MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Nassau University Medical Center is quickly running out of the money needed to operate, a situation that demands immediate and focused attention. Instead of addressing this, County Executive Blakeman has decided to engage in political theatrics that serve no purpose other than to distract from his administration’s failures. County Executive Blakeman’s choice to pursue this lawsuit over the welfare of Nassau County’s residents is a dereliction of duty. His job is to serve the taxpayers of this county, not to engage in costly and unnecessary legal fights on issues that distract from his fundamental responsibilities. I am baffled that County Executive Blakeman is standing idly by while his appointed hospital chair is declining $83 million in emergency State funding that could save the hospital in exchange for common sense reforms. This mistake puts every taxpayer on the hook for nearly $120 million in hospital debt Nassau County has guaranteed. It’s time for the County Executive to cease his grandstanding and begin the work he was elected to do—focusing on the urgent needs of our community and ensuring the stability of the County’s only safety net healthcare system.
Tag: Mineola
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Delia DeRiggi-Whitton Designated to Lead Nassau County Legislature’s Democratic Caucus
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.
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Remove Names of Elected Officials from County-Owned Signs and Properties: Legislator Lafazan
MINEOLA, N.Y. (TIP): Names of elected officials would be permanently removed from County signs and properties under a proposed resolution that was introduced on Monday, Aug. 21 by Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (D – Woodbury).
Under Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, the County would be required to remove the names of current County officials from signs and property, including but not limited to portable “showmobile” stages, within 60 days of enactment. Thereafter, the names of current and future County officials will no longer be placed on County-owned signs or properties. The only exception to the rule would permit the posting of an official’s name on County signs only if it is for honorary purposes, such as a ceremonial renaming of a park or street in the official’s memory.
The goal, Legislator Lafazan said, is to redirect taxpayer resources to more worthwhile endeavors by eliminating the need to produce and update hundreds of signs every two years or sooner based upon whom is elected to County office.
“There is simply no justification for wasting taxpayer dollars and the labor of Nassau County’s skilled workforce to perpetuate such a brazen form of taxpayer-funded self-promotion,” Legislator Lafazan said. “In a day and age in which all of the vital information about our elected officials is right at our fingertips, it’s long past time to remove any semblance of politicking from our County-owned public spaces by ending this practice once and for all.”
Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, which is co-sponsored by the unified Minority Caucus, would restore a policy that was implemented during the administration of former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. However, shortly after taking office in 2022, the administration of current County Executive Bruce Blakeman reversed the policy, and the County Executive’s name was subsequently installed in gigantic print on County-owned “show-mobiles,” affixed to generic signage installed during between 2018 and 2021, and in numerous instances at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park.
Objections to the Eisenhower Park signage led to the further postponement of the 20th annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert, which was previously scheduled by the County for Aug. 28. Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, which was initially filed a week earlier, predates public awareness of this dispute between the County Executive and “Just Wild About Harry” organizers; thereafter, Legislator Lafazan amended the proposal to add a provision directing the Nassau County Department of Public Works and Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums to immediately accommodate requests from vendors to remove signage from county signs and properties prior to the 60-day deadline.
“Harry Chapin’s mission was all about feeding the hungry,” Legislator Lafazan said. “County Executive Blakeman, on the other hand, has proven time and again that he is all about feeding his own ego. It’s time to get our priorities back in order here in Nassau County.”
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Legislator Solages Welcomes Summer Interns to District Office
MINEOLA, N.Y. (TIP): This summer, Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D – Lawrence) has welcomed three young interns to his office and provided them with a first-hand look at the operations of local government and the law. Two of his interns, Michelle Prudencio and Danna Bermejo, are currently studying at Nassau Community College; and the third, Jamel Campbell, is a recent graduate from Elmont Memorial High School.
“As a former Nassau County Legislature intern myself, I know how important first-hand experiences can be in shaping a young person’s professional future,” Legislator Solages said. “I am truly fortunate to have so many bright students working with me this summer to assist the residents of the Third Legislative District, and it is a privilege to offer them this opportunity.”
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State Must Revise Affordable Housing Proposal
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) -
Nassau County Executive holds Meeting with Asian Media and Community Members
MINEOLA, NY(TIP): Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and her executive staff , on November 15, joined members of the Asian media and community members for a discussion about the administration’s priority agenda and opportunities for community engagement.
