The Mayor's Message                                             by Thomas J. Tweedy

February 24, 2012

     The Village of Floral Park has once again been recognized for our leadership and proactive role on important issues impacting our community.  One of our top priorities remains making sure Floral Park does not shoulder an unfair share of our region’s aircraft noise burden.  Our colleague Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki was prominently featured in a recent New York Times article entitled “A Plan to Restrict Flight Paths to Hush the Blender Over Long Island” which included an extensive discussion of the Federal Aviation Administration’s intention to adopt regulations which could severely restrict flight paths of low flying helicopters over Long Island.

     Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki told The New York Times that helicopters passing over Floral Park in the summer sometimes sound like “being in a blender” which The New York Times obviously adopted to be part of the headline for the article.  Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki told The New York Times that the adoption of new regulations by the FAA to restrict the number of low flying helicopters over Long Island would be an “incredible improvement in the quality of life” for her constituents and neighbors of Floral Park.

     Senator Charles E. Schumer, who recently visited us in Floral Park in conjunction with his promised assistance in providing funding for our outstanding volunteer Fire Department, said that helicopter noise ranks as one of the top five complaints among his Long Island constituents.  “Talk to anyone who lives in scores of communities from Floral Park to Port Washington,” Senator Schumer told The New York Times, “It’s an awful disruption when you invested your savings in your home and you can’t enjoy your home and you can’t enjoy your house or sit in your backyard from Memorial Day to Labor Day.”  It is obvious that Floral Park’s effort to identify and address low flying helicopter noise over our community continues to yield results in many ways.

     Floral Park’s well regarded Noise Abatement Committee, led by Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki, has been tireless advocates in pursuing relief from unnecessary aircraft noise over our community.  Floral Parkers understand that the physical locations of the JFK airport runways are fixed and we will always remain under the flight paths approaching JFK.  The helicopter flight paths over our community however, following the LIRR train tracks as their convenient guideposts, to and from the Hamptons, has been nothing short of maddening to our residents.  Despite numerous promises over the years to voluntarily relieve our community from the unnecessary burden of low flying helicopter noise, such voluntary measures have fallen short of that goal.

     While the initial proposals for the FAA regulations dealt with the North Shore communities of the Long Island, it is largely as a result of Floral Park’s focused attention on the low flying helicopter issue that the helicopter flight paths over our community have also been included within the scope of the FAA proposals.  The helicopter industry is strongly resisting any sort of formal regulations on where and how they operate.  The president of the Helicopter Association International told The New York Times, for example, that they fear such regulations “will have national implications.”

     Floral Park residents should be proud that our community has been credited by at least one commentator that Floral Park has “scored a victory over wealthy New Yorkers who fly helicopters over their homes towards the Hamptons on summer weekends.”  Please forgive us, however, if we do not feel sorry for “the city elites – including (the chairman of a well-known real estate firm), who frequently flies there by chopper – the new regulation will make trips to the Hamptons less pleasant.  There are now fewer routes helicopters can take, and the trip will be longer, less scenic and more expensive.” [Quoting The Real Deal: New York Real Estate News “Thanks to LI Homeowners, Helicopter Rides to Hamptons Will Become More Costly”].

     While some may remain unsatisfied with the progress Floral Park has made on the aircraft noise issue, please be assured that our humblest of political subdivisions has indeed made a significant impact even on the greatest political subdivision, our federal government.  Floral Park has earned our place at the table not because we protested the loudest, but because we consistently addressed these issues in a sophisticated and persuasive manner within our formally organized framework.  Just as our formally organized and recognized Floral Park Mayor’s task force on the Third Track as well as Belmont Park have yielded significant dividends for our community, so too have members of our Noise Abatement Committee, led by Trustee Mary-Grace Tomecki, and deserve to be rightly proud of their great results.

     For helicopter noise call 1-800-319-7410 or email erhc@planenoise.com.  The Eastern Regional Helicopter Council is an association of helicopter operators and pilots who responds to concerns from, and works with, communities from downtown New York to East Hampton.  Representatives from the Eastern Regional Helicopter Council have cooperatively worked with Floral Park’s elected representatives in trying to mitigate the issues from low flying helicopters and advocate a ‘Fly Neighborly’ protocol for its Council’s operators.  Should you email or call please be sure to include the date and time, and if possible, any operator or aircraft number visible on the offending aircraft.

February 6, 2012
 

     The State of New York Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment Group that is responsible for setting the new district lines for the State Assembly and Senate have released their eagerly awaited redistricting maps.  Floral Park’s representation remains relatively unchanged by the senate redistricting, with the proposed State Senate District 7 mostly following the contours of our present State Senate District.  Therefore, every constituent within the Village of Floral Park will be represented by the same Senator under the proposed maps.

     The senatorial senate lines were primarily drafted by the Republican controlled senate, which is led by State Senator Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre.  State Senator Jack Martins’ hometown of Mineola will remain in the same district as Floral Park.  Long Island may even pick up an additional senatorial district, making 9 of the 63 senatorial districts located on Long Island.

     The State Assembly redistricting maps lines, which were primarily drafted by the Democratic controlled assembly led by Assemblyman Shelly Silver of New York City, could be of much greater concern to Floral Park voters.  Floral Park is currently represented by two Assembly Districts with Floral Park residents in the Town of North Hempstead, north of Jericho Turnpike, being represented by Republican Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, while the vast majority of Floral Parkers in the Town of Hempstead are currently represented by Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra.

     We were hopeful that the redistricting process would result in the reunification of the Village of Floral Park within one Assembly District.  Not only will that not happen under the Democrat’s redrawing of the Assembly Districts, but the vast majority of Floral Park will be placed into an entirely new district number 22, which joins Floral Park with the communities bordering the Cross Island Parkway to our south.  The proposed Assembly District 22 roughly includes Floral Park south of Jericho Turnpike, Belmont Park, Elmont, North Valley Stream, Valley Stream and Lynbrook.  While our current Assembly Districts tend to follow Jericho Turnpike east through our sister LIRR Mainline communities, the proposed ‘new’ Assembly District 22 tends to follow the Cross Island Parkway south in the areas roughly between Jericho Turnpike and Sunrise Highway.

     The Department of Justice’s required demographic profile for the proposed 128,931 resident Assembly District 22 will have 43.15% Non-Hispanic White; 25.01% Non-Hispanic Black; 18.13% Hispanic; 10.65% Non-Hispanic Asian; and 242 Non-Hispanic American Indian, making up .19% of the new district.  If Proposed Assembly District 22 as crafted by the Democrats’ task force members is approved, our current Assemblyman Ra will no longer live in our ‘new’ district.  In fact, Proposed Assembly District 22 currently has no Assembly Member living within this newly created district. Therefore, whoever may ultimately represent Floral Park’s interest in Albany is truly a mystery.

     Please be assured that Floral Park’s elected representatives are closely following this process.  Our objective is to simply request that our legislative districts be fairly drawn to include other sister communities that have similar legislative concerns and needs.  While our current senate and assembly districts are in keeping with that goal, whether the ‘new’ assembly district will cause a dramatic change in the legislative objectives of the representatives in the Assembly is of some significant concern.

     We hope that the State Assembly map makers are not trying to gerrymander this new district in order to disenfranchise and maybe even punish Floral Park for our proud tradition of letting our elected representatives know and hear our concerns loud and clear.  Obviously, should a new Assembly District including Floral Park be created, Floral Parkers in this year’s elections will need to make sure that anyone who wishes to become our elected representatives in Albany will continue to put our needs at the top of their priorities.  While presidential election results in New York this year may be a forgone conclusion, our local elections, which have a more immediate and direct impact on our community, certainly are not.  Therefore, please be sure to register to vote and exercise your constitutional right to vote.  Your Floral Park neighbors are depending on you like no other time in our long and proud history!

January 24, 2012

     Floral Park and our sister hosting LIRR mainline communities between Queens Village and Hicksville have enjoyed relative calm since the MTA announced that its unwanted and unneeded LIRR Third Track Megaproject was finally being shelved.  As a result, the Village of Floral Park and our neighboring communities have been able to focus on much more pressing and immediate local needs and issues.  We were confident, however, that the MTA's leadership had abandoned their threat to our peaceful and quiet enjoyment of our communities.  We believed that the MTA leadership would let a sleeping dog lie, and that memories of it bringing its own attack dogs into our communities were fast becoming a fading memory.  Like a recurring nightmare, however, the MTA keeps pulling us back into the Third Track controversy just when we thought we could leave it behind us. 

     The MTA's new chairman, Joseph Lhota, on the very same day he was confirmed by the New York State Senate, said he supports the LIRR Third Track Megaproject!  MTA Chairman Lhota said that "We need to get duplication, and in some cases the triplification of tracks so that when something happens we'll be able to zip around it and not slow everything down" according to Newsday.  Lhota's "triplification" remark was a specific reference "to the LIRR's controversial plan to add a third track to its Main Line between Hicksville and Floral Park."  The MTA now estimates its ever more costly megaproject at $1.5 billion and which Newsday notes "would require the LIRR to build on some private properties, remains stalled by financial and political roadblocks." [Newsday 1-10-12 "New MTA Chief Hails LIRR East Side Access Project"]  Say it ain't so, Joe? 

     MTA Chairman Lhota, who grew up in Lindenhurst, should immediately apologize for his imprudent remarks which, if  not retracted, will result in a very short honeymoon with his new constituents in our Main Line communities.  Perhaps he has not yet spoken with LIRR President Helena Williams who would tell him that the LIRR Third Track Megaproject has been shelved.  If MTA Chairman Lhota wants duplication or his sarcastic "triplification" remarks to be fighting words, then fight with him we shall and once again send his ever ballooning $1.5 billion boondoggle back to its "end of the line" graveyard of bad ideas. 

     Floral Park has remained vigilant and the Mayor's Third Track Task Force continues to remain active in conjunction with the not for profit CARE organization (Citizens Against Rail Expansion).  Now that the Third Track issue has again been raised, State Senator Kemp Hannon needs to immediately provide CARE with his long promised $25,000 member grant.  We now also have New York State Senator Jack Martins to protect our communities from the unwanted and unneeded Third Track Megaproject.  As Mayor of Mineola, Jack Martins worked very closely and actively with Floral Park to protect our communities from the MTA's insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money and the threat to use eminent domain to fulfill its desires. 

     Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano also needs to fulfill his promise to appoint a community leader from Floral Park or another mainline community  who opposes the LIRR Third Track Megaproject to the MTA Board of Directors.  MTA Chairman Lhota must remember that 'we the people' are his boss and not the other way around!

     MTA Chairman Lhota should reassess his idea of reviving the LIRR Third Track Megaproject, an abandoned plan which has already been declared "dead on arrival" by all but him.  Instead of trying to spend more billions of dollars from taxpayers' pockets on the LIRR Third Track fiasco, he should focus his attention on fixing the crumbling stations in the Mainline communities , and provide us with a real timetable to eliminate on-grade crossings.  The MTA leader can tell us his plans on reinstating trains and customer service workers his predecessors have cut from the Mainline communities.  The MTA Chairman needs to fix what is broken and leave what isn't alone.  Floral Park already has not THREE, but FOUR tracks in the heart of our community and does not need or want any "fifthlification" from MTA Chairman Lhota, whose last name should now stand for Leaving Hosting Opposition to Tracks Alone!

