Candidates discuss political mailings, lack of parking at library forum

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At a candidates’ forum in Franklin Square last week, commuter parking in southwestern Nassau County and political mailings distributed by the Town of Hempstead were the focus of extensive discussion by a county legislator, two Town of Hempstead councilmen, their three challengers in next month’s election and residents who attended.

The Oct. 8 forum, organized by the League of Women Voters of Nassau County, took place in the Franklin Square Public Library, where League members collected written questions from audience members that were then posed to the candidates.

The panel included 8th District Legislator Vincent Muscarella; his opponent, Carl Gerrato; 2nd District Councilman Ed Ambrosino; his opponent, Tammie Williams; and 3rd District Councilman Bruce Blakeman and his opponent, Milagros Vicente. Muscarella missed all but 10 minutes of the forum due to a county budget meeting.

Residents of Franklin Square and Elmont who commute into Manhattan voiced their long-held frustration over the lack of Long Island Rail Road stations in their communities, as well as the limited access to commuter parking lots and street parking near the Garden City and Floral Park stations. “I would be lying if I told you I’d take care of it,” said Ambrosino, who has represented Franklin Square and Elmont on the Town Board for the past 12 years. “This is an issue with the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] and the villages of Garden City and Floral Park, which have their own parking lots that are licensed to the MTA.”

Ambrosino said he was in favor of putting a commuter station in Belmont Park to help Elmont and Franklin Square commuters.

Blakeman suggested a meeting with the MTA to discuss options. “We are shortchanging Franklin Square, and I’m sure Councilman Ambrosino and myself can sit down with MTA,” he said. If it’s an issue, it’s something we should sit down with MTA about and work it out.”

Gerrato said he thought the best option could be approaching the villages directly. “We should be meeting with the villages and trying to make things a little better,” he said, “and come out with a reasonable solution where everyone could be afforded an opportunity to park.”

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