13th L.D.
Posted
Battle over 13th District seat
Longtime Legislator Gonsalves takes on political newcomer Rossi
By Hector Flores
Ten-year incumbent Norma Gonsalves, a Republican from East Meadow, and local activist John Rossi, a Democrat from North Merrick, are vying to represent Nassau County's 13th Legislative District, which encompasses East Meadow, Salisbury and portions of North Merrick, North Bellmore and Levittown.
In anticipation of the election on Nov. 6, the Herald sat down with both candidates last week to discuss the issues they felt were most important to their constituents.
Consolidation and tax relief
Both candidates say that the No. 1 one issue faced by residents of the 13th District is the county's high property taxes, but they offer different solutions for a complex problem. Gonsalves believes that neither county administrators nor the Legislature have done enough to reduce spending. "Over the past seven years, we have experienced an increase in spending of $812 million," she said. "The number of patronage jobs are double what [Former County Executive Tom] Gulotta had."
Gonsalves explained that the county's parks department has six commissioners, yet only 215 employees to look after 80 county parks. "We don't need six deputy commissioners for the parks department," she said.
Gonsalves added that this kind of spending has resulted in the loss of funds for youth services and the likelihood of a future deficit. "Youth service organizations have asked us for money, and we can't do it," she said. "I'm concerned down the road. If we don't stop spending we will have a deficit in 2010."
According to Gonsalves, the county is too top-heavy, and should cut costs by merging some departments and not creating new ones. "In this administration, there were some departments that were merged, but then we created seven others," she said. "We need true consolidation."
Rossi, a member of County Executive Tom Suozzi's Property Tax Reduction Initiative work group, believes that the real reason county taxes are out of control is the many layers of government. "We do have overlapping government," he said. "For example, we have two different sewer and water companies serving our communities. In Merrick we're served by Aqua, and in East Meadow we have the East Meadow Water District. The water bill in East Meadow is cheaper, but both districts use the same water."
Rossi believes that true savings will come only when the county's special districts are consolidated. That is why he favors Suozzi's current consolidation plan. "We need to know why East Meadow water is cheaper," Rossi said. "Suozzi has raised $700,000 to research consolidation and I like that approach."
Gonsalves, however, said that Suozzi should consider consolidating county services before he starts looking at other agencies. "Suozzi should stay at home," she said. "We can't consolidate [special districts or schools]. We need to consolidate at home first."
Tax relief
Gonsalves said that the best way to alleviate the tax burden on county residents is to freeze property assessments, whose steady increases, she believes, have contributed to the spike in property taxes. "I want the whole assessment process reviewed and changed," she said. "And we need to cut county expenses from the top."
Rossi disagreed, saying that freezing assessment would not lead to tax relief because it does nothing to stabilize the tax rate. "Assessment is just part of a formula," Rossi said. "Freezing it does nothing to reduce taxes because the tax rate is not fixed."
Rossi said that the best way to reduce taxes is to ensure that once the county's Hub project is completed, each legislative district receives its fair share of funds. In addition, he wants county properties that are exempt from taxes to be included in the tax rolls. "In 1975, the Carltun in Eisenhower Park struck a deal with the county, which waived them from paying taxes," he said. "As a result, the East Meadow School District has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds."
Gonsalves said the agreement between the county and the owners of the Carltun must be examined before anything is done. "We must examine the contract," she said. "The contract was written that way in exchange for certain improvements promised by the owners of the Carltun."
The environment
On the environmental front, Gonsalves pointed to a bill she co-sponsored, and that became law in February, which places stricter limitations on off-road vehicles. The law made it illegal to operate off-road vehicles on highways, streets or sidewalks or in parking lots or other public areas in the county. It also requires that anyone operating an off-road vehicle obtain written consent to ride on anyone else's property.
"We got control of where these off-road vehicles can be used so we can protect our children and environment," Gonsalves said.
She added that she has not hesitated to cross party lines when it comes to preserving the county's environment. "I co-sponsored legislation with David Denenberg that bans littering, dumping and the encroachment of county land," she said of the Merrick Democrat.
Gonsalves added that she has also worked on legislation that would reduce the county's need for diesel fuel and promote green energy.
According to the incumbent, much still needs to be done in order to ensure that county's environment is preserved for future generations. "The county is ready to sign an agreement to maintain the Meadowbrook corridor, but the state has not signed on to the agreement as of yet," she said. "And I'm still working on it."
Rossi said he believes that the best way to save the environment is to seek out environment-friendly services that are available to county residents, and that are free. "My family and I have gotten involved in freecycle.com," he said. "It's a simple concept. If you have something to get rid of, you put it online and someone who wants it will come and get it. It doesn't cost anything and it is effortless. Instead of throwing it into a landfill, you just give it away."
Other issues
As far as Gonsalves is concerned, what sets her apart from Rossi is her efforts to bring more funding to public safety. "Over the years I have been asking for a stronger police presence in the district," she said. "I want to be proactive rather than reactive. I want a police presence to be there to prevent something from happening, not wonder where they were after an incident occurs."
One of Rossi's main goal is to consolidate the district's network system, which would help the county save money. "Within the 13th district, there are several government-owned buildings...which are all under different networks," he said.
