immigration advocacy group, there are 58.8 million Hispanic Americans in the U.S. Just over two-thirds of them — or 39.2 million — were born here, while 19.6 million were born outside the country. Combined, Hispanic immigrants and U.S.-born Hispanics now comprise 18.1 percent of the U.S. population. By 2050, the Hispanic population in the U.S. is expected to double, to 106 million, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates. In 2017, Hispanic households earned more than $1 trillion and paid some $252.2 billion in taxes, including $165.9 billion in federal income taxes and $86.3 billion in state and local taxes, the NEA Research Fund found. At the same time, today’s most recently arrived Hispanic immigrants are better educated than those who landed here only a decade ago. Between 2005 and 2010, only 15.1 percent of Hispanic immigrants held a bachelor’s degree. Between 2012 and 2017, 28.5 percent did, roughly in line with the overall U.S. population. Despite all of this, Hispanics are frequent targets of discrimination. A recent report by the Hispanic Marketing Council noted, “Fifty-five percent (but only 15 percent of non-Hispanics) said Latinos encounter frequent discrimination, while 67 percent of Hispanics strongly or somewhat agree that as a group they are discriminated against more than other ethnic minorities.” In particular, we must recognize that
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LETTERS HealNY brings needed funding To the Editor: I recently began a statewide “HealNY” tour of the state as we begin delivering the first funding from a $1.5 billion pool to combat the opioid epidemic. The funding — which will go to all 10 regions of the state — comes from different settlements that the state attorney general’s office negotiated following a March 2019 lawsuit against the various manufacturers and distributors responsible for the opioid crisis. While the tour will stop in dozens of counties throughout October, all 62 counties across the state will receive funds from the various settlements. For more than two decades, New Yorkers have experienced the dire and deadly effects of opioids. As we embark on this tour, we are ensuring every county gets financial help to recover from the devastation that opioids have
America’s Hispanic population is not monolithic — it is diverse, with a variety of cultures according to people’s countries of origin. A Mexican American, an Argentine American and a Dominican American might share the same Spanish language, but their cultures of origin are very different. We saw the issue recently play out in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of his Broadway sensation “In the Heights,” a musical that speaks to the hopes and dreams of Hispanic people living in the close-knit New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights, overlooking the Hudson River, in view of the George Washington Bridge. The film, released on HBO Max, was widely praised for its artistry, but criticized because it failed to include darkskinned Afro-Latinos, who comprise a significant portion of Washington Heights’s actual population, among the film’s leading characters. That is, the film treated Hispanics as members of a single culture. Miranda took to Twitter to acknowledge the psychic pain the film may have caused, writing, “I can hear the hurt and frustration over colorism, of feeling still unseen in the feedback … Without sufficient dark-skinned Afro-Latino representation, the work feels extractive of the community we wanted so much to represent with pride and joy. In trying to paint a mosaic of this community, we fell short.” There is a lesson here that all of us can take away: We must see Hispanic Americans as individuals, each with his or her own heritage that contributes to the American landscape, including here in Nassau County, one of the most diverse places in the nation.
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lthough I was raised in the United States as a Hispanic immigrant, born to immigrant parents, I have long been blasé about Hispanic Heritage Month. As a kid, I would stare curiously at the school calendar marking this month-long celebration and shrug it off as just another quirky, throwaway American holiday, like Groundhog Day or National Ice Cream Sandwich Day. Interesting to some, peculiar to many, and something that I didn’t particularly care for. JUAN Perhaps it was the odd proposiLASSO tion that somehow, some way, you could condense the cultures and national histories of more than 600 million people under a catchall term like “Hispanic heritage.” It’s true that there is some measure of shared experience, some invisible thread linking us Hispanics (for lack of a better term) together in this country we call home. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the better part of my young adult life standing shoulder to shoulder with a diverse crowd of Hispanic community leaders and intellectuals, including academics, student leaders, attorneys and a
legislator. Each of these movers and shakers, with his or her own story and cultural identity, is proudly committed to improving the lives of fellow Hispanic Americans. So you would think that, over the years, I would have shed my small-minded childhood indifference and come to have a deeper appreciation, even love, for this time to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans. But I haven’t. I still don’t relish this special month. I don’t have anything against Hispanic Heritage Month. I simply don’t understand the meaning of the term “Hispanic heritage.” The conventional definition of “Hispanic” is broad enough to encompass people who trace their roots to Latin America and Spain. The term came into wide use in the 1970s, when there were issues with the U.S. census, and Hispanic organizations and leaders sought a term to identify the growing minority residing coast to coast. Hispanic was chosen as an imperfect but useful messenger to signal to those in the halls of power, and to neighborhoods across the U.S., that we were here, too, we mattered, and we were here to stay. So this celebration, too, was a push for such visibility and inclusion. The month
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he term leaves the misguided impression that we have a fully integrated history.
