Kaiman, Tu face off in candidates forum

Richard Tedesco

In the first of two debates this week, Democratic incumbent Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman faced off in a spirited verbal joust with Republican challenger Lee Tu at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Manhasset on Tuesday night on issues including patronage, taxes and the county’s proposed shuttering of police precincts.

“We’ve done a lot. Maybe we need to work together,” Kaiman said in his closing remarks. “We’re working with local leaders who make the decisions. Experience counts.”

Kaiman has pointed to the success of Project Independence, the town’s program to enable elderly residents to remain in their homes, and its inter-municipal service agreements with villages and school districts as strong points of his record

Tu stuck to one his primary campaign themes of fiscal irresponsibility as he summed up his case at the debate sponsored by the Manhasset- Port Washington League of Women Voters.

“It’s about your pockets. It’s about your pockets,” Tu said. “You know it. You pay for it.”

Both candidates drew spontaneous applause and verbal reactions from the residents gathered to hear the debate. More than once, the League of Women Voters moderator was forced to assume the role of referee, reminding those in the crowded meeting room of the church that they should not applaud and not make statements when posing questions to the candidates.

On the issue of patronage, Tu said the town was employing managers at annual salaries of $100,000.

Kaiman defended the town’s hiring practices, saying that the expertise of its managers justified the salaries.

“We have some of the most qualified people in the state,” Kaiman said. “We operate under the light of day. We are transparent.”

He said that department managers in the Towns of Oyster Bay and Hempstead had to be party leaders to land their jobs.

“That’s the way you do it on your side of the aisle,” Kaiman said.

Tu, who is president of the Albertson Republican Club, said he turned down a position as a commissioner with the Town of Hempstead after his unsuccessful run against Kaiman in 2009.

“Maybe I should have taken it,” he said, in an obviously sarcastic tone. “It’s about compassion. It’s about management. It’s about leadership.”

Jim McHugh, president of the New Hyde Park Civic Association, criticized Kaiman for the lawsuit the town filed against Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos to resist the comptroller’s attempt to audit the financial records of the Clinton G. Martin Park Park District in New Hyde Park.

Kaiman repeated his assertion made when the lawsuit was filed that the comptroller’s office lacked jurisdiction to audit the park district’s records.

The issue about the park district’s finances centers on whether the town has paid $15,000 a year in rent owed for a building the town uses at Clinton G. Martin Park.

Kaiman said the town had publicly disclosed financial records regarding the park district.

“We then went forward and paid the whole thing off,” he added.

Tu said the would have opened the financial records on the park district to the comptroller’s office and criticized Kaiman for his remarks about Marianna Wohlgemuth, the president of the Lakeville Estates Civic Association, who has alleged that the town still owes the park district money.

“The civic leader who brought this up was called names,” Tu said. “She was called a ‘gadfly’.”

The two candidates also crossed swords over the town’s prospective plan to purchase the Roslyn Country Club.

“We have two great pools at Tully Park and Manorhaven,” said Tu.

Tu said the pool and tennis courts in the former Roslyn Heights facility should stay in private hands.

Kaiman reiterated his position that open space should be preserved and that the town’s takeover of the property and planned creation of a town recreation facility to be supported with membership fees would not be a burden to taxpayers.

The single issue both candidates agreed on was the issue of Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano’s plans to shutter two police precincts.

“He’s not my leader. I will fight for the people of North Hempstead,” Tu said, adding that he told Mangano no police precincts should be closed.

“One of the problems with the county government is that it’s broken,” Kaiman said. “It’s unacceptable to defund the government and abandon public safety.”

Tu touted his record of cutting costs as director of administration at Cornick, Garber & Sandler in Manhattan as one of his assets.

“I’ve learned to do more with less,” Tu said.

Defending his fiscal record, Kaiman noted that the town recently reached an agreement with the town Department of Public Works employees for a “zero percent” increase in their current contract. He also said the town needs to address the issue of pension insurance.

He also pointed to the plan the town developed to construct one sewer plant in Great Neck instead of two plants that were being planned.

“I know how to get the grant money,” Kaiman said. “Ultimately, this is one of the great stories of how we handle grant money.”

Kaiman and Tu are scheduled to engage in a second debate to be carried on Cablevision’s News 12 channel on Friday night.

Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204

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