Present at the meeting were Asian Advisory Board Members Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan, Advocate for the Bangladesh Community and President of Hillside Masjid, Dr. Isma Chaudhry, Executive Director of Islamic Center of Long Island, Christine Liu, Board Member of the Chinese American Association of North Hempstead, Dr. Bhavani Srinivasan, Board Member of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin Ammad Sheikh, President of South Asian Sports, Satnam Parhar, Past President of the India Association of Long Island, Minsun Kim, President of Long Island Conservatory and of the Korean American Association of Greater N.Y. Willy Wang, Community Leader for the Taiwanese Community, Charles Chan, Community Advocate for Hong Kong and East Asian Communities, Board member of North Shore Child and Family Center and St. Mary’s Church of Manhasset, and James Mun, President, Korean-American Association of Long Island.
Deputy County Executives present included Tatum Fox, Deputy County Executive for Public Safety, Evlyn Tsimis, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, Mark Page, Deputy County Executive Finance, Brian Schneider, Deputy County Executive for Parks and Public Works, John Chiara, Deputy County Executive for Compliance, Kyle Rose-Louder, Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services, and Mike Martino, Director of Communications
The Media included China Press, SinoVision TV, Bollywood Insider, Dunya News, The Indian Panorama, The South Asian Times, Korea Daily, Korean Media, Korean Channel, NY Radio Korea, ITVUSA, Pakistan News, Awaz Newspaper, Interfaith paper of Long Island, Weekly Bangladesh, Bangla Patrika, Weekly Bangalee, Voice Of South Asia, Kate (Lei Zhu),Y.K. Chan, JUS Punjabi, Sing Toa Daily Press, Punjab TV Channel (PTC).
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Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum, County Executive Laura Curran and Indian-American Community Leaders Celebrate Anniversary of Indian Independence at Flag-Raising Ceremony
MINEOLA, N.Y.(TIP): Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum (D – Great Neck), County Executive Laura Curran and Indian-American community leaders celebrated the anniversary of India’s independence during a flag-raising ceremony in the County Executive’s Ceremonial Chambers on Wednesday, August 15.
During the event, Legislator Birnbaum presented the Indian American Forum with a Community Recognition Award in celebration of their commitment to enhancing socio-cultural interactions and highlighting the rich traditions of Indian culture in the district. The award was presented to Jyoti Gupta, a member of the organization’s board.
“It was a privilege to welcome this accomplished group of Indian-American community leaders from my district to join us at the Nassau County Legislature for a joyous celebration of independence,” Legislator Birnbaum said. “I thank everyone who took time out of their morning to participate in this ceremony and salute the Indian American Forum for their ongoing efforts to promote the culture, heritage and values embraced by Indians around the world.”
In addition to Legislator Birnbaum’s welcoming remarks, Wednesday morning’s program included speeches by County Executive Curran, Indian-American Forum Chairperson Indu Jaiswal; Nassau County Human Rights Commission Chairman Bobby Kalotee and Dr. Ajay Lohda, Chairman of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.
Community member Eesha Butani led the gathering in the American National Anthem, while Hema Sardana performed the Indian National Anthem. In addition, Jyoti Gupta led aperformance of patriotic Indian songs.
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Nassau County Celebrates Vaisakhi: 8 honored on the occasion
MINEOLA, NY(TIP): Nassau County organized the annual Vaisakhi celebrations in the Legislative Chamber in Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building, June 22. Hon. Richard Nicoletto, Nassau County Presiding Officer delivered the keynote address, in the absence of Executive Laura Curran who could not make it to the event.
Zahid Syed, Jasbir Jay Singh, Pinky Jaggi, Meenu Bhasin, Honoree Herman Singh, Nassau County Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello, Malik Nadeem, Sharanjit Thind & Kawaljeet Chandi On the occasion, eight community members were honored. They included Lalit Aery, Jaspal Singh Arora, Dr. Inderpal Chhabra, Imran Igra, Shikha Sehgal, Bhavna Sharma, Herman Singh, and Satbir Singh Sondhi.
A cultural program designed by Jaya Bhadkar and Pinky Jaggi pleased the gathering.
Zahid Syed, Jasbir Jay Singh, Pinky Jaggi, Amit Sehgal, Honoree Shikha Sehgal, Nassau County Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello, Malik Nadeem, Sharanjit Thind & Kawaljeet Chandi Earlier, Zahid Syed, Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights, delivered the welcome address. Zahid also recognized elected officials, while host committee was recognized by Jay Jasbir Singh. Sharanjit Singh Thind recognized media and Beena Kothari community leaders. Kanwaljit Chandi and Ali Mirza made special announcements about the events planned in months ahead.