Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton honored local business leaders at the 39th Nassau Council of Chamber of Commerce Businesspersons of the Year and Legislative Breakfast on Friday, Oct. 25. (Photos : Office of Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton)
WOODBURY, N.Y. (TIP): Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) proudly attended the 39th Nassau Council of Chamber of Commerce Businesspersons of the Year and Legislative Breakfast on Friday, Oct. 25. As part of the festivities, she joined the Nassau Council of Chambers in congratulating Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce honoree Stella Shank, Executive Director of The Regency at Glen Cove Assisted Living; Roslyn Chamber of Commerce Vice President Barbara Kaplan, owner of Specialty Connections; and Port Washington honoree Corey Peterson, founder and president of Bayside Tax and Wealth, for being recognized by their respective Chambers of Commerce.
“Outstanding business leaders like Stella, Barbara and Corey go above and beyond on a daily basis to create opportunities and strengthen our communities, and their passion for service is an inspiration for others to follow their lead,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “I salute you for all you do to make our downtowns so vibrant and dynamic, and I thank the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce for bringing us together to celebrate the best of Long Island.”
MINEOLA, N.Y. (TIP): On Friday, April 5, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced a lawsuit against New York State seeking to overturn recently-enacted legislation that moves many elections for local offices in Nassau County to even years.
Following the announcement, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) issued the following statement:
“Here we go again with the Blakeman administration’s latest wasteful lawsuit-of-the-week, paid for by Nassau taxpayers. The Democratic Minority Caucus voted against retaining special counsel to pursue this politically motivated action, and we are confident this frivolous litigation will be swiftly thrown out of court,” Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) said.
To date, Nassau County has received approximately $385 million in COVID relief money through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and $85.2 million more in settlements from opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Of that combined sum of approximately $470 million, Nassau County has to date only committed approximately $86 million and dispersed $7 million, respectively.
While many have wondered about the palpable lack of urgency from the administration of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in getting these life-enriching and life-saving funds into the community, a recent budget hearing potentially exposed the callous reason his administration continues to sit on these funds.
During the October 10, 2023 hearing, administration officials confirmed that the approximately $378 million in remaining proceeds from both the ARPA funding and various opioid settlements are being used to bolster Nassau County’s reserves, which in turn is helping to boost and maintain the County’s credit score with rating agencies such as Moody’s, S&P Global and Fitch. Furthermore, every penny in interest that has and may be generated in the future by holding these opioid funds back was earned at the expense of a person who is struggling with the disease of addiction. All of this is simply appalling.
It is only marginally less infuriating when you consider that Nassau’s ARPA funds could be applied toward fighting hunger, combating homelessness, bolstering mental health programs, supporting small businesses, enhancing youth services, and so much more. For months, my Minority Caucus colleagues and I have been advocating for approximately $12 million in itemized ARPA requests in support of organizations that provide vital community services.
While those requests have languished within the Blakeman administration, the transfer of $10 million in COVID relief funds, done under the facade of “tourism” to fund lavish 125th anniversary galas, parades, and marketing, flew through the Legislature on Monday, Dec. 18. The Minority Caucus is unified in its outrage and opposition to this latest lapse in judgment, which serves as yet another example of how County Executive Blakeman and his administration are badly out of touch with the needs of our constituents.
Federal COVID relief and opioid settlement funds were not meant to gather dust on ledger sheets, serve as an investment strategy, be used to butter up ratings agencies, or soothe the ego of a self-inflating elected official. They are meant to get into the community so that they could be applied toward addressing the challenges our constituents grapple with.
With so many people struggling and so many families facing the unthinkable crisis of losing beloved family members to addiction, the thought of spending $10 million on publicizing a 125th anniversary celebration before releasing these opioid settlement funds is unconscionable. Let’s hope in the new year these lifesaving funds as well as our federal relief funds reach their intended destinations – and at least as swiftly County Executive Blakeman’s celebration funds certainly did.
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, of Glen Cove, is the Legislature’s Minority Leader-elect and represents Nassau County’s 11th Legislative District.
MINEOLA, N.Y. (TIP): Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) has been designated to serve as leader by the members of the Nassau County Legislative Democratic Caucus starting in 2024.
DeRiggi-Whitton, 55, of Glen Cove, won her seventh two-year term with more than 64 percent of the vote in the 2023 general election. As caucus leader, DeRiggi-Whitton would succeed current Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams, who has served in the role since 2012 and is leaving office at year’s end after not seeking re-election.