January 17, 2012

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the Village of Floral Park has been a hosting community of Belmont Park, which has enjoyed a peaceful, neighborly relationship for over a century; and,

WHEREAS, since 2008 the State of New York has retained full ownership and control of the over the 430 acre constituting Belmont Park property, which, pursuant to its agreement with the New York Racing Association, continues to operate one of the world's premier thoroughbred horse facilities; and,

WHEREAS, in the most recent State of the State address, the State of New York's Governor has called for a constitutional amendment allowing for casino gaming in the State of New York; and,

WHEREAS, the Village of Floral Park has four formally recognized civic associations within its community, namely the West End Civic Association, the North End Civic Association, the South Side Civic Association and the Hillcrest Civic Association, which serve as a valuable resource and conduit for citizens to express their views and concerns to their elected representatives in the Village of Floral Park; and,

WHEREAS, the West End Civic Association, the Village of Floral Park's oldest association founded in 1920 to protect the interests of the residents of Floral Park, and, in particular, its West End residents, has passed a resolution expressing their opposition to the placement of a casino at Belmont Park and calling upon their elected representatives to acknowledge and support such sentiments;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Village of Floral Park acknowledges, supports and agrees with the resolution of the West End Civic Association, which is incorporated by reference herein; and
 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Village of Floral Park opposes any casino or casino gaming at Belmont Park.

January 9, 2012

     Floral Park does not want a casino or casino gaming at Belmont Park.  The Village Board, its Mayor and Trustees, does not want a casino or casino gaming at Belmont Park. Any assertion to the contrary is completely wrong.
 

     Since becoming Floral Park’s mayor in April of last year, I have made issues relating to Belmont Park’s relationship with Floral Park a top priority.  I have listened to the concerns of you, my constituents, relating to our neighboring Belmont Park.  In my official and personal discussions with our elected representatives, from Hempstead to Mineola as well as from Albany and even our nation’s capital, I have told them of Floral Park’s deep concerns as a hosting community of Belmont Park, especially relating to its potential site as a gaming casino.

     Floral Park has once again come together as a community and has reached an overwhelming consensus relating to Belmont Park.  Some may say we have given too much attention to Belmont Park, while others still remain dissatisfied and say we have focused too little attention on Belmont Park!  I can proudly tell everyone, however, I have worked diligently as mayor to avoid having a casino at Belmont Park, and that remains a top priority for this new year of 2012.

     Governor Andrew Cuomo, in his recent State of the State Address, is making the passage of a Constitutional amendment to allow casino gaming in the State of New York one of his top priorities in the new year.  Governor Cuomo said it is “not a question of whether we should have gaming in New York – the facts are we already do.  Native Americans have five casinos in New York and we have nine racinos at our racetracks.  We don’t fully realize it, regulate it, or capitalize on it, but we do have gaming.  In fact, New York State now has 29,000 electronic gaming machines – more than Atlantic City and more than any state in the Northeast or Midwest.”   Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to, “take a comprehensive approach to casino gaming” and he wants to “take the first step this year.” 

      I will make one new year’s prediction; any hosting community that supports a constitutional amendment to permit casino gaming may very well be signing its own ticket to downfall and ruin.

     Governor Cuomo is also calling for the building of the nation’s largest convention center, over 3.8 million square feet, at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens.  Governor Cuomo’s administration is pursuing a joint venture with the Genting Organization, a gaming development company, to provide $4 billion in private investment, which will develop up to 3,000 hotel rooms in addition to the new convention space.  It has been reported that if a constitutional amendment is passed, there will be a full casino at Aqueduct.  That may actually be good news for Belmont Park, because a portion of all gambling at Aqueduct must be set aside by NYRA for capital improvements at all three of its locations; Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct.  For years, we have been anxiously awaiting for NYRA  to announce its plans to preserve and improve Belmont Park, especially to address its inadequate and obsolete water recharge basins which have caused needless flooding to it Floral Park neighbors’ homes.

     The new year therefore promises to be a very fluid and challenging one for Floral Park’s leaders.  Fortunately, our Task Force on the Preservation and Improvement of Belmont Park is entering its fifth year of existence and since 2007 its members have provided their Floral Park neighbors with the leadership and experience needed to successfully navigate the waves of challenges relating to Belmont Park.  I have also reached out to all my predecessors, including Steve Corbett who I recently asked to become a member of our task force.  I look forward to again working with him alongside me to make sure Floral Park remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.

     Floral Park has enjoyed a peaceful neighborly coexistence with Belmont Park for over a century and we have invested too much in our relationship to allow the short term focus in Albany to ruin our long term neighborly relationship.  Keeping Belmont Park a world class thoroughbred venue is the want, need and desire of its closest neighbor, the Village of Floral Park.

December 12, 2011
 

     One of the concerns involving the ongoing debate relating to potentially allowing a casino anywhere in Nassau County is whether the surrounding local community will be protected from any negative impacts.  As our discussions of Floral Park’s Statement of Principles have demonstrated, there are a host of issues that must be resolved before any ceremonial ground breaking takes place.  While the chant of “jobs, jobs, jobs” to the persistent drum beat of casino lobbyists tries to drown out the voices of concerned citizens with legitimate issues, fortunately our democracy still allows for such debate.

     Among claims regularly made by casino lobbyists are promises of a steady revenue stream for local communities.  A recent ruling by a federal court in Minnesota, however, raises serious concerns even about that issue; whether the State of New York, Nassau County or even the Incorporated Village of Floral Park can be assured that promises made by a federally recognized sovereign Indian nation can be relied upon in the future when making decisions about hosting a casino.

     In 1986, the former Sears Department Store building in downtown Duluth Minnesota became the first Indian gaming site off a reservation in the United States.  Allowing the Fond du Luth Casino to open in 1986 came from a series of agreements between the City of Duluth and the Fond Du Lac Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa.  With the City of Duluth’s support, the federal government placed the Sears Building land in trust and declared it part of the Fond Du Lac Indian Reservation.  For the last 25 years, various agreements put into place have generated an estimated $80 million for the City of Duluth, Minnesota.

      Now that the original 25 year agreement that the City of Duluth made in 1986 has expired, the United States District Court judge, who was recently appointed by President Obama, was asked to weigh in.  The federal judge recently ruled that the sovereign Indians operating the casino in downtown Duluth Minnesota are under no further obligation to renegotiate a new revenue sharing contract with the City of Duluth, the casino’s hosting community!  The City of Duluth is now facing the reality of having all the burdens of hosting a casino without getting any share of its revenues.  Does that sound fair?

     This is not an isolated incident.  In our own State of New York, the Seneca Indian Nation operates three casinos near Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca.  The Seneca Indian Nation currently owes New Yorkers an estimated $343 million, which they have withheld due to an ongoing dispute with the State of New York.  Governor Cuomo has even requested assistance from President Obama’s administration in this protracted dispute.  Among the local communities caught in the cross fire has been the City of Salamanca, New York.

     Last year the City of Salamanca had to lay off 40 percent of its own workforce because it has not received its promised share of revenues from the casino in Salamanca, New York.  According to its mayor, as a “host community of the Seneca Casino the city provides essential services using the revenues generated from the gaming compact agreement.  The revenues we planned for in our budget will not materialize in the foreseeable future and the city cannot afford to provide services to the extent we have been.” (Cattaraugus County Report; September 17, 2010).  Is it fair that the City of Salamanca had to fire its workers because its promised shares of revenues for being a hosting community have been cut off by the local casino?

     Please be assured that Floral Park would rather not have to negotiate concerning being a hosting community for a casino, or anything else at Belmont Park that could potentially dramatically impact the quality of life of our community.  The Belmont Task Force was established in 2007 in response to the possibility of a State controlled VLT racino at Belmont Park.  At that time we presented our Statement of Principles to our State representatives and since, have continued monitoring the expansion of any legalized gambling at Belmont Park.  Recently, I have dedicated a significant amount of attention, 15 of my 20 Mayor’s Messages to date, discussing the many issues regarding the possibility a sovereign Indian nation casino at Belmont Park and the potential impacts a sovereign Indian nation casino operation could have on Floral Park and our neighboring communities.  My hope has been to heighten public awareness so that if any casino proposal were presented, our response will be measured,  reasonable, and informed.  Passions have been ignited and many have shared their deep emotional concerns that a casino could irreversibly impact our quality of life.  These emotions are real and I share them, we love Floral Park, but emotions fade and our response must be based on sustained principled argument. 

      Unfortunately some of these issues that are being foisted upon us by powerful political forces are not of our own choosing.  But, we have successfully dealt with such challenges to our village’s quality of life before.  Floral Park will take the lessons learned from other hosting communities like Duluth Minnesota or Salamanca New York to make sure that they are not repeated here.  Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.  Floral Park surely knows its history and will continue to prosper and thrive as a result.

November 14, 2011

     “While stands the Colosseum, Rome shall stand; when falls the Colosseum, Rome shall fall; and when Rome falls – the world.”  Those famous words describing ancient Rome were written on the office wall of the executive director of Mitchel Field when the Nassau Coliseum was being constructed in 1971 [New York Times 12/5/1971 “A Colossus Rises on Hempstead Plains”].  When the Nassau Coliseum opened in 1972, built for under $32 million, that Nassau County leader understood the enormous impact the new arena at Mitchel Field would have on its Long Island community.

     Today, Long Island is at a tipping point and the Nassau Coliseum is the nexus of the fiscal and emotional morass many Nassau County residents feel.  The rebuilding of a new and improved entertainment center at Nassau County’s 77 acre Hub site would be a sure sign to all that Long Island will continue to be a major league community in this new century.  In many ways, if the Nassau Coliseum falls, Long Island as we know it shall fall, and when Long Island falls, the American Dream that created Long Island in the first place, is in danger of being lost.  It is therefore imperative that Nassau County’s leaders act decisively and boldly to make sure that the Colossus which rose on the Hempstead Plains forty years ago, does not fall and becomes a place of abandonment and lost glory.

     It is obvious that creative ideas and innovative thinking are in order to make the Hub a beacon drawing people from all over to visit our region.  The proposal last year by the Shinnecock Indian Nation that was initially so positively embraced by Nassau County’s leaders, to have a portion of the Hub set aside for a casino, now needs to be fully explored.  Given Nassau County’s taxpayers strong resistance to any additional tax burden relating to rebuilding the Nassau Coliseum, as the referendum this past summer surely demonstrated, other ways to get this accomplished must be explored. 

     So the following is offered for consideration to the ongoing public debate by this public servant. 