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
Norma Gonsalves
Gonsalves, 73, was born in Brooklyn in 1934. She earned a degree in history from St. Joseph's College for Women and a Master's from Hunter College and Brooklyn College. She taught English, drama and journalism in Brooklyn for 25 years.
She and her husband, John, moved to East Meadow in 1962. Since then Gonsalves has amassed an impressive resume of civic involvement. She is project director for Crime Watch and Civilian Patrol, and serves as a delegate to the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations - a group she founded - from the Wenwood Oaks Civic Association. She is a member of the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, the Edward J. Speno Lodge #2568 Order Sons of Italy in America and the Kiwanis Club of East Meadow.
She is also a graduate of the Nassau County Citizens Police Academy, a former spokeswoman for the Nassau County Correctional Facility Advisory Committee and a past member of the Town of Hempstead Solid Waste Advisory Committee.
Gonsalves has served as chairwoman of the East Meadow Bicentennial Committee, PTA Units president, PTA Council president and UFT Executive Board Chapter member.
She has been a Nassau County legislator since 1997, and serves on the following committees: Minority Affairs; Government Services and Operations; Planning, Development and the Environment; Health and Social Services; and Public Safety.
Gonsalves has three children, three grandsons and a granddaughter.
John Rossi
Rossi, 50, was raised North Bellmore, and graduated from Mepham High School in 1975. He earned a degree in communications from St. John's University and a Master's in telecommunications from New York University. He and his wife, May, moved to North Merrick in 1983.
Rossi worked for NYNEX - now Verizon - until 1992, when he founded TeleTech Associates Inc., a local company providing consultation and training services to telecommunication carriers and service providers.
An active member of the North Merrick Community Association, Rossi is a former president of the Wenshaw Park Civic Association. He is a volunteer at Sacred Heart Parish in North Merrick, serving on the Finance Council and Capital Campaign Committee for the new church being planned.
Rossi was re-elected to the North Merrick Board of Education in 2007, and chairs the district's subcommittee on technology. He has also served on the Project SAVE subcommittee, which addresses issues relating to school safety. In 2006 he was appointed vice president of the North Merrick Board of Education, and he continues to provide oversight and stewardship of 1,300 children and a $23 million budget.
At the county level, Rossi serves on County Executive Tom Suozzi's Property Tax Reduction Initiative work group, which has been exploring ways to reduce taxes.
Rossi has three children: Matt, a junior at Boston University; Ally, a freshman at SUNY Morrisville; and Bridget, a sixth-grader at the Old Mill Road Elementary School.
Longtime Legislator Gonsalves takes on political newcomer Rossi
By Hector Flores
Ten-year incumbent Norma Gonsalves, a Republican from East Meadow, and local activist John Rossi, a Democrat from North Merrick, are vying to represent Nassau County's 13th Legislative District, which encompasses East Meadow, Salisbury and portions of North Merrick, North Bellmore and Levittown.
In anticipation of the election on Nov. 6, the Herald sat down with both candidates last week to discuss the issues they felt were most important to their constituents.
Consolidation and tax relief
Both candidates say that the No. 1 one issue faced by residents of the 13th District is the county's high property taxes, but they offer different solutions for a complex problem. Gonsalves believes that neither county administrators nor the Legislature have done enough to reduce spending. "Over the past seven years, we have experienced an increase in spending of $812 million," she said. "The number of patronage jobs are double what [Former County Executive Tom] Gulotta had."
Gonsalves explained that the county's parks department has six commissioners, yet only 215 employees to look after 80 county parks. "We don't need six deputy commissioners for the parks department," she said.
Gonsalves added that this kind of spending has resulted in the loss of funds for youth services and the likelihood of a future deficit. "Youth service organizations have asked us for money, and we can't do it," she said. "I'm concerned down the road. If we don't stop spending we will have a deficit in 2010."
According to Gonsalves, the county is too top-heavy, and should cut costs by merging some departments and not creating new ones. "In this administration, there were some departments that were merged, but then we created seven others," she said. "We need true consolidation."
Rossi, a member of County Executive Tom Suozzi's Property Tax Reduction Initiative work group, believes that the real reason county taxes are out of control is the many layers of government. "We do have overlapping government," he said. "For example, we have two different sewer and water companies serving our communities. In Merrick we're served by Aqua, and in East Meadow we have the East Meadow Water District. The water bill in East Meadow is cheaper, but both districts use the same water."
Rossi believes that true savings will come only when the county's special districts are consolidated. That is why he favors Suozzi's current consolidation plan. "We need to know why East Meadow water is cheaper," Rossi said. "Suozzi has raised $700,000 to research consolidation and I like that approach."
Gonsalves, however, said that Suozzi should consider consolidating county services before he starts looking at other agencies. "Suozzi should stay at home," she said. "We can't consolidate [special districts or schools]. We need to consolidate at home first."
Tax relief
Gonsalves said that the best way to alleviate the tax burden on county residents is to freeze property assessments, whose steady increases, she believes, have contributed to the spike in property taxes. "I want the whole assessment process reviewed and changed," she said. "And we need to cut county expenses from the top."
