Film fest brings Asch back to Great Neck

Jessica Ablamsky

A state Supreme Court judge Tuesday temporarily blocked the county from implementing before the November election new electoral lines that would split Great Neck and reduced the number of Democratic incumbent districts.

While both sides are due back in court June 14, the Nassau County Board of Elections must implement new lines before the June 7 petitioning kickoff for candidates.

“While I am sure that the republicans are going to appeal, I don’t believe it is going to be successful, and I believe that we are going to be running in the 2011 elections in the existing lines, not the lines that were rammed through by the Republicans,” said Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn), whose new District 11 would encompass the Great Neck Village of Lake Success, part of the hamlet of University Gardens, along with North New Hyde Park, Manhasset Hills, North Hills, and most of Roslyn.

The entire Great Neck peninsula is currently represented by Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck) in District 10.

The county Legislature approved new district lines May 24, after an appellate division judge removed enforcement of an earlier temporary restraining order. Democratic county legislators had filed suit, calling the GOP plan arbitrary, capricious, and unconstitutional.

“I was pleased with the judge’s decision,” Bosworth said. “It’s unfortunate that we are still embroiled in this controversy. Here we are, we are getting ready to being our campaigns, and we still are not sure what our new districts will be.”

Republican leaders have maintained 2010 census data requires an immediate response due to population growth that left minority voters underrepresented. To create a new minority district, the new map would split existing minority communities.

The original proposal was presented to the public April 26, after Majority Leader Peter Schmitt’s (R-Massapequa) asked Nassau County Attorney John Ciampoli in mid-April to render an opinion on redistricting requirements. He received it the same day.

Democrats have accused Republicans of drawing electoral lines before Ciampoli rendered his opinion.

At a public hearing on May 9, hundreds of people spoke out against the redistricting map, some of them self-professed Republicans. It was vigorously opposed by black residents and a majority of Great Neck village mayors.

According to Republicans, the county charter sets up a three-step redistricting process, with immediate redistricting after each census in time for the next election. A bipartisan commission would then amend district boundaries in March 2012, as mandated by the county charter.

Democrats have said the county charter required districts be described based on census data and later drawn by a bipartisan commission, after extensive public input.

Democrats suggested new lines are an attempt by Republicans to obtain a supermajority, which they agree would reduce checks and balances.

The Nassau County Legislature is currently split 11-eight in favor of Republicans. Bills need 13 votes to pass, while the new electoral map reduces the number of incumbent Democratic districts from eight to six.

Merged would be districts represented by Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) and Legislator Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin). The GOP plan would also merge districts represented by Nassau County Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), who has said she is not seeking reelection, and Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury).

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