     Like Yankee Stadium and CitiField, the new Nassau Coliseum should be built adjacent to the old at its current 77 acre Hub site.  There is also a need to have a steady stream of revenue to finance the construction of a new arena, other than new taxes from homeowners.  One way to accomplish the goal of creating a new Coliseum for Nassau County and a new casino for the Shinnecock Indian Nation is to build a new Coliseum in the parking lot of the old Coliseum, and then turn the keys to the old Coliseum over to the Shinnecock Indian Nation to use as the location for its new casino.  In addition to the $14 million that the New York Islanders promised to annually provide Nassau County for a new arena, the Shinnecock Indian Nation would provide a portion of their gaming receipts to reimburse the financial costs to build a new Coliseum with the understanding that the hosting community surrounding the Coliseum are first made whole for accepting the additional burden of a casino in their midst. While the new Coliseum is being built, the New York Islanders would agree to stay in the current building and the Shinnecock Indian Nation could use that time to get their casino plans in order.

     Belmont Park should be updated as a world class thoroughbred racing facility.  That can be accomplished through the use of the revenue stream for capital improvements already set aside for NYRA from its Aqueduct VLT operation.  As for jobs, building a new Coliseum and casino consecutively at the Hub will certainly create more jobs than just a casino at Belmont Park alone. 

     The State of New York, which owns and controls Belmont Park, should support the creation of additional recreational opportunities for the communities surrounding Belmont Park.  Using some portion of the 28 acre parking field south of Hempstead Turnpike for use by local residents for soccer should be explored.  Likewise, the parking field behind the Floral Park-Bellerose Elementary School, which presently is being used as a make-shift tractor trailer animal feed distribution/storage facility, a trash dumpster transfer yard and a new car storage lot, should be converted to create additional sporting fields for our local residents in keeping with our vision of improving Belmont Park.

     The possibility of re-utilizing the old Coliseum and creating a new world class entertainment arena allowing  the Islanders to stay home on Long Island, while providing a reliable funding source dedicated to debt satisfaction as well as a continuing source of revenue for Nassau County taxpayers is a win-win for everyone.

     This is a proposal that should be discussed by all the stakeholders and not immediately shot down by special interest lobbyists who have their own plans for the Hub - plans which do not provide a realistic chance for either the Coliseum for the New York Islanders or a new casino for the Shinnecock Indian Nation.

November 7, 2011

     This past week I had the rare opportunity to provide testimony to the members of the Long Island Development Council at one of two recently scheduled forums.  Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz is prominently quoted in his group’s press release concerning their meetings that the “public participation process is crucial to our success!”  It was therefore quite ironic and disappointing that Hofstra President Rabinowitz, who is co-chairman of the group which held the meeting at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, did not even bother to attend the meeting held just down the street from Hofstra.  When given the opportunity to present as Floral Park’s representative, I told the panelists that Floral Park has been a hosting community of Belmont Park; our 430 acre neighboring state owned property, since Belmont Park’s opening Day in 1905.  The panelists learned that Belmont Park is adjacent to one of our elementary schools as well as our junior and senior high school campus, with over a mile of peaceful residential neighborhoods separated by a fence.  They learned how Floral Park proudly accepts the responsibility as a hosting community along with its associated burdens for over a century. 

     Some panelists nodded in recognition and some audience members chuckled concerning the fact our neighboring residents and students are close enough to enjoy the unique olfactory stimuli that emanate from the 2000 horse stables and to see and hear the encouraging yells of the jockeys training horses 365 days a year.  Floral Park’s testimony emphasized that Belmont Park is a year round operation that is home to residents in over 800 dormitories and is the heart of the over 17,000 jobs in the State of New York whose livelihood depend upon thoroughbred horse racing.  Many in Floral Park work at Belmont Park and the last thing Floral Park wants to see is anything that threatens the positive, neighborly relationship we have had with Belmont Park for over 100 years.  Sadly, the panel was told, some of the ideas apparently being discussed within the group may well destroy both Belmont Park and Floral Park as they peacefully coexist today.

     It was again respectfully requested that Hofstra University President Rabinowitz step aside from the Long Island Development Council.  The panel was reminded that Hofstra’s leader has already taken a public position strongly against a casino where the Nassau Coliseum is located.  In fact, Hofstra University’s Senate and Full Faculty even have passed the following resolution:

     Hofstra University has a responsibility to its students to provide a safe environment that is compatible with the mission of an institution of higher education.  It strives to provide experiences that enrich its students as they develop through the formative years of their undergraduate education.  Given the concentration of educational institutions in proximity to Nassau Coliseum we should not create an environment that fosters the further growth of compulsive gambling, a growing addiction in the United States, particularly among teenagers and young adults.  Moreover, the University’s ability to recruit new students depends, in part, upon its ability to maintain its recognized standing as an educational institution of high quality located in a safe suburban setting.

     THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY SENATE/FULL FACULTY OPPOSE THE LOCATION OF A CASINO OR GAMING FACILITY ON THE GROUNDS OF THE NASSAU COLISEUM.

     While many audience members reacted positively to Floral Park’s presentation, at least one audience member who works for Hofstra University apparently took great offence at our request that Hofstra’s leader step aside from the panel.  Hofstra’s Vice President for Business Development was the last speaker at the forum and came to the defense of his school’s leader, and even testified that Hofstra has not taken a position on whether or not Hofstra is opposed to a casino at the 77 acre Nassau Coliseum property, which is adjacent to Hofstra’s 220 acre property on Hempstead Turnpike.

      Now granted, we are not all graduates of Hofstra, but any sixth grader at the Floral Park Bellerose Elementary School neighboring Belmont Park could read Hofstra’s resolution above and reasonably conclude that Hofstra does indeed “oppose the location of a casino or gaming facility on the grounds of the Nassau Coliseum.”  Hofstra’s president also told the press, “We’re not only opposed to a casino [near] Hofstra University, but we have every intention of fighting it,” and “…If anybody thinks this is going to be less painful than negotiating between Wang and Hempstead, they’re mistaken.” [Newsday, June 12, 2010 entitled Is Casino Plan with Wang, Shinnecocks Possible?]

     Once again Hofstra University President Rabinowitz should step aside from the Long Island Economic Development Council, and Hofstra University’s representatives should apologize for providing such misleading and incorrect information to the very group Hofstra’s president leads.  If however, Hofstra now is in favor of a casino at the Hub near the Nassau Coliseum, we would be pleased to support Hofstra in that position.

October 31, 2011
 

     When newsmakers release a report late on a Friday afternoon, chances are it’s usually not something that puts them in the best light.  Stories released in the classic “Friday afternoon dump”, as the cynical strategy is called, are purposely intended to be a one day story published over the week end.  Such may well be the case of the Long Island Economic Council’s release on late Friday October 14^th of its proposal it subtitles “Nassau Hub Transformative Project” but which could be subtitled “Dump into Belmont Park All Pet Projects.”

     Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz, who has apparently ignored the call to step aside as co-chairman of the Long Island Economic Council, must take some “credit” for the plan his group released on a recent Friday afternoon.  Hofstra University’s 220 acres of not-for-profit property on Hempstead Turnpike is adjacent to the 77 acre site of the Nassau Coliseum that is owned by the taxpayers of Nassau County.  The Long Island Economic Council’s report is proposing that the Nassau Coliseum site be changed to a new research and development complex.  Even more disturbing is the suggestion that the Nassau Coliseum, which since 1972 has been the heart of the entire development, could be moved from “the Hub” to Belmont Park!
 

     The suggestion that Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, built for under $32 million in 1972, should make way for Hofstra’s grand vision for its own neighboring 77 acre site is incredible!  As our Statement of Principles on Belmont Park has already referenced; when Yankee Stadium was replaced, it was rebuilt across the street and when the New York Mets home was replaced, it was replaced in its own existing parking lot.
 

     The current Nassau Coliseum, which originally contained 409,963 square feet of floor area, can be replaced at the same place it already exists by a state of the art entertainment center.  Representatives of the Shinnecock Indian Nation have also expressed interest in obtaining a portion of the Nassau County “Hub” site to construct a casino.  What was predicted at its opening in The New York Times to become “the Disneyland of Nassau County” could finally become a reality.  There are also over 6,000 parking spaces at Nassau Coliseum.  So the proposal by the group, led by Hofstra’s President, that $150 million from New York’s taxpayers should be used to build a new 6,000 space parking garage at the very same site where they already exist, sounds absurd.
 

     Belmont Park, which opened in 1905, has been called the Taj Mahal of American Racing by Sports Illustrated and was envisioned by August Belmont, Jr., William Whitney and other horse owners to be enjoyed by future generations as much as Central Park, Prospect Park or Van Cortland Park.  The “vision” of Hofstra University Rabinowitz’s group, however, is to turn Belmont Park into an all you can eat buffet line full of half-baked ideas.

     The less than 400 words that the Long Island Economic Council dedicates to Belmont Park in its 32 page report demonstrates the lack of consideration they have given it.  Their report even rather sloppily refers to Belmont Park as “Belmont Raceway”.  Any thoroughbred horse fan knows a “raceway” is for trotters or NASCAR races, while the sport of kings is run on a track.  The cursory references to Belmont Park also suggest that a casino be built as well as a stadium for a semi professional soccer team.  Perhaps the planning group also does not realize that the 10,000 seat stadium at Mitchel Field was built for a professional soccer team.  Once again, why recreate at Belmont Park what already exists at the Hub? If a semi-professional soccer team is interested in playing in Nassau County, perhaps Hofstra’s President could offer the use of the 13,000 seat stadium at Hofstra University, since it has disbanded its highly regarded football team.  The new soccer team could even use the practice facilities where the New York Jets used to play, since they are no longer at Hofstra either.

     As to the suggestion for the location of a casino in Nassau County, if Nassau County planners are eager to obtain a steady revenue windfall from a casino, then the first place it should be built is on land already owned and controlled by Nassau County.  Just because Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz does not want a casino at the Hub near Hofstra does not mean it cannot be done there.
 

     Keep the Nassau Coliseum where the Nassau Coliseum is now.  If Nassau County wants a casino, it should be built on its own land at the Hub and not at Belmont Park.
 

October 17, 2011

     Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz is being called upon by the Floral Park Task Force on the Development and Preservation of Belmont Park to immediately recuse himself from the Long Island Economic Development Council and to cease any further involvement with the group, especially concerning the potential location of a casino or moving the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum from its present 77 acre site, which is adjacent to Hofstra's 220 acre campus, to Belmont Park, which is owned by the State of New York.  The Long Island Economic Development Council, which is co-chaired by Hofstra's president, was launched this past July by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo,  as one of ten regional planning group competing for $1 Billion in state funding earmarked for local projects they determine to be part of their regional strategy.  The Floral Park Task Force was formed as a result of the State of New York’s taking over control of Belmont Park from NYRA in 2008, and as a hosting neighboring community, Floral Park has been very concerned about the various plans that have been discussed concerning the future of Belmont Park.

     Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz has been the co-chairman of this important planning group that has been advising Governor Andrew Cuomo on Long Island's regional priorities, including the prioritizing the potential inclusion of Nassau County's 77 acre site that is currently occupied by the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.  This past summer, the tax payers of Nassau County soundly defeated a referendum proposing that a new arena be built at its current site to replace the Coliseum, which was built in 1972.  The New York Islanders have threatened to move if they are unable to play in a new arena when their current lease with Nassau County expires.  There have been several proposals made concerning "the Hub" including the Lighthouse plan proposed by the New York Islanders' owner Charles Wang, which was dramatically scaled back after a thorough review by the Town of Hempstead.