Rossi disagreed, saying that freezing assessment would not lead to tax relief because it does nothing to stabilize the tax rate. "Assessment is just part of a formula," Rossi said. "Freezing it does nothing to reduce taxes because the tax rate is not fixed."
Rossi said that the best way to reduce taxes is to ensure that once the county's Hub project is completed, each legislative district receives its fair share of funds. In addition, he wants county properties that are exempt from taxes to be included in the tax rolls. "In 1975, the Carltun in Eisenhower Park struck a deal with the county, which waived them from paying taxes," he said. "As a result, the East Meadow School District has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds."
Gonsalves said the agreement between the county and the owners of the Carltun must be examined before anything is done. "We must examine the contract," she said. "The contract was written that way in exchange for certain improvements promised by the owners of the Carltun."
The environment
On the environmental front, Gonsalves pointed to a bill she co-sponsored, and that became law in February, which places stricter limitations on off-road vehicles. The law made it illegal to operate off-road vehicles on highways, streets or sidewalks or in parking lots or other public areas in the county. It also requires that anyone operating an off-road vehicle obtain written consent to ride on anyone else's property.
"We got control of where these off-road vehicles can be used so we can protect our children and environment," Gonsalves said.
She added that she has not hesitated to cross party lines when it comes to preserving the county's environment. "I co-sponsored legislation with David Denenberg that bans littering, dumping and the encroachment of county land," she said of the Merrick Democrat.
Gonsalves added that she has also worked on legislation that would reduce the county's need for diesel fuel and promote green energy.
According to the incumbent, much still needs to be done in order to ensure that county's environment is preserved for future generations. "The county is ready to sign an agreement to maintain the Meadowbrook corridor, but the state has not signed on to the agreement as of yet," she said. "And I'm still working on it."
Rossi said he believes that the best way to save the environment is to seek out environment-friendly services that are available to county residents, and that are free. "My family and I have gotten involved in freecycle.com," he said. "It's a simple concept. If you have something to get rid of, you put it online and someone who wants it will come and get it. It doesn't cost anything and it is effortless. Instead of throwing it into a landfill, you just give it away."
Other issues
As far as Gonsalves is concerned, what sets her apart from Rossi is her efforts to bring more funding to public safety. "Over the years I have been asking for a stronger police presence in the district," she said. "I want to be proactive rather than reactive. I want a police presence to be there to prevent something from happening, not wonder where they were after an incident occurs."
One of Rossi's main goal is to consolidate the district's network system, which would help the county save money. "Within the 13th district, there are several government-owned buildings...which are all under different networks," he said.
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
Norma Gonsalves
Gonsalves, 73, was born in Brooklyn in 1934. She earned a degree in history from St. Joseph's College for Women and a Master's from Hunter College and Brooklyn College. She taught English, drama and journalism in Brooklyn for 25 years.
She and her husband, John, moved to East Meadow in 1962. Since then Gonsalves has amassed an impressive resume of civic involvement. She is project director for Crime Watch and Civilian Patrol, and serves as a delegate to the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations - a group she founded - from the Wenwood Oaks Civic Association. She is a member of the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, the Edward J. Speno Lodge #2568 Order Sons of Italy in America and the Kiwanis Club of East Meadow.
She is also a graduate of the Nassau County Citizens Police Academy, a former spokeswoman for the Nassau County Correctional Facility Advisory Committee and a past member of the Town of Hempstead Solid Waste Advisory Committee.
Gonsalves has served as chairwoman of the East Meadow Bicentennial Committee, PTA Units president, PTA Council president and UFT Executive Board Chapter member.
She has been a Nassau County legislator since 1997, and serves on the following committees: Minority Affairs; Government Services and Operations; Planning, Development and the Environment; Health and Social Services; and Public Safety.
Gonsalves has three children, three grandsons and a granddaughter.
John Rossi
Rossi, 50, was raised North Bellmore, and graduated from Mepham High School in 1975. He earned a degree in communications from St. John's University and a Master's in telecommunications from New York University. He and his wife, May, moved to North Merrick in 1983.
Rossi worked for NYNEX - now Verizon - until 1992, when he founded TeleTech Associates Inc., a local company providing consultation and training services to telecommunication carriers and service providers.
An active member of the North Merrick Community Association, Rossi is a former president of the Wenshaw Park Civic Association. He is a volunteer at Sacred Heart Parish in North Merrick, serving on the Finance Council and Capital Campaign Committee for the new church being planned.
Rossi was re-elected to the North Merrick Board of Education in 2007, and chairs the district's subcommittee on technology. He has also served on the Project SAVE subcommittee, which addresses issues relating to school safety. In 2006 he was appointed vice president of the North Merrick Board of Education, and he continues to provide oversight and stewardship of 1,300 children and a $23 million budget.
At the county level, Rossi serves on County Executive Tom Suozzi's Property Tax Reduction Initiative work group, which has been exploring ways to reduce taxes.
Rossi has three children: Matt, a junior at Boston University; Ally, a freshman at SUNY Morrisville; and Bridget, a sixth-grader at the Old Mill Road Elementary School.
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