As Leader, Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton said the Democratic caucus will remain keenly focused upon oversight of the Blakeman administration; reaffirm the Legislature’s crucial role as a provider of checks and balances as a coequal branch of government; and prioritize the delivery of initiatives that will make Nassau more affordable and protect the environment; preserve public safety; reinvest in infrastructure; and enhance the response to the ongoing opioid drug addiction crisis. “Being selected by my colleagues to lead our caucus at such a dynamic time in the history of the Legislature is a tremendous honor, and I am deeply humbled by the trust they have placed in me,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “As I embark upon this exciting new chapter as a public servant, I want to thank Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs and my Democratic colleagues for their support, and extend my gratitude to my colleague and friend Kevan Abrahams for his guidance and leadership during the last 12 years. I am beyond proud to lead our team into the future, and we are ready to directly confront and overcome Nassau County’s greatest challenges.”
Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton’s selection as Minority Leader will be formalized in January during organizational meetings for the 15th term of the Nassau County Legislature. Under the Nassau County Charter, the Legislator who receives a majority of votes from the body’s 19 members becomes Presiding Officer; the runner-up in that tally from the opposing party becomes Minority Leader. Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton’s ascension will mark the latest milestone in two decades of service as an elected official. Prior to becoming a Legislator, DeRiggi-Whitton served two terms on the Glen Cove City Council, where she began to build her reputation as a fiscal hawk and strident environmental advocate who was acutely aware of the community’s needs.
During this time, she further distinguished herself in numerous philanthropic endeavors such as the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. After her daughter Amanda was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age three, Delia has been an outspoken advocate for diabetes awareness, treatment, and research, and remains a prolific fundraiser who has helped to raise well over $1 million through annual “Cooking for a Cure” events.
She is a founding board member of the not-for-profit First City Project Collective, which seeks to leverage the community-building power of the arts to spark an artistic and economic renaissance in downtown Glen Cove. One of the organization’s signature events is an annual Toys for Tots drive at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which has grown from its roots in Glen Cove to become the largest one-day collection event in America.
Delia is married to Richard Valicenti and is the mother of three adult daughters and an adult stepson. Her father, Hon. Donald DeRiggi, is a retired Nassau County judge and past Mayor of Glen Cove. Delia’s mother, Dr. Mildred “Millie” DeRiggi, is a noted local historian who previously worked as an answer/question writer for the legendary quiz shows “Jeopardy!” and “G.E. College Bowl” during the 1960s.
As an elected official and a fellow Democrat, I urge New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and our state representatives not to adopt the housing proposal in its current form as part of the forthcoming state budget.
One of the most amazing things about New York State is the diverse options of places to live, including rural towns, suburban bedroom communities, bustling metropolitan areas and everything in between. As a result of this diversity, communities across our state are presented with different and unique challenges.
On Long Island, we face a unique issue of living on top of our drinking water, and the threat of saltwater intrusion caused by overdrawing from our single-source aquifer something we must always be vigilant about preventing. We must also be especially cognizant of traffic problems. Anyone traveling, especially at rush hour, knows how congested our roadways have become – and sometimes, it has taken me 40 minutes to travel from Mineola to Glen Cove. And last but certainly not least, many of our schools face budget concerns and overcrowding and would struggle to take on more students.
Local governments are very well attuned to the specific needs and challenges facing the communities they serve. Unfortunately, the Governor’s current proposal would undermine local control by establishing minimum benchmarks for affordable housing growth – and creating a mechanism by which developers can do an end-run around local zoning if those benchmarks are not met. To have the state come in and impose a one-size-fits-all mandate is, in my opinion, truly irresponsible and counterproductive.
Much like bail reform in previous years, the crucial issue of affordable housing is being linked to the Governor’s budget proposal, placing undue duress on state representatives to make an all-or-nothing vote for or against the entire budget. I once again implore our state officials to hear the voices of local community leaders, environmental experts, first responders and their partners in government to oppose the proposal in its current form.
Let’s instead go back to the drawing board, take away the threats of state mandates, and work more closely with local towns, counties, villages, and cities to identify community-driven opportunities to incentivize revitalization, smart growth, and new transit-oriented development that will carry us all toward a more prosperous future.
(Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, of Glen Cove, a Nassau County legislator representing the 11th District, is the ranking member of the Legislature’s Committee on Health & Social Services)
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