     Representatives of the Shinnecock Indian Nation have also discussed having 40 acres of the Hub site set aside in order to build a casino.  Hofstra President Rabinowitz has said, "We're not only opposed to a casino [near] Hofstra University, but we have every intention of fighting it" according to Newsday [June 11, 2010].  Hofstra University President Rabinowitz has also told the New York Times that the prospect of an adjacent casino would be 'awful' and that scholars and researchers "would not be attracted to live in an area where there were busloads of New York City people coming to gamble." NYT [July 23, 2010].

     While there are a host of projects in need of such funding on Long Island, under the leadership of Hofstra's President, the planning group has apparently focused its initial attention on the 77 acre site which is adjacent to Hofstra University's 220 acre campus on Hempstead Turnpike.  In the Long Island Regional Development Council's submission of its 32 page report, less than 400 words are dedicated to the development and future of Belmont Park.  Whatever the merits of redeveloping the 77 acre Hub site to fit nicely into the vision that not for profit landowner Hofstra University has for its own future, Hofstra's President must not be the one leading the planning group making such decisions.

     Floral Park has set forth its position.  We support maintaining Belmont Park as a world class thoroughbred racing facility, as it has been for over a century.  Floral Park submitted its Statement of Principles to the State of New York in 2007, demanding that any discussions concerning the future of Belmont Park include its hosting communities in Western Nassau County.  We respectfully, but unequivocally, call for Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz to step aside and resign in order that the process leading to any proposed changes at Belmont Park are made transparently and fairly to ensure the communities surrounding Belmont Park are given the same consideration as Hofstra University has apparently been granted in determining the future of its neighboring 77 acre Coliseum site.

October 10, 2011
 

The tenth and final principle relates to oversight and transparency.  This principle speaks to more than just a measure of trust; this is a requirement that must be memorialized into law. The State of New York, its governor and elected state representatives, has a moral obligation to fairly and equitably represent the interests of all New Yorkers.  Our 2007 Statement of Principles speaks to the fundamental issues of fairness.  The analysis of this tenth principle articulates the apparently deliberate yet inequitable treatment the surrounding communities of Belmont Park are subject to when compared with other - State owned; NYRA operated - thoroughbred racing facilities.

TRANSPARENT RESPONSIVE OVERSIGHT CREATES COMMUNITY TRUST

X. The neighboring communities must be involved and considered in any significant change of operations or activities at the facilities.  The facilities must be subject to formal local oversight and review to consider all proposed additions, renovations or demolitions at the sites.  There should be the establishment of a corporate ethics compliance official and a local community liaison who will be available to the surrounding communities to ensure implementation of both the letter and spirit of this Statement of Principles.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the State of New York’s taking over effective control of the 435 acre Belmont Park from NYRA has been the continued lack of transparency associated with its current and future operations.  As one of Floral Park’s elected representatives, it is frustrating to learn that the Shinnecock Indian Nation was holding informational meetings about their plans at Belmont Park without any representative from the Village of Floral Park being invited to participate.  We have made our displeasure known, however, to representatives of Senator Jack Martins, NYRA as well as those knowledgeable about the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s proposal.  While we are optimistic that promises that representatives from the Village of Floral Park, in recognition of our status as a host community of Belmont Park, will not be “inadvertently” omitted from any future discussions concerning Belmont Park, we would be more at ease if those assurances were written into law rather than merely expressions of apparently good intentions.

Ironically, when the State of New York passed the legislation in 2008 to take over control of Saratoga, Aqueduct and Belmont Park from NYRA, and while a new local community advisory board was created for the communities surrounding Saratoga and Aqueduct, once again the communities surrounding Belmont Park were unbelievably, left out in the cold!  Despite the submission of our Statement of Principles in 2007 to the State of New York, which clearly expresses Floral Park’s interest in participating in such an advisory board for Belmont Park, the governor signed the bill on February 13, 2008 without establishing a similar advisory board for Belmont Park.  We immediately raised the issue with Senator Craig Johnson, who represented our community at the time.  Thereafter he introduced an amendment to establish a 15 member advisory board for Belmont Park, of which 4 members were to be designated by the Mayor of Floral Park, with the approval of Floral Park’s entire Board of Trustees.  In addition to the 4 designees from Floral Park, 4 would be designated from the Town of Hempstead (3 of whom reside within the Hempstead hamlet of Elmont); 4 would be designees of the Elmont Community Coalition of Civics and 3 would be designated by NYRA itself.

Once again the mysterious ways of Albany resulted in a failure to pass bill S.766-2009 creating a local advisory board for Belmont Park.  Now that representatives of the Shinnecock Indian Nation have proposed construction of a casino and hotel facilities at Belmont Park, along with who knows what other changes the backroom discussions in Albany may be scheming to foist upon the communities surrounding Belmont Park in the future, the need of Floral Park to have a formal role as host community of Belmont Park is now greater than ever.  While we would want any group overseeing the developments at Belmont Park to include a corporate ethics compliance official and a local community liaison who will be available to the surrounding communities to ensure implementation of both the letter and spirit of this Statement of Principles, at least having a formal board would be a good start.  Why the neighbors of Saratoga and Aqueduct have been given a formal voice in what takes place there, while the State of New York continues to ignore the neighbors of Belmont Park begins to look more like an act of commission rather than an inadvertent act of omission.  Even a barn yard dog at Belmont Park knows when it has been accidently tripped over and when it is purposefully kicked; so do the communities surrounding Belmont Park. It’s about time the State of New York demonstrates that they will treat us like a member of the family rather than being left out in the cold in Belmont Park’s barn yard dog house.  They should know by now that our bite will surely be worse than just our bark!

October 3, 2011
 

On Saturday October 1^st the Village of Floral Park dedicated our 9-11 Relic Steel Monument on the lawn in front of Village Hall.   While dark clouds and sprinkling of rain may have greeted us earlier that morning, at 10:55 the clouds opened and bright warm sunshine shone down.  The dedication ceremony was a wonderful tribute to those honored but was also emblematic of the heart, support and love we unselfishly extend to our neighbors in times of need.  We also saw abundantly expressed the foundation upon which the spirit of Floral Park is deeply rooted and that is, the spirit of volunteerism, which was generously shared with us by our FPPD Color Guard, the American Legion Color Guard, our greatest volunteers; the Floral Park Fire Department, its Color Guard, officers and members, Life Scout Ryan Perge, Eagle Scout James Calan, the New York Metro Pipe Band, FPM students; vocalist Janina Salorio and violinist Fiona Calberson and finally by all the wonderful ladies of our Administrative Staff who graciously gave of their time to host the events of this historic day. Special thanks to our Village Clerk Susan Walsh for coordinating and attending to the countless details which made for the dignified ceremony we enjoyed.  

With your kind indulgence I provide the text of my remarks from Saturday.

“In your programs you will see an insert describing the series of events and the persons responsible for obtaining this relic steel beam.  I would like to describe the monument.  The relic steel was a 24” steel girder and the top flange, or the top of the beam, is facing the monument’s stairs.   As you ascend the steps to approach the beam, and we hope you do, you would be walking towards the top of the beam and those twisted and bent bolts were connected with the concrete floor.   The steel is placed within a 12 sided segmented circle.  The berm is formed by flame finished absolute black granite, in filled with a cobblestone platform.  On 11 granite stone faces are etched the names of those we honor today.

But we can all see that this beam is hardly 24”deep, the effects of pressure and heat have twisted, sheared and deformed this beam.  When Architect Frank Gunther first saw the beam in a garage one rainy Sunday afternoon, as the rest of us stood about in awkward silence, he shattered that silence with a whisper.  He haltingly said and aptly named the piece we see today: AGONY.  He described the tortured process of catastrophic collapse that the buildings experienced but again in silence we all recognized how this beam is symbolic of the confusion, the torment, the sadness and yes, the agony we all still experience. 

This 5000 lb. beam being displayed vertically, as if it is piercing the earth, allows us to view the raw and brutal effects of physics and heat.  This may be difficult, but it is honest. 

May I share with you this thought, this relic beam is more than a memorial; it is a work of art. I say that as, like art, it is evocative.  Moving us, agitating us, overwhelming us with feelings and emotions which are genuine and must be explored and best shared with others, friends and neighbors. Therefore it is wholly appropriate that we place this monument on the village green.  As a resident of Floral Park, I am proud to have this relic steel memorial. 

What makes America great; our freedoms, our liberties, the opportunities afforded all and our welcoming spirit to peoples from around the world was embodied in this project.  We had the sons of Portugal with the deOliveiras of Alliance Steel and the Martins of J&A Concrete, sons of Italy with Claudio Campoli and Anthony Vani of  Ora Construction, proud men of India from Hindustan Granite and of course Joe Guido of Foro Marble from the distant lands and canals of Brooklyn, New York.  Each contractor, each mechanic and each tradesman who worked on this project gave their best efforts. They shared their talent, their energies and - they shared their memories of that day and the lasting effect that day had on them all. They were honored to contribute to this project as it was an honor to be associated with them and I thank them all.   On the back of your programs we list the contractors and professionals who gave of their time and talents.

 I was especially humbled by the spirit and support from many talented men and woman in Floral Park who contributed in the design; notably Frank Gunther architect. I hadn’t finished the sentence asking for his help before Frank said, “Yes”. He guided the Relic Committee through an exciting, fruitful and expedited design process culminating with this elegant design.  Timothy Tweedy, P.E. design engineer - I didn’t have to ask him, he is my younger brother - his ability to interpret an architectural concept and translate that into a structural design-an engineered design with a 5000# raked steel beam projecting at a 76’ angle was accomplished with equal speed and ingenuity: the jeweler-like precision of the steel fabrication by Frank deOliveira, P.E. and the dedicated attention and supervision of Victor, Dominick and Peter deOliveira will always be remembered. And lastly I would also like to publically recognize the men in our department of public works without whose contributions - and always accomplished with pride and a smile - this monument may never have been completed. 

This monument will not only allow the opportunity to remember and reflect on loved ones lost but will teach generations about the exceptionalism of this great country…Evil may have brought down the Towers, but it did not bring down our nation, our hearts or our American way of life."

September 26, 2011
 

We continue to relate our 2007 Statement of Principles not to a State controlled VLT operation but rather a Shinnecock controlled Indian full gaming casino.  This week we further examine our relationship with NYRA and an equitable future relationship with Belmont Park.

BE AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR, AND BE A PART OF, YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES

VIII.  The facilities must continue to be an economic engine generating jobs and business for the communities in which each is located.  It must be ensured that local residents and businesses are protected from any adverse economic impact as a result of activities at the facilities.  Local residents should be given preference when hiring at the facilities and local businesses be given preferred status, including as suppliers, vendors and service providers.  Creating an overall business and service center should be considered, with the goal of generating additional revenue streams to benefit the surrounding communities.

