All Long Islanders and Islander fans know that the Hempstead GOP, led by Kate Murray, cross-checked the Islanders’ plans for building their new Coliseum at the Hub. As a result, the Islanders were banished from Nassau County to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Now the Islanders are proposing a new and improved arena at Belmont Park and once again the Hempstead GOP is mounting a belated last-ditch opposition to the entire redevelopment proposal at Belmont Park.
Local residents have received official Hempstead Town Board mailings sent by two Hempstead GOP candidates, using taxpayers’ money, to proclaim their opposition to the Islanders’ proposal in all respects.
In fact, Muscarella’s belated “Belmont Race Track” letter went to over 7,000 addresses in May, long after the March 1 DEIS comment period ended.
Please note that the Hempstead GOP had many opportunities, over two years, to participate in the public comment period for the Belmont Park proposal by its March 1 deadline.
On every occasion, I stood up and spoke out for our neighbors, and yet, the entire Hempstead GOP slate simply sat on their hands and missed the deadline date without public comment.
All three steps needed for N.Y. ESD’s redevelopment of Belmont Park have now been completed, and the reality of that needs to be acknowledged rather than denied.
Please compare my involvement as a community leader who has been in the arena fighting hard to preserve, protect and defend the interests of my constituents and my neighbors on a whole litany of issues, especially regarding Belmont Park.
Unlike my opponent, who was all but missing in action during the entire Scoping and Environmental Review process. I was there standing up for our constituents from the first drop of the puck.
The Islanders have won the right to now execute their game plan at Belmont Park.
It is now up to our local voters to decide who they want to trust with this and advocate on their behalf – someone with a record of 16 years of public service, achievement and accomplishments or a neophyte appointment who so far this year can’t even adhere to deadlines or find the voting booth.
Thomas Tweedy
Floral Park
