Thursday, October 1, 2026
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman delivered an upbeat State of the County address Monday night, portraying a region he called “the safest county in America” and highlighting investments in public safety, fiscal management and community services.
Blakeman, who is the Republican candidate for governor, opened with gratitude “to thank God, Hashem,” and said Nassau remains “the most desirable place to live in New York” and “the most affordable county with the lowest poverty rate in New York state.”
He emphasized a continued focus on crime reduction, noting that “major crimes continued their journey with downward trend last year falling by 10 percent over the previous year,” and touted recent law enforcement actions including “the largest gang takedown in our history” and “the largest drug bust in county history.”
Blakeman praised the Nassau County Police Department, saying safety “would not be possible without the brave men and women” of the force, and highlighted the hiring of 600 police and corrections officers during his tenure. He also celebrated the opening of the Harry Singvola Police Training Village, calling it “state of the art” and asserting the investment “guarantees that Nassau’s police are the best trained and best equipped.”
On immigration, Blakeman reiterated that Nassau “is not a sanctuary county,” citing collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and that he said removed “over 200 illegal migrants who have committed crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, carjacking, drug dealing and human trafficking.”
He also promoted work on a “guest worker program” for “hard working, law abiding immigrants,” which he called “compassionate” and “common sense.”
The county executive tied economic strength to “fiscally conservative decisions,” stressing, “I have not raised taxes one penny in four years.” He highlighted “seven bond upgrades” and said the county is “more financially stable than ever.”
Blakeman also detailed initiatives in opioid prevention —“overdose related deaths dropped by over 16 percent”—historic preservation, parks improvements, and expanded support for minority- and women-owned businesses. He reaffirmed his stance on youth sports, saying, “In Nassau County boys play with boys and girls play with girls.”
After the speech, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, a Democrat, issued a sharply critical response.
“Tonight we heard a polished speech filled with promises,” she said. “But Nassau County residents deserve results,” noting that “the gap between Bruce Blakeman’s rhetoric and reality couldn’t be clearer.”
DeRiggi-Whitton said Blakeman “promised to fix Nassau’s broken assessment system” but instead “kept assessment rolls frozen,” and added, “He promised tax cuts. Not one has been delivered.”
She criticized the use of federal relief funds, saying millions went to “politically connected lawyers, parades, and galas,” and warned that “police staffing is below required levels” and “911 operator positions remain dangerously understaffed.”