BE A PART OF, INSTEAD OF APART FROM, YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES

IX.  The facilities should become an integral presence within the communities in which each is located.  This includes the support of and the participation in active civic and volunteer life as a pillar of the neighboring communities in which the facility exists.  This includes the support and participation in annual community events and the inclusion of the local communities in events taking place at each facility, including but not limited to, world renowned thoroughbred horse racing events taking place at the facilities and recreational areas to groups and organizations in the surrounding communities.

Floral Park has steadily forged a stronger bond with its Belmont Park neighbors over the past several years.  For example, NYRA President Charles Hayward graciously accepted Floral Park’s invitation to participate in our public hearing discussing Belmont Park during which he took that opportunity to publically announce support of our Statement of Principles.  Floral Park understands that Belmont Park is a vital component of our local economy, with the potential to bring even more jobs and revenues now that the State of New York has taken control over the 435 acre property from NYRA.  In many ways, Governor Andrew Cuomo has an even greater moral responsibility to protect the interests of his constituents surrounding Belmont Park that any of his predecessors, who could pass the buck to NYRA when it previously controlled Belmont Park.  One thing that is now clear, however, is that whatever goes on at Belmont Park is the responsibility of our elected representatives in Albany and no longer merely a group of thoroughbred horse owners.

Should legalized gambling facilities be expanded at Belmont Park, it is important that the local community gets our fair share of the economic benefits that may be generated.  This includes not just during the initial construction phase, but also in the revenue stream of thousands of permanent jobs that may be created for years to come should the Shinnecock Indian Nation be allowed to develop a full scale casino and hotel facility at Belmont Park; Floral Park’s long standing relationship with NYRA should be expanded to include the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s presence at Belmont Park too.  Just as NYRA has made strides to become more involved in the civic, business and social fabric of Floral Park, the Shinnecock Nation or any other new tenant at Belmont Park must be required to embrace their new neighbors rather than take advantage of us or, worse, just ignore us.

The State of New York has a once in a generation opportunity to make Belmont Park the cornerstone of a renaissance and rejuvenation of western Nassau County that could propel our community into the rest of the century with a solid and stable economic base.  All of our elected representatives, especially those in Albany, need to seriously consider any proposed changes at Belmont Park and to conduct a comprehensive due diligence review, in order to ensure that promises of quick and short term revenue infusions from Belmont Park are not done at the expense of the surrounding communities.  Floral Park has demonstrated that it takes its relationship with its next door neighbor at Belmont Park seriously and it expects the same commitment from anyone else who else wants to become new neighbors with us.  It is important that any new neighbors at Belmont Park make a sincere commitment to take care of Floral Park, rather than leaving Floral Park with no other choice but it protect its interests any way it can in order to keep Floral Park a great place to live and raise a family.  Floral Park has always been a good neighbor of Belmont Park and we deserve the same in return!

September 19, 2011

September 11^th defines us as New Yorkers.  Our village commemorated that day this year as we have every year since that first sorrowful anniversary.  The Floral Park Fire Department assembled in their dress blue Class A uniform, marched and stood at silent attention at Headquarters as at 8:46, then again at 9:03 a single fire bell tolled, echoed by the majestic Methodist Church bells, marking each impact of the Towers.  In the afternoon, an ecumenical service of remembrance was celebrated at the Methodist Church.  In the early evening a closing ceremony was held at Reliance Firehouse on Holland Avenue; honoring all who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of others.  The service, like all that day, was well attended by members of our Fire Department, surrounding fire departments, representatives and EMS personnel from New York Presbyterian Hospital and many Floral Park friends and neighbors.  This quiet reflective service is punctuated by bagpipe, readings of Psalms and contemplative silence.  The service’s brevity and dramatic calm promotes an introspective mood and concludes the Village’s ceremonies of this most difficult and painful day.
 

You have read about requests to the Port Authority by members of our fire department in acquiring a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.  While only being received on April 27, 2011, that relic steel beam is now located at the Village Hall Lawn and is being incorporated into a lasting monument.  While the monument is yet unfinished, residents now approach the steel.  Most approach with a sense of awe and with halting reverence.  I have seen the pain etched on faces as they gaze at the relic steel; reflecting on the day, on friends, on dreams unfulfilled.  Others have shed tears or are drawn to share their memories with others.  This relic steel is a fitting tribute to the shared loss we experience as New Yorkers and as Americans. 
 

There are those who say, we should just move on, put it behind us.  But I say, we must remember that on Sept 11, 2001, our freedom, indeed our American way of life was attacked.  We were attacked by fanatics, nurtured in an environment intolerant of those freedoms:  cowardly hijacking technology and ingenuity beyond their imagination or capacity to produce. We were attacked by evil.  Evil whenever it is confronted must be identified, isolated, condemned and eradicated.  It is a moral fallacy to try and qualify evil as good.  It is the antithesis of the foundation of our country. We defeat evil by good.  The capacity of Americans to provide financial and charitable expressions of compassion and hope are realized in the lives of our fellow Americans and by peoples all around the world. 
 

We have all heard the expression, if we do not learn from history; we are condemned to repeat it.  The 9-11 Relic Steel Memorial provides us the opportunity to teach generations that hatred and evil exist. But we may also tell them that while the Towers may have fallen that day, evil did not bring down our nation, our hearts or our American way of life.  It is good to commemorate those lives lost that tragic day. We must never forget.

September 12, 2011

We continue to again discuss our 2007 Belmont Task Force Statement of Principles.  These principles are based on fairness and equity.  Recent press releases regarding NYRA’s Saratoga Race Course and that NYRA property’s development makes our seventh principle, being a good neighbor to your neighbors more timely than ever before. 

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO YOUR NEIGHBORS

VII. The neighboring communities that have existed in peaceful co-existence with these facilities for decades should have their right to the quiet enjoyment of their neighborhoods respected and continued to be maintained.  Those areas that are natural park like settings must continue to be maintained.  There must be a comprehensive facilities management plan addressing both modernization and preservation plans and must include design guidelines, based upon generally acceptable community standards, to be used in the development of individual capital and maintenance projects.  Any proposed material change in the nature or time of operations at the facilities must be fully disclosed and reviewed with the neighboring communities prior to such a change.

Belmont Park and its surrounding communities have peacefully coexisted as neighbors for many years.  Floral Park residents from Poppy Place to Plainfield Avenue, and all the streets in between, share the longest uninterrupted residential border with Belmont Park.  Many Floral Park residents‘ homes are just a short distance from the active areas of Belmont Park. Such as the various tracks and service roads used throughout the year, as well as the parking fields, which recently have been allowed to become a makeshift tractor trailer feed station and a dumpster storage repository next to our school children’s play yard behind the Floral Park-Bellerose School.  While most of Elmont’s border with Belmont Park is buffered by up to six lanes plus sidewalks and turning lanes on Hempstead Turnpike or are next to an occasionally used parking area.  Many Floral Park residents can literally hear the galloping of horses and the vocal calls of the jockeys every morning on the practice tracks or on the main track during race days.  Therefore maintaining a sufficient buffer zone near neighboring homes and schools is something the State of New York cannot delegate to someone else, be it the current tenant NYRA, or even the proposed Shinnecock casino operations.  Whether it is an attractive natural buffer or a series of football, baseball or even soccer fields, a sufficient buffer zone needs to be incorporated in any planned changes at Belmont Park.

Ironically, just this month in Saratoga, NYRA announced a menu of 21 potential capital improvement projects for its Saratoga Race Course “designed to secure the historic nature of the race track while enhancing the facilities and overall fan experience” according to NYRA’s September 1^st press release. {See: http://www.nyra.com/saratoga/stories/Sep012011b.shtml#}.  NYRA notes that the various Saratoga projects “will be open for public comment and feedback from the community in order to assess priority and implementation” over the next 5 to 10 years.  NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward has stated that “NYRA is deeply committed to preserving the historic fabric of Saratoga Race Course while implementing a capital improvement strategy that will allow Saratoga to grow and flourish for years to come.”  The funding for the capital improvement projects will come from NYRA’s four percent share of revenues from the 4500 VLT machines and 500 electronic gaming tables being installed at Aqueduct Racetrack, which is estimated will provide NYRA about $27.6 million annually, which is more than Floral Park’s entire annual budget this year!Imagine if gambling at Belmont Park could provide Floral Park’s taxpayers with a comparable amount of what NYRA and its thoroughbred horse owners are already in line to get from VLT machines at Aqueduct!

Why Belmont Park, which is home to NYRA’s jewel of the Triple Crown, is getting distant third place treatment after Saratoga or even Aqueduct is outrageous!  While NYRA is willing to solicit community feedback on its ambitious plans at Saratoga while NYRA and the State of New York all but ignore its Belmont Park neighbors is unbelievable! Floral Park has put its cards on the table with its Statements of Principles since 2007, it seems that NYRA and the State of New York pay more attention to those in Saratoga or even the Shinnecock reservation in Southampton than they do about Belmont Park’s neighbors right here in western Nassau County.  NYRA’s announcement seeking public comment and feedback to determine the next steps in Saratoga should be a blueprint to do the same at Belmont Park, with or without the involvement of the Shinnecock Indian Nation!  The first thing that must change at Belmont Park, however, is the need for those in Albany to warmly bring Belmont Park’s neighbors with them into the winner’s circle instead of leaving them out in the cold back in the starting gate.

September 2, 2011

As I write this message, it is Thursday afternoon September 1^st.  Full power restoration appears to have been accomplished throughout the Village as LIPA crews installed new feeder lines energizing the last homes without power in the West End.  There were outages extending from several hours to several days in every area of the Village.  By Sunday evening nearly 20% of the Village was without power.  At the outset of Irene, our singular focus was the safety of our residents.  While most of us were asleep Sunday morning, our Police and Public Works crews were dispatched and operating  in 40-50 mph wind driven rain, assessing damage and addressing the needs to keep us safe. As night became day, roads needed to be secured and others cleared of debris for emergency vehicles.  Trees resting upon homes, blocking roads or affecting electric service needed to be removed.  Fifteen trees were felled during the storm.  Additional trees will be removed in the coming days. We anticipate total tree losses due to Tropical Storm Irene to number between 35-40.  Most importantly, however, there were no injuries to our neighbors, police officers, public works crews or volunteers.  One minor injury was sustained to a member of our fire department.  All in all we fared well with this storm. 

