Says village did nothing to stop flood maps

To the Editor:

This is my first political campaign as a candidate, and I am already reflecting on the nature of the experience. Although I have heard in the past that you must be prepared for the twisting of the truth or lies, name-calling and other less than desirable acts of civility, I have come to realize how the thirst for power and recognition and personal ambition can cause normally well-meaning individuals to jeopardize their character and respect for the truth.

In Valley Stream, a major issue in this year’s election is the outrageous cost of mandatory flood insurance and the destruction of property values brought on by the adoption and implementation of new flood maps developed by the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In their election literature, my opposition discusses how it wants to work to lower insurance rates and ameliorate the personal damage thrust upon the residents by the highly questionable maps and supportive science quoted by FEMA.  What my opposition “forgets” is that they represent the incumbent administration of Valley Stream, which had the opportunity to voice and strongly put forth their objections to the flood map categorization directly to FEMA. They do not mention that they did not voice those objections, and in fact, signed off on the maps.

Instead of announcing a preliminary information meeting between FEMA, the village government and the residents in a manner such as the methods used in issuing tax bills or sending sanitation information, they issued an announcement tucked away in the legal notice section of a newspaper not read by many of the residents.

The opposition in recent campaign literature takes credit for work it has done in securing a moratorium on insurance rates and how it has partnered with FEMA to work on improving Valley Stream’s categorization by FEMA as a high-risk zone. They also say how they will be meeting shortly with Jim Callahan, the director of  Nassau County’s Office of Emergency Management, to assist the “victims” of FEMA’s categorization like myself.  Voters should make careful note of the following:

1) Long before the village took any action, my running mate, Carol Crupi, organized community residents and commenced contacts and actions with political figures and other communities which actually led to the moratorium. Carol Crupi has already had discussions with Jim Callahan. Although my opponents would have you believe that the moratorium is part of a cure, it is actually a Band-Aid that gives a false sense of security. In 22 months, the moratorium will end and the “victims” of FEMA will again be sent outrageous premiums that may be even larger than those sent this past year. My opponents do not discuss that FEMA’s categorization change has left major parts of Valley Stream with homes that are unmarketable and with severely reduced property values (far beneath those caused by the economy).

2) My running mates and I are dedicated not to reducing rates or moratoriums. We want the maps and categorizations of those maps rescinded. By not objecting to those maps when they had the opportunity, the current administration implicitly divided Valley Stream and cast a major part of the community adrift in a sea of economic chaos and despair. At a recent meeting of our community organization composed of FEMA victims, one young lady recounted how she could not afford flood insurance and her mortgage payments, and how the bank then purchased flood insurance for her, and added it onto her mortgage payments. At the meeting she told us her house was now in foreclosure as a result. My opponents in the election, who were standing nearby at that meeting, did not say a thing about that instance and, in fact, did not even approach her to console her.  They did not go over to her and state that they could have objected when FEMA presented those maps but chose to sign off on them.

In the last year and a half at regular meetings of the Valley Stream Board of Trustees, which I attend, I have not heard my opponents, the incumbents, raise the problems of FEMA. Usually at the end of the business part of the meeting I rise and go to the microphone and remind them that the victims of FEMA are still here and are still fighting to stay alive. The conduct of my opponents often reminds me of what the English statesman Edmund Burke once said: “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to stand and do nothing.”

Joe Margolin

Candidate for mayor

Citizens Independence Party