Letter to the Editor: Hempstead Board Shirking Their Responsibilities

A letter to the editor from Claudia Borecky, of Merrick:

Letter to the Editor:

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015, over 300 people believed it important enough to take off from work and forgo personal and family obligations to go down to Hempstead Town Hall to let their representatives know their views on issues that impact their lives. Town Hall was filled to capacity. Yet, two councilpersons, Santino and King-Sweeney, who have salaries of $67,000 for their part-time jobs that require them to appear two days per month at Town Hall, joined Supervisor Murray and walked out of a crowded town hall meeting, just so that they could attend a photo op in Wantagh. It’s appalling that they shirk their responsibilities as our supervisor and councilpersons to further their political careers. Have the courtesy to stay at those meetings and listen to those whom are paying your salaries – the people.

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the leadership in the town of Hempstead is changing. This is the first time that I ever recall Councilman Santino appearing at photo ops outside his district. Could he be eyeing higher office? Supervisor, perhaps?

More than ever, we are seeing our tax dollars spent on Kate Murray commercials, mailings and now door stickers. To do this in a year that the Town hiked our taxes is unconscionable. Further, the town’s bond ratings are downgraded for the second year in a row. The Town must stop carelessly spending money on self-promotion, putting the town’s fiscal health in jeopardy.

We must ask why do we have this sudden Murray frenzy? Could she be eyeing the district attorney’s seat? It makes sense, doesn’t it? Why else would she hold a press conference demanding that PSEG’s executives divulge their salaries? And when Alfonse D’Amato writes about it in his op ed piece, then you know it’s politically contrived. It’s very unlike Murray to address issues outside her realm.

And then we have Erin King-Sweeney, the newly appointed (not elected) councilperson. Why is she playing hooky from the town board meeting for a photo op? Could it simply be that she is attempting to secure her seat on the Town Board? That one is obvious. The power of incumbency at its worst.

- Claudia Borecky

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