It was fortuitous that the magnitude of Irene fell before it hit Long Island.  But, that our Village has rebounded so completely is the residue of planning and preparations.  Our Emergency Operations planning commenced several days prior, when reports of Irene were still projections. We met each day with all department heads discussing scenarios and responses.  These meetings proved invaluable as scenarios became reality and preparation steadied nerves.  DPW Superintendent Steve Siwinski and Supervisor Richie Albertson listened to and participated in NOAA webconferences, preparing the village and readying our crews.  Police Commissioner McAllister briefed his department.  The response of our sergeants, officers and dispatchers was professional and compassionate.  SCHSD Superintendent Dr. Ralph Ferrie offered any assistance he could.  We thanked him and took him up on his offer and Recreation Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt readied an emergency shelter at FP Memorial in the event any home became inhabitable due to damage in the middle of the storm.  He solicited volunteers; members of the Rec Staff and Rec Committee, to staff the shelter.  Our FPFD Chiefs Vinnie Modica and Brian Naughton were instrumental in acquiring much needed supplies for the shelter and Headquarters and who, along with our greatest volunteers, the members of our Fire Department, were on standby at Headquarters and our outlying fire houses throughout Irene.  Our Emergency Operations were coordinated by VFP Administrator Pat Farrell, Clerk Susan Walsh, Co-Chair of Emergency Management and former Mayor Kevin Greene who was a rock throughout the night monitoring operations, coordinating communications along with Trustee Dom Longobardi, ex-Chief Joe O’Grady and PC McAllister. Our website, local news and local weather was manned, coordinated and monitored by our 4VS’s Jim Green and Veronica Venturi.   About 2 am as Irene began to express her fury, our DPW crews were now called upon in earnest and they were outstanding. 

There was no flooding in the Village.  DPW began planning weeks ago by vigilantly maintaining our storm sewers and drains, our tree department trimming and keeping our great tree resources healthy, our mechanics keeping the trucks, pay loaders, mechanical tools and all rolling equipment in optimal operating condition. 

The value of a full service village was not only illustrated during Irene, but by how we look today.  That is something about which we may be justifiably proud! What makes Floral Park great was exemplified and embodied by the spirit of our employees and our volunteers that night and since.  The actions of many, but especially our everyday heroes, our DPW crews, continue to this day. They have logged hundreds of hours clearing and cleaning the village, while still attending to refuse, recycling and maintenance.  Along with Steve Siwinski and Rich Albertson the exceptional efforts of Supervisors Mike Naylor and Russ Mazzola and their crews should be applauded.

But I especially wish to thank my fellow Floral Parkers for your response to the storm.  We, as residents, took the predictions and forecasts seriously and responsibly prepared.  I heard again and again how neighbors checked in with neighbors, shared electricity and offered assistance to those without power.  It was great seeing how we support each other.  As the Village worked to expedite electric restoration or tree removal, your patience and understanding was gratifying.  Seeing neighbors helping neighbors or sharing storm stories as we together cleared our streets of debris reinforces why Floral Park is a great place to live!

August 22, 2011

Public safety is one area where Floral Park has exerted its rights as a community. The quality of life we enjoy is a function of the sense of security we feel. This week’s principle from our 2007 Statement of Principles addresses safety and security.  Safety and security may be the area of greatest concern, an area where the most negative impacts may be realized by the development of an Indian casino at Belmont Park.

 

SAFETY AND SECURITY IS A NECESSITY NOT A LUXURY

VI. The safety and security for the facilities and their neighboring communities must be maintained and increased.  Safety includes the safe inflow of traffic to and from the facilities whether the sites are hosting an event or conducting ongoing operations.  Security should include use of state of the art technology, including requiring proper identification of all persons permitted in the non-public areas at the facilities.  In addition, as these facilities have already been designated as staging areas should an emergency or natural disaster take place, there must be state of art readiness and facilities in place.

 

Floral Park is proud to be one of the few full service villages in Nassau County that maintains its own full time police force.  This commitment to public safety is a cornerstone of our community remaining a great place to live and raise a family.  The potential introduction of a 24/7/365 full scale casino at Belmont Park will no doubt have a significant impact on our public safety resources.  I have asked our Police Commissioner Stephen McAllister and his staff to consider the impact the Shinnecock casino at Belmont Park could have on Floral Park. The preliminary analysis is quite disturbing. In particular, according to a study authored by Grinols and Mustard, while the crime rates near casinos may initially remain comparable to historical crime patterns, after about 3 or 4 years, after the initial novelty of the excitement created by any new casino facility subsides, there appears to be a steady increase in crime, and the types of crime committed are quite different than what was taking place before the presence of a casino.  The data suggests that casinos create crime and not merely move crime from one area to another.  Now bear in mind that the areas where many casinos have been built were either in dire shape or desolate even before the casinos were introduced, so what a casino at Belmont Park could bring to our community in the way of criminal activity may not be predicted based upon the experiences of places like Atlantic City, Detroit or even rural Connecticut.  One thing is for sure, however, introducing tens of thousands of additional visitors to any area will result in increased traffic, accidents and crime.

 

We also have the benefit of reviewing the comprehensive report prepared by the community leaders of Palmer, Massachusetts, a community of 12,500 that has been considering the introduction of an Indian casino into their community. They studied various issues, including public safety, and concluded that their police department needed to be dramatically expanded and additional public safety facilities needed to be built in order to accommodate an Indian casino in their area.  While the Shinnecocks would surely have security to protect their own property and visitors while at Belmont Park itself; will or can the Shinnecocks also protect their neighbors and their homes once their visitors leave the secure confines of Belmont Park? Given that the Shinnecocks casino will be open and may be serving alcohol all hours day and night, will our roads see an influx of after hour patrons from all over the metropolitan area? Will those same all night revelers also be leaving Belmont Park about the same time our school children will be going to school in the morning?  Having a DUI check point near Floral Park Memorial High School is not something our local police department should have to consider, but if so, our local taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to protect the community from unlawful activity emanating from Belmont Park!  Will Floral Parkers be left with no choice but to depend on the benevolent protection of the Shinnecocks, the State of New York or Nassau County rather than the current peace of mind we enjoy with our own police department?  Is that fair?

 

The studies suggest that casinos have a significant impact on the local community and bring “more work for police, courts and more filled jail cells.” (Miller and Schwartz 1998).  As one community leader in Palmer has suggested “there needs to be some mechanism to ensure the host community does not end up as becoming a net loser in the process” and to “have a host agreement in place that will cover ALL the expense…so that no burden is placed on the citizens to cover any expenses associated with a casino.” (See Palmer Citizen’s Casino Impact Study Committee Report dated April 13, 2009). 

 

We assume the Shinnecocks will install state of the art security at Belmont Park. Floral Park must be assured that we will maintain and perhaps even enhance the safety and security of our community in a similar manner as a result of a casino at Belmont Park.  We don’t want to find, like the citizens in New Orleans after Katrina did, that what was thought to be the community’s dream facility, their Superdome, turns out to be a nightmare of shallow promises and unfulfilled expectations.

August 15, 2011

Recently, the taxpayers of Nassau County unequivocally said NO to the Coliseum referendum, a proposal with more questions than answers. Too often we, the taxpayers and underwriters of these legislative follies, are left with jaws agape and wallets emptied when the details of these ‘good ideas’ are exposed. This week‘s principle from our 2007 Statement of Principles deals with the importance details and rules are for a fair race.

PLAY BY THE SAME RULES AND ‘PONY UP’ A FAIR SHARE

V. These facilities are NOT an island, but are an integral part of the communities in which they are located. They should be subject to the SAME rules as their neighbors, including zoning, employment, housing codes, regulations and police oversight. The facilities should therefore contribute their FAIR SHARE for the services and infrastructure their surrounding communities make available to the facilities. This includes amounts for police, fire and sanitation services, either through actual property taxes or a similar amount even if a tax exempt status is present. An iron-clad Payment In Lieu Of Taxes [PILOT] agreement guaranteeing such a revenue stream to surrounding local political subdivisions, including the central high school and elementary school districts, should be completed.

The potential of the Shinnecocks taking control over some, if not all, of the 435 acre Belmont Park property raises a host of concerns; especially the impact a federally recognized sovereign Indian Nation could have on the surrounding community. While the State of New York has had a great deal of control over what takes place at Aqueduct and Saratoga, NYRA’s two other thoroughbred racing facilities, if it cedes control of any part of Belmont Park to the Shinnecocks, what takes place there could be beyond the control of the State of New York, and even, the federal government in some important respects.

The Town of Hempstead has had an important say over what takes place at the 77 acre Nassau Hub and Coliseum, as evidenced by Hempstead’s dramatic downsizing of the proposed “Lighthouse Project” advocated by the owner of the New York Islanders. Whether the Town of Hempstead or even Nassau County could assert jurisdiction over property under control of the Shinnecocks is a serious concern. Whether the Shinnecocks, operating a hotel with hundreds of rooms supporting a full scale casino rivaling Foxwoods Casino, will have to play by the same set of rules that the New York Islanders have been since 1972, seems to be an issue of fairness for everyone impacted by whatever takes place at Belmont Park.

We all know the Shinnecocks have strongly resisted the State of New York’s attempts to collect their fair share of our tobacco taxes. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the State of New York now allows the Shinnecocks to open yet another outlet to sell tobacco products at Belmont Park! Will tobacco smoking, which is prohibited inside all our public buildings, now be allowed at the Shinnecocks gaming facilities at Belmont Park? What if one of their workers at Belmont Park gets lung cancer from being exposed to tobacco smoke in the Shinnecocks’ facilities, will such a worker be allowed to sue or seek worker’s compensation? The tobacco related issues alone illustrate the game changing nature of interjecting a sovereign Indian Nation like the Shinnecocks into the equation at Belmont Park.

We have discussed the potential strains on our local infrastructure and one way to relieve our concerns would be for payments to be made on behalf of the operations at Belmont Park that would represent their fair share of those services. We must not be subject to the changing winds in Albany to be sure that we receive our fair share of what takes place at Belmont Park. Our local school districts and our local taxpayers have already been shortchanged by Albany, and there is certainly no current iron clad agreements in place which assures us that Belmont Park begins contributing its fair share to our local communities as was done in the past. Why Belmont Park’s horse owners and gambling interests should get paid first, while our school children and local taxpayers get taken care of last, is simply unfair. It must be the other way around, before anyone else tries to get their piece of the action at Belmont Park.     

August 8, 2011

The differences between an Indian Nation Casino and a state-operated VLT Racino are manifestly apparent discussing the fourth principle; funding revenue streams for education. Fairness, the foundation upon which we developed the 2007 Statement of Principles, should encompass all communities and extend to all, especially our children.

EDUCATION FUNDS MADE HERE MUST STAY HERE - FIRST IV

Since Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) will be permitted by the State of New York at one or more facilities, there must be irrevocable commitment that the communities that are neighboring these three facilities receive a dedicated stream of revenue earmarked for educational institutions within their communities, prior to any additional funds being distributed to educational institutions outside those neighboring communities. One way to ensure the neighboring communities get at least their fair share of state aid to local school districts is to require that their state to local districts be at least what the overall state average is in any given year.

The primary purpose for allowing the use of VLTs within New York State is to generate revenue specifically targeted for educational uses. While VLTs have been allowed to operate at Aqueduct as a result of special legislation passed in the aftermath of 9-11-01, now, almost 10 years have passed without one dollar being fed into a slot machine at Aqueduct; primarily due to the State of New York’s inept and scandal-plagued process of selecting a VLT operator at Aqueduct. The promised one million dollars a day windfall for education has yet to be realized from Aqueduct. That billions of dollars of potential revenue for education have been lost the past decade is truly a stinging indictment of the wasteful and bumbling ways of Albany. We hope those days of stagnation have passed with the election of this new legislature and governor.