LETTERS inflicted on them. The funds we are infusing into New York today and going forward will be used to invest in prevention, treatment and recovery. While no amount of money will ever compensate for the millions of addictions, the hundreds of thousands of deaths or the countless families torn apart by opioids, this money will be vital in preventing future devastation. Opioid manufacturers and distributors were responsible for heavily marketing opioids to doctors, hospitals, health-care systems and others, which led to the over-prescription of the drugs across New York and the rest of the nation over the last two decades. The manufacturers included in our state lawsuit include Purdue Pharma and its affiliates, as well as members of the Sackler family (owners of Purdue) and the trusts they control; Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates (including its parent company, Johnson & Johnson); Mallinckrodt LLC and its affiliates; Endo Health Solutions and its affiliates; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. and its affiliates; and Allergan Finance LLC and its affiliates. The distributors named in the complaint were McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation
was intended to validate the reality that we Hispanic Americans have, since the beginning of America’s founding, added to the rich and diverse tapestry of the democratic experiment, anchoring us as members of the American popular concept of “the people.” As President Lyndon Johnson declared, “The people of Hispanic descent are the heirs of missionaries, captains, soldiers and farmers who were motivated by a young spirit of adventure, and a desire to settle freely in a free land … This heritage is ours.” And yes, that much is true. Hispanics have fought and continue to fight in the nation’s wars, contribute to its art and culture, and sit in the highest offices of political power as proud citizens and servants. But when examined more closely, the term “Hispanic heritage” brings with it a mess of ambiguity and confusion. The term leaves the misguided impression that Latin America has a single, fully integrated history tracing its beginnings to Spanish and European colonialism. Using this as the starting point for our story overshadows the bigger picture. Multitudes of people from Europe, Africa and Asia collided with multitudes of others from pre-Columbian societies, not knowing that they would be caught in a
whirlwind of encounters, battles and unions that would dynamically entangle different people from vastly different regions and histories. This, in turn, sowed the seeds for cultural innovation and diffusion that would sprout into modern-day countries and societies unlike anything the world has ever seen. Latin America, therefore, has no definitive maker’s mark etched into its diverse past, no single heritage. For the sake of becoming a distinct, recognizable cohort in American demographics, we have regrettably traded away a part of reality we so-called “Hispanics” understand all too well but often fail to articulate. We are not one singular, panethnic group. According to Pew Research, most Hispanics prefer to use their country of origin to identify themselves. Yet despite my serious qualms, I do now see the wisdom in devoting a monthlong celebration to exploring the unique complexity of our Latin American identities, and celebrating Hispanics who have and continue to serve the U.S. as one nation, one people, yet with feet still firmly planted in the pride and love of their distinct cultural histories. All that I’d recommend is that if Americans are to get the most out of this month-long celebration, they start to think of us beyond the term “Hispanic.” Juan Lasso is editor of the Valley Stream Herald.
FRAMEWORK by Christina Daly
and Rochester Drug. LETITIA JAMES State attorney general
Is congestion pricing the answer? To the Editor: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed congestion price tolling is politically sensitive. Congestion pricing may not kick in until January 2023. Final details of who will pay still need to be established. Elected officials will lobby for discounts or exemptions for police officers, firefighters, teachers, low-income workers, outerborough New York City residents, seniors, the physically disabled, small commercial delivery drivers, users of electric vehicles or other special niches. These discounts or exemptions will likely be adopted to placate the constituents of elected officials running for reelection in 2021 or 2022. You can’t capture five years of toll revenues, estimated to be $1 billion per year (leveraged to raise $15 billion in support of MTA’s $51
Day’s end at Fieid 10 — Jones Beach
billion 2020-24 five-year capital plan), when you implement the program three years or more after 2020. The late start for implementation, a downturn in the economy, more people telecommuting full- and part-time, and a series of discounts and exemptions to tolls could result in billions of lost
anticipated revenue. LARRY PENNER Great Neck Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.
OYSTER BAY HERALD — October 8, 2021
The problem with, and promise of, Hispanic Heritage Month
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