Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced earlier this week that she would run for her third term later this year.
The announcement removes Rice from potentially running on the Democratic ticket for the county executive seat against incumbent Ed Mangano in November.
Newsday [paid link], Rice was likely the lead candidate for the Democrats, who now must go back to the drawing board.
Democratic leaders have touted Rice as a top candidate to challenge Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano this fall. Rice's decision creates a void for Democrats in the race.
Earlier this week, Newsday mentioned Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs and Legis. Dave Denenberg, D-Merrick, as potential candidates to unseat Mangano.
Post-Hurricane Repairs Underway at Jones Beach
As 2013 begins, repairs to Jones Beach in Wantagh following extensive damage the Long Island landmark suffered from Superstorm Sandy are underway and state officials expect the park to be ready for public use by Memorial Day weekend.
For more on this story, read here.
Nassau Dems, GOP Clash Over Redistricting Map
One week after Republicans unveiled their redistricting map, Democrats have submitted their own map to the Nassau County Legislature.
Newsday [paid link] has reported that Democrats feel the GOP's proposal "violates the Voting Rights Act and moves half of the county into different districts."
"We've given a sensible map," Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs told Newsday. "Our map moves less than 20,000 people out of 1.3 million" people living in Nassau. "Their map moves something in the area of 680,000 people and changes the entire structure of the map."
Click here to see both proposed maps.
House Approves $9.7 Billion in Sandy Aid
Less than 72 hours after failing to vote on a $60.4 billion Sandy aid bill, the House has approved a "scaled back" version of the bill, to the tune of $9.7 billion.
The bill allows Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pay out insurance claims to those who held federal flood insurance.
Click here to read more about the approved aid.
Nassau Reminds Small Businesses to Tap Sandy Recovery Resources
Earlier this week, County Executive Mangano urged business owners to utilize the programs and resources that are available to get back on their feet. Immediately following Hurricane Sandy, Mangano directed the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (NCIDA) to establish a Business Recovery Center to help businesses get up and running.
The Business Recovery Center offers affected businesses a sales tax exemption on the purchase of any furniture, fixtures, equipment, machinery, computers and building material that is necessary to ensure the businesses can reopen. Thus far, more than $1.5 million in exemptions have been issued by the NCIDA.
Approximately 20 volunteers are available to respond to inquiries relating to economic development issues. The responders are from Hofstra University, JP Morgan Chase, TD Bank and Deloitte and thus far, they have handled more than 500 inquiries to the Business Recovery Center.
The 24-hour Business Recovery Center has a dedicated hotline staffed by economic development representatives. The number is (516) 571-1745. In addition, all federal, state and local business recovery resources can be accessed at: www.nassaubackinbusiness.org. The County IDA has also established a dedicated email address where questions can be addressed by economic development professionals – LEADs@NassauIDA.org.
New STEP Program Deadline Set for Jan. 18
The county has announced a new deadline of Jan. 18 for residents to apply for Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) Program assistance. The program provides emergency assistance with restoring temporary electricity, heat and hot water to homes which can shelter homeowners while permanent repair work continues.
Residents seeking assistance through the Nassau County STEP Program should dial 1-888-684-4267. Once the call is made, a program administrator dispatches an assessment team. After an assessment is conducted and a scope of work is detailed and approved, the contractor will obtain the required permits and schedule the work. Work must be completed 60 days from when the assessment was conducted.
Fun fact, because of gerrymandering there is a majority of republicans in the US House of Representatives. BUT the raw vote, Dems got 49% and Reps got 48%.
As far as the voting maps go, there is no such thing as a bipartisan redistricting plan, never has been, never will be, and should not ever be. To the victors belong the spoils. That is our historical system, and the American way. I am aware the Democrats are sore over the prospect of losing Legislator Dave Denenberg, as well they should be. He is a good man. However, this should spur Dave into campaign mode to run against and defeat Ed Mangano. We cannot afford another term of Mangano's leadership, and we cannot afford to lose Dave Denenberg...so I say let's elect Dave Denenberg to replace Ed Mangano. In the same vane, I strongly suggest Claudia Borecky change her party affiliation to Republican and then run and replace Dave Denenberg in the Legislature. For me, that would be the best of all possible scenarios.
"To the victor belong the spoils." I did not coin that historical yet still operative phrase, which is the essence of the subject. But that's the way it is.
And that is lack of any mention of Kaiman , it seems finally even the democratic bosses have finally realized who Kaiman really is
I would hope that residents of the chunk of Massapequa being thrown into a Long Beach district will make their voices heard. Same thing for the Five Towns being splintered into 3 new districts. "Spoils" would mean legislative power, jobs for cronies, money for pet projects, etc but should not mean creating unfair elections by party-selective districts.The contortions being used to boost republicans makes a mockery of the very reason the legislature was set up.
One way to help you understand this better would be to think about trying to have this same discussion anywhere in the New York City limits, but especially in and about Manhattan. Of course, to do that correctly, simply replace the word, "Republicans" with the word "Democrats".... Getting politics out of politics is an oxymoron. Like getting darkness out of the night.
Dave Denenberg is a man for all seasons, so to speak. Many disgruntled Republicans would vote for Denenberg, however.
In actuality, the new LI congressional districts are less of a mess now than they were before. King was an inverted "T" across the south shore than weirdly up through TOBAY to the north shore. Now the districts are more normally shaped Non-partisan redistricting is not impossible. And being partisan can come back and bite the politicians on the ass. Take the state senate for example. 10 years ago the republicans added a 62nd senate district because they were slowly losing members. That 62nd seat became and issue when the state senate was evenly divided and there wasn't a Lt. Governor to be a tie-breaker. This year a 63rd seat was added by Skelos once again to increase the republican margin. Instead he lost that new district and others and technically Skelos is the leader of the minority party in the senate now. IF the republican map becomes the official map, they might keep the legislature this year but because of shifting voter registration and the republican ability to screw up, they would be out in 2 more election cycles.
I know many republicans that would vote for anyone besides Mangano and a lot of indy voters who regret their vote 4 years ago.
Another way to look at this would be, Denenberg is extremely popular and visible on the South Shore. He would definitely out-poll any Republican down here except Pete King (who certainly will not be running for County Exec). But who gets the Democrat nod will be up to the Democrats, not to you or me.
Voting for or against a candidate strictly on the basis of party line is very old school. But don't take my word for this. Ask Mit Romney, Paul Ryan, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Carl Paladino, John Faso, Dan Frisa, Fran Becker, or Bruce Bent. You can Google these people if you do not remember their campaigns. The old paradygm of party-line voting was retired and has been replaced by the current paradygm known euphamistically as "the sophisticated electorate", which made itself known in the 1992 Presidential Election and the defeat of incumbent President George H. W. Bush by upstart Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton.
http://longislandreport.org/tag/diane-yatauro
It's a gangsta's paradise in Nassau. Need a tough DA. She's definitely Misses Softee.