The unique competitive advantage of allowing the Shinnecocks to operate a full scale casino at Belmont Park is that, as a federally recognized sovereign Indian Nation, their casino can offer all types of legalized gambling, including card and table gaming, rather than just VLTs. The Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos, operated by separate federally recognized sovereign Indian nations in Connecticut, share 25 percent of their slot machine revenue with the state, however, unlike Massachusetts, its table gaming revenues have not been shared with Connecticut’s government. Last year Foxwoods had $649 million in total slot revenues and $267 million from its gaming tables; while neighboring Mohegan Sun realized $736 million in total slot revenue and $291million in gaming revenues. Connecticut received $162 million from Foxwoods and another $184 million from Mohegan Sun last year alone, under its current ‘slots only’ arrangement.

Now much is yet to be negotiated and determined about how additional revenues generated at Belmont Park are to be shared among the various stake holders, but the Village of Floral Park, as a major hosting community, deserves and must be a fully participating and sharing stake holder. As we understand the current proposal being discussed among the Shinnecock Indian Nation, the State of New York and representatives from Nassau County, is that the State of New York will receive 25 percent of the ‘slots only’ revenues, a quarter of which, or 6.25 percent, will be set aside for Nassau County. Since Nassau County provides the Elmont community with its police protection and other vital services, we are sure that Nassau County officials have done their “due diligence” to determine that 6.25 percent of the ‘slots only’ revenue is a fair amount of compensation for all its constituents that depend upon Nassau County for those vital services.

In addition, the horse racing interests represented by NYRA, which are already assured a dedicated VLT revenue stream from Aqueduct, are in for a similar dedicated amount from any new gambling operations at Belmont Park. While the State of New York and Nassau County will be handsomely rewarded through the potential revenues that will flow through Belmont Park, the Village of Floral Park deserves to be on equal footing or at least on a comparable scale with what the horse racing interests have been given from projected revenues. We hope the Shinnecocks will never promise to assist millionaire horse owners without first taking care of their new neighbors within the local community.

If the State of New York only allows VLT gambling to take place at Belmont Park, then Belmont Park would be no different than Aqueduct and all revenue will have to be dedicated solely for educational purposes. By allowing the Shinnecocks to operate a casino at Belmont Park, with slots and gaming tables, however, the State of New York and Nassau County will be free to use any revenues generated from Belmont Park with no strings attached. Unless the Shinnecock Nation dedicates at least some fair share of its revenues directly with the Village of Floral Park, they may walk away from the table without sharing one dime with its hosting community. Does that sound fair and equitable?

Given that the Shinnecocks no doubt appreciate that the Floral Park community may have developed a healthy mistrust for Albany keeping its promises, especially when it comes to the empty promises the surrounding communities have heard for so long concerning Belmont Park, having a direct working relationship with the Village of Floral Park on their casino proposal makes sense for everyone. While the State of New York recently took complete ownership over the 435-acre Belmont Park site, for example, it did not provide ironclad guarantees to continue payments of Belmont Park’s local property taxes, especially to the Elmont and Sewanahaka School Districts. Did anyone in the Elmont School District notice a large increase in taxes caused, at least in part, to the fact that one of its largest taxpayers, Belmont Park, which contributed an estimated 6 percent share of its tax base, suddenly disappeared from its tax rolls when the State of New York came into control of Belmont Park? Since Sewanahaka Central High School District is comprised of five school districts, including Floral Park-Bellerose, we have all lost out on Belmont Park’s traditional property tax revenues. Belmont Park previously contributed an estimated 2 percent of the Sewanahaka school district’s overall tax revenue. Because the State of New York has not been providing a dedicated stream to the local school districts hosting Belmont Park, it has left the local communities understandably mistrusting of Albany suddenly doing the right thing.  One thing is clear however, the Shinnecocks need the Village of Floral Park and not the other way around!

August 1, 2011

Continuing our analysis of an Indian Casino at Belmont Park using our Statement of Principles from 2007, we focus on the third principle; infrastructure.  Nothing has been the same since Belmont Park-NYRA altered the natural contours and drainage piping subsequent to its renovation in 1964-67.  Flooding in Floral Park and Elmont is not a natural occurrence; it is the consequence of unexamined development.

PLAN AND PROVIDE NEW STATE OF THE ART INFRASTRUCTURE

III.   In order to achieve that goal, there must be a plan in place for a state of the art infrastructure and facilities worthy of being called the nation’s premier venues for thoroughbred racing and a source of community pride.   Such  modernization  of  the infrastructure must encompass and be projected  into  the  surrounding  neighborhoods  in which such world class entertainment facilities  are  situated.  This includes a complete updated inventory  and  evaluation  for  updating of roads, state of the art water, sewer,  water  recharge  basins  and electrical  systems  both within and surrounding  these  facilities.   From user friendly sidewalks and lighting to  new  estate fencing, the facilities must be able to compete with and be comparable  to  the  support already  provided or committed to other major entertainment facilities  in  the  State of New York such as the new Major League  Baseball  facilities  at  Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the new Citi Field in Flushing  Meadows  Queens  and  the  new  National  Basketball Association venue in Brooklyn.

Much has been written about the urgent need to replace the outdated and apparently obsolete Nassau County Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1972!  Surely Belmont Park, which is over 100 years old and had its last major overhaul in the early 1960's, is long past due for similar renovations.  While  NYRA  is moving ahead with a $100 million updating of its  Saratoga  facilities  and  the  new $300 million VLT  Resorts World  at Aqueduct is scheduled  to  be  open this fall, there has been no similar commitments  made  to update the infrastructure at Belmont Park.  We have heard nothing from the State of New York about when it will begin rectifying the serious infrastructure deficiencies emanating in and around its Belmont Park property, even though the State of New York now has singular ownership and control over the 435 acre Belmont Park site.

We  all  understand  the  frustration our neighbors closest to Belmont Park have  experienced  due  to  the  flooding  and  water  damage caused by the inadequate  infrastructure  that  is now in place at, or impacted by Belmont Park.  We also all  recently  experienced  the third world inconvenience of having to boil our  drinking  water  primarily  as  the  result  of  troubling water tests indicating  contamination by either human or animal waste at a location not far  from  Belmont  Park.   Is  there  any  doubt  that  the  adding of the Shinnecock's  grand  plans of a  24/7/365 casino, comparable to the 14
million  visitors  a  year Foxwoods Casino, will potentially bring our already fragile  infrastructure  to its  breaking point?   How many boiled water  alerts  from  the  Western  Nassau  County  Water Authority or local flooding alerts from Nassau County OEM will the local communities experience as a  result  of  the  exponential increase of year round visitors envisioned with the Shinnecock's casino at Belmont Park?

In  order to avoid any further inconvenience to the communities surrounding Belmont Park, the first thing on the governor's agenda concerning Belmont Park must be completing   the  long  overdue  overhaul  and  updating  of  all  its infrastructure. The updating of roads, state of the art water, sewer, storm water drainage piping, storm water recharge  basins  and  electrical systems both within and surrounding these Belmont  Park facilities is a necessity and an absolute prerequisite BEFORE one  slot  machine is played or one pair of dice is tossed at Belmont Park. Having  some  new  soccer  fields  or  a new sports bar built may be a nice accommodation  for a small segment of the community, but far more important is  the  fact  that  everyone in our neighboring communities deserves to be able  to  turn  on their lights, drink their tap water or flush their toilet without  worrying  about the effects  a new megaproject at Belmont Park  will  put  on  our already stressed  local infrastructure.

Such mitigation and updating completed before any expansion at Belmont Park is a necessity and not a luxury. 

July 25, 2011

Last week I presented the first of our Belmont Task Force 2007 Statement of Principles relating them to an Indian Nation Casino at Belmont Park rather than a State sponsored VLT Racino.  Again, my hope is you will see the fundamental issues of fairness contained in each principle. Kindly allow me to present our second principle:

PRESERVE AND PROTECT RACING AND OUR COMMUNITIES ALIKE

II.   The neighboring communities support the preservation and fostering of the world class premier thoroughbred  racing  facilities  within their neighborhood.   The  communities encourage the protection and incorporation of  all  buildings  and  landscaped  features of historic, architectural or cultural  significance  into  the  local communities visioning, economic or historic planning.

     It was the intention of the Task Force to have principles which could be applied and embraced by all three NYRA facilities; Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga.  The Saratoga community had previously demanded that such an inventory be done, and the references to historical planning are in recognition of that sentiment.  We also wanted representatives of NYRA to support the concepts outlined in the Statement of Principles.  At Floral Park’s Public Hearing which  NYRA  President  Charles Hayward attended and spoke, he expressed  NYRA's  support  of  the  Statement  of Principles  without any reservations.

     Belmont Park is, and must remain, a premier thoroughbred racing facility.  It has always been and must always remain a thoroughbred racing facility where legalized gambling takes place, rather than a legalized gambling facility where thoroughbred racing takes place. We must never allow gaming interests to command the activity of this State property.  The Shinnecock, a sovereign Indian Nation, cannot be provided management oversight of the operations at Belmont Park.  Were that to happen then the gaming cart would surely be put before the horse!

     We have specifically acknowledged and want to incorporate the visioning and economic planning which the Elmont community has worked so diligently to develop over the years. We are mindful, however, that the unchecked development at Belmont Park could result in the decline of the surrounding neighboring business areas, rather than the expansion and improvement of those neighboring business areas.  For example, having a supermarket just a few blocks away from the entrance to a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year gambling facility could lead to an adverse impact on the local area  and cause  potential  customers  to  seek much less congested shopping  area  alternatives.   There may also be direct competition for the entertainment dollars of the surrounding community.  Will local residents still pay to see the Broad Hollow Theatre productions at the Elmont Library when they could go enjoy world class entertainment at Belmont Park for free?  Will local businesses;  restaurants, clothing and jewelry stores, realize dwindling receipts as customers are enticed to spend entertainment dollars at the gaming tables and slots lured by inexpensive casino subsidized dining options and no State sales tax on goods purchased within the boundaries of the sovereign Indian Nation?  This is an unfair advantage and far from a level playing field.  For generations, Belmont Park and thoroughbred racing has been an economic engine that defines and unites our communities.  We cannot allow that historic legacy to be usurped.

July 17, 2011

             Presently, our concerns regarding an Indian Nation casino at Belmont Park are based solely upon conjecture and innuendo.  In 2007, the Village established the Belmont Task Force to examine the proposal for a VLT Racino at Belmont Park.   The product of their comprehensive study was summarized and memorialized into a ten point document officially titled, “Inc. Village of Floral Park Task Force for Belmont’s Preservation and Improvement: Statement of Principles.”  The Statement of Principles was not a declaration of opposition to the proposed State sponsored VLT plan but rather a proclamation of fairness.  These Principles enunciated reciprocal and equitable recommendations outlining how neighboring residential communities could coexist with the then proposed VLT operations at Belmont Park.  The proposal today is not a State-operated VLT Racino but rather a sovereign Indian Nation casino.  Yet, the virtues contained within our Statement of Principles still hold true.  Therefore, in an effort to provide reasoned discussion to the debate, over the next several weeks, I will address the casino issue using the 2007 Statement of Principles as my guide.   My hope is you will see the fundamental issues of fairness contained in each principle. Consideration must be addressed by any proposed use at Belmont Park.

