It’s time for a renewal in the Town of Hempstead, Councilman Edward Ambrosino (R-Garden City) said.
With commuters and the science and health care industries comprising “the new economy of Nassau County,” the North Valley Stream resident said, the town needs to make itself attractive to them.
“I think the county as a whole, and the Town of Hempstead as a part of the whole, is ready to be adapted for the next reuse,” Ambrosino said in a sit-down interview with Blank Slate Media.
The 12-year councilman for the town’s 2nd District touted his efforts to spur economic growth, including his leadership on the commuter apartment building at the former Courtesy Hotel site and rezoning part of Hempstead Turnpike for commercial use in his re-election bid against Tammie Williams, a community activist who lives in Elmont.
Bringing in more projects like these, Ambrosino said, will raise revenue from mortgage and sales taxes, allowing property taxes to stay low for town residents.
Hempstead has kept its tax rates stable in recent years, but the town has come under fire from bond rating agencies for its use of reserve funds to balance the budget.
Moody’s downgraded Hempstead’s bond rating one level in 2014, and Standard & Poor’s brought their rating down three levels in March.
While he understands that the rating agencies want to see a “healthy reserve,” Ambrosino said, he would rather pass on the benefits of the fund to taxpayers than have it sit in an account unused.
“Return the money to the taxpayer,” said the councilman, who represents Bellerose Terrace, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Garden City, Garden City South, New Hyde Park, Salisbury, Stewart Manor, and parts of Bellerose, East Meadow, Elmont, Franklin Square, Hempstead, Uniondale and West Hempstead. “It’s their money.”
Ambrosino said he plans to work with Town Councilman Anthony Santino (R-Rockville Centre) — whom he presumes will win the town supervisor seat — to preserve the $80 million left in the reserve fund and find more new ways to raise revenue and cut costs.
In general, Ambrosino said, the town provides “tremendous services” to its 34 unincorporated areas.
But Williams said she has had a different experience.
In a sit-down interview last month, Williams said Garden City is Ambrosino’s primary concern as a representative and that he does not do enough to help unincorporated areas access the services they need.
She also said he did nothing to help her and other concerned residents stop a liquor store from opening on Hempstead Turnpike near a school and day care center.
Ambrosino disagreed with that claim.
He said constituents call him directly with their concerns every day, and he “immediately” assigns someone to respond to them or addresses them himself.
When he heard about the liquor store in question, he said, he called state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and asked him to tell the state Liquor Authority that it wasn’t right for the area.
“All the services available to the village are available to the hamlets, and services are a phone call away,” he said.
Ambrosino also defended the town’s hiring practices, which Williams criticized in her interview.
Williams said the town does not publicly post jobs that don’t require a civil service test, and only seriously considers candidates who are politically connected with town officials.
Ambrosino said the allegations are “not true at all. The town fully complies with the state’s civil service law, he said, and hires based on “skill and experience.”
Advertising requirements vary by position, but officials “ask around” for candidates with necessary skills, Ambrosino said.
Williams proposed a town law requiring officials to recuse themselves from hiring decisions if they know the candidate.
But Ambrosino said council members already do that, and in some cases it’s legally mandated.
“If someone’s relative is qualified for a job, they shouldn’t be penalized for their family status, nor should they be rewarded for their family status,” he said. “Let’s stick to skills and experience.”
Ambrosino is running for his fourth council term, a job that pays $71,000 each year.
He has a large financial advantage in the race, with $44,122.80 in his war chest as of Oct. 23 to Williams’ $5,240.82.
Above all, he said, he has stayed in the job to help his constituents.
“I’ve done my best to meet my objective of helping people,” he said. “I know it sounds corny, but I enjoy helping people.”
