Compromise, transparency needed

Races for the Nassau County Legislature were as tight as ever this year, and in the end, control of the Legislature boiled down to the two most hotly contested matches –– in the 14th and 18th districts.

At press time, after all absentee ballots were counted, it appeared likely that Republican Joseph Belesi would keep his seat in the race against Democratic challenger Eva Pearson in the 14th District by the slimmest of margins. But in the race in the 18th District, it appeared that Democrat Delia DeRiggi-Whitton had taken a lead against Republican Robert Germino Jr. If those two races hold, Republicans would maintain control of the Legislature, 10 seats to nine.

Two years ago, Republicans ran on a tax-revolt platform and trounced Democrats, taking back control of the Legislature after Democrats had reigned for a decade. For the past two years, Republicans have had 11 seats to Democrats’ eight. That has given the GOP the ability to pretty much do as it pleases, with no need for compromise. That hasn’t been good for the people of Nassau County.

We expect the Legislature to act as an independent body, checking the county executive’s powers. Instead, the Legislature has fast-tracked and rubber-stamped any and all of Republican County Executive Ed Mangano’s proposals, most often with insufficient notice of public meetings and hearings. The Legislature has done so even as hundreds of county residents and workers have crowded legislative sessions demanding greater transparency.

Case in point –– redistricting. Every 10 years, the county must redraw the lines of its 19 legislative districts, in accordance with a process outlined in the county charter. First, after U.S. Census figures are released, the Legislature must review the numbers and look for dramatic changes in individual districts’ populations. Districts whose populations have swelled above or dropped below the target population of 70,000 must be redrawn. Thereafter, the charter calls for a series of public hearings to allow the public to comment on the reworked map.