        I. The neighboring communities that shoulder the greatest burdens are to be guaranteed the greatest benefit.

        Foxwoods Resort had its humble beginnings as a bingo hall in 1986. Today, it is one of the largest gaming facilities in the world.  In 2010 Foxwoods reported $921,610,000 in gaming revenue and $267,267,000  in non-gaming revenue.  Over 14,000,000 visitors have attended Foxwoods for each of the last four years (14,000,000 / 365 =38,356 visits per day).  With a proposed sovereign Indian Nation casino at Belmont Park we need to factor an additional 5,500 daily employees, 2,000 daily Belmont Park employees:  38,356 + 5,500 + 2,000 = 45,856. Add racing fans averaging 5,000/day for the three month season and you have over 51,000 visits per day.  That’s more than a sold out Yankee game every day!  One need not be Nostradamus to know the impact this will have on our Village, especially our Police. This year’s Belmont Stakes alone had an attendance of 55,779.  That day, the FPPD worked a double staffed shift with additional overlapping shifts to cover traffic and other public safety issues due to the large number of visitors and the nature of the day.  That equates to approximately 8 officers and 3 supervisors, simply to handle that day.  Many have commented that on these heavy impact days, effective enforcement of other quality of life issues- public intoxication, underage drinking, etc. fall significantly short of what we have become accustomed to and expect. 

      With over 50,000 visitors at our doorstep every day the impact on our police is, at this point, incalculable.  Once again, using Foxwoods as the model, $4,100,000 is its contribution to the local police.  Foxwoods, in forested Ledyard, CT, will never be confused with the indescribable congestion that is Western Nassau County! What would the contribution need to be on the edge of the largest metropolis in the world?  What is the compensation for the wear and tear on our roads, our infrastructure, etc.; all burdens need to be honestly assessed. This is not simply a cost-ratio analysis- this is our home, our Village.  The Indian Nation casino proposal may provide necessary beneficial fiscal relief to government agencies beyond Floral Park; however, our Statement of Principles must be recognized and addressed by all those who stand to benefit at our expense.


 

July 11, 2011

      We have all received fliers at our homes and have all seen full page ads in our local newspapers advocating the development of a casino at Belmont Park.  The Shinnecock Nation is identified on each advertisement.  We have read reports in Newsday from our County Executive, our State Senators and other elected representatives, our neighbors in Elmont and the Nassau County Chambers of Commerce; all in seemingly generous support of the many perceived benefits from the casino proposal.   What is missing? With all this reporting there has not been discussions of any magnitude with the residents of Floral Park.
 

     We always welcome residents' comments on Village matters, but I am especially grateful to those residents who have shared their insights, concerns and opinions with me regarding locating a casino at Belmont Park via e-mails and letters.  Your direct feedback will provide valuable information needed in determining the impact this proposed use may have on your quiet enjoyment of our village.  Our successful outcome against the MTA’s unwanted and unneeded Third Track was achieved through an effective dialogue among an informed constituency.  That transparency in vetting the issues was supported by elected representatives up and down the Main Line, over 150 organizations, the NCVOA, Town of Hempstead representatives, County Legislators, Assemblymen and many State Senators. 
 

     Such transparency has yet to happen regarding the casino.  There are as many questions as there are opinions; some positive, some negative.  We are experiencing a vacuum of information. These unaddressed vacuums are filling with anxiety and suspicion. The Village Board and I recognize and share those feelings.  Therefore, let me tell you what we know and have done to date.  I have asked Deputy Mayor Jim Rhatigan to reconstitute the Belmont Task Force and it has met.  Trustee Rhatigan and I have had substantive conversations with some of our elected representatives, NYRA executives, and our neighbors in Elmont.  We have provided our Statement of Principles from 2007 regarding VLT gaming operations at Belmont Park to each of those parties and with the Shinnecock Nation.  The Belmont Task Force is gathering information, meeting with elected representatives to gain some insight and understanding on their knowledge of the casino proposal, possible level and depth of discussions and with whom these discussions have occurred. Our being excluded in this pivotal process prior to now is moot.  We plan to continue meeting with any elected or appointed representative who may have pertinent information.  To date, we have been told by elected representatives that there are many hurdles to be overcome by the Shinnecock Nation and that it may be many years off.  NYRA’s stated interest, as it relates to Belmont Park, is to expand and improve Belmont Park as a premier, world class thoroughbred racing venue.  NYRA is anxious to open the nearly completed Resorts World New York, the VLT Racino at Aqueduct, as that revenue will shore up its balance sheet and provide investment dollars for needed improvements at Belmont Park.
 

     The key component of a measured and reasoned response is information.   Any issue so important that this Village has engaged its resources, residents and elected representatives has been founded upon informed, reasoned and intelligent argument.  Our motivation is never one of isolation but rather the cautious nurturing of the dynamic and stable community that is Floral Park.  While each challenge is unique, the one constant among us is our collective ability to examine the facts, the vigilance to do what is best for our Village and the determination to grow and evolve while maintaining the benefits of living in one of the greatest villages on Long Island.
 

May 17, 2011

 

      The latest challenge to the unique quality of life we enjoy is not coming as intensified urbanization from our west, but rather, an ambush from the east.   Recent reports are that the Shinnecock Indian Nation is trying to take lands in our community, which is more than 75 miles from its reservation in Southampton.   To surrender land at either the Hub or at Belmont Park is outrageous and our village’s future with a sovereign nation next door is unpredictable.  Like his predecessor Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s efforts were rewarded by an Appellate Court’s August 2010 decision which took decades of litigation to resolve.  The decision declared that tribes, like the Shinnecock Nation in Southampton, must charge and collect state levied tax on cigarettes sold to patrons from off the reservation.  Millions of dollars of state revenue has gone uncollected as a result of these sales.  Attorney General Eric Schneiderman applauded the state’s appellate ruling saying, “Today’s decision closes an enormous tax-evasion loophole that was depriving New York of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue.  The state estimates that as much as $500,000 in unpaid taxes goes uncollected everyday as the result of Indian tobacco sales.” (The Southampton Press.) 

     Why might we be opposed to development of Belmont’s property, as a casino could be an economic engine providing jobs and revenue?  The truth, I fear, would be just the opposite.  Why should the Shinnecock Nation, which has flaunted the law by not collecting its fair share of state taxes, be rewarded with the right to reap an unfair windfall in Nassau County at the expense of the surrounding communities?  The Shinnecock Nation is a sovereign nation and therefore any State lands inside Belmont Park transferred to Shinnecock control could become sovereign lands.  Important issues like zoning, building heights, density, land uses, employee’s rights, etc.  could be beyond the laws and regulations of the Town, County or even New York State.  What if, in addition to its Hempstead Turnpike casino location, the Shinnecocks later decide to develop land adjacent to our Floral Park-Bellerose School as the perfect venue for another 25 story hotel and 7500 seat pavilion? There would be nothing we could do.  The entire matter may ultimately rest within the jurisdiction of the federal government’s Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. But whether jurisdiction resides with the federal government or the State,  how can either not declare that the more appropriate location for the Shinnecock Nation’s casino should be at its ancestral home in a Township world renowned for its tourism. 

     During former Mayor Phil Guarnieri’s tenure, Floral Park’s Belmont Task Force addressed the issues of development at Belmont Park.  Our position is well known and should come as no surprise to either our elected representatives or our neighbors. The Village of Floral Park has thoroughly and succinctly outlined our concerns and demands regarding the development of Belmont Park.

     The Task Force for Belmont’s Preservation and Improvement: Statement of Principles presented at the hearing on October 9, 2007 may be viewed by clicking here.

April 18, 2011   

     On April 2, two days before I was to be sworn in as your new Mayor, I had the privilege of joining other elected officials, firefighters, EMS personnel, 9-11 families and friends at a ceremony at Reliance Firehouse.  That day, the Patriot Flag was to be flown in honor of those lost on 9-11.  The ceremonial arch, which we saw too often after the attacks of 9-11, where two fire apparatus, their ladders fully extended, suspend the flag between the two towers.  However, the gale force winds that day proved too strong for the anchors and the now untethered flag floated softly to the ground.  Immediately scores of those attending rushed to lift the flag from the ground.  The relationship we shared to the flag changed.  We were no longer dwarfed by the enormous flag towering high above us but instead, we supported it.  We held the flag, that tactile sense was now uniting us.  As we held the flag facing each other, one was drawn to thoughts of each other’s experience and relationship of that day. The reverence and silence after each dignitary spoke was moving.  That enormous flag was not the iconic vision it was intended to be that morning, but instead an intimate symbol of what it truly represents.  That flag pulled us together as one that morning, united by the principles that identify us as Americans and the event that defines us as New Yorkers.  As the NCPD helicopter flew low and slow over the solemnity, there was a collective mournful reflection over the loss of so many.  But the strength we drew from each other, the dignity as we stood united, physically connected to each other by our flag, our freedoms and our country could not have been more appropriately expressed than they were on that gusty morning in Floral Park.

     Reorganization Night is always an enthusiastic and exciting event.  It is a new beginning and beginnings are enriched by the sense of possibility.  Our elected officials take their oaths of office and neighbors are appointed to committees. This year recently re-elected Village Justice Douglas J. Hayden was sworn in by his father, our former Mayor, the Honorable Tom Hayden.  Judge Hayden then swore in me, Trustees Mary-Grace Tomecki, Dominick A. Longobardi and Kevin M. Fitzgerald, who I appointed to complete my unexpired term.  Following some remarks, friends and neighbors accepted important roles on our various committees and boards.  Truly many functions of our Village government would grind to a halt without their voluntary contributions of their time and talent on behalf of our Village.  Their commitment in accepting such important positions to the future of Floral Park is heartwarming.  They have my and my Board’s deepest gratitude.

     I would like to conclude my first Mayor’s Message with a salute to our greatest volunteers, our Fire Department.  Each year the Fire Department honors those who have answered their last call with the ceremonial laying of Wreaths at the Firemen's Memorial at Village Hall, followed by Mass and a Communion Breakfast.  This year we honored two men:  Ex-Chief Kenny Lynch and Ex-Firefighter Ed Sieban.  Kenny, a member of the greatest generation who fought in WWII: he was an old salt and a respected and valuable member of our department and served this village for over 50 years as a fireman.  Ed, a former member of Active, moved to East Rockaway where he went on to become a trustee and eventually its Mayor.  His call to serve his neighbors in East Rockaway was met with the same passion and vitality with which he and his family served this village.  Kenny Lynch and Ed Sieban are a credit to their families and they served our village and the Floral Park Fire Department with distinction and pride.  Requiescant in Pace.