By Brian Zanzonico
Levinson made good on his promise, and so did the library board.
With about 30 Franklin Square residents on hand - many unaware of the board's decision to disinvite Levinson - he was denied access to a multipurpose room typically used for guest speakers. A librarian told Levinson the room was locked and would not be opened, and said the issue should be taken up with the library board president. Levinson said he called board president Rev. Fred McElderry, at home, but there was no answer. He left the library a short time later.
Levinson, a Democrat running for Hempstead town supervisor, said the library board's decision was politically motivated because just six weeks earlier, Republican Receiver of Taxes Donald Clavin, running for election to the county comptroller's office, was allowed to hold a tax help session for residents. Levinson said that one of the board members is a local Republican committeeman.
"The Franklin Square library board decided that because I'm a Democrat, I'm not worthy of getting the room," Levinson said in an interview, noting that he had planned to speak strictly in his capacity as tax assessor, and not to discuss his run for town supervisor.
Trustees William Youngfert and Patricia Galaskas declined comment, and none of the other members of the board returned calls.
The library voted to nix Levinson's Sept. 15 appearance at its Aug. 30 meeting. The next day, Levinson received a fax from Pamela Lieber, the library's program director, informing him of the cancellation. "They [the library board] implied that it was too close to Election Day to give this informative and informational program," Lieber wrote. "I am personally so embarrassed that I have to tell you this so close to the date of your scheduled presentation."
Levinson responded to the board's decision by telling library Director Carol Ahrens in a Sept. 12 letter that he planned to answer any questions the public might have on reassessment and property tax structure at the library as scheduled.
"This is a disgrace," said local resident Pat Nicolosi, who said he is a registered Republican. "I went there thinking I could get some help figuring out my tax assessments and I see two cop cars there and I find out they won't let [Levinson] speak. In my own town, in my country, I witnessed someone denied their freedom of speech."
A Franklin Square resident who declined to be identified said taxpayers had the right to hear the tax assessor speak. "Our taxes paid for and maintain that library," she said. "They [the library board] don't have the right. Who are they to say who we can and can't have there?"
The library had heavily promoted Levinson's appearance all summer, including it in its newsletter and fliers posted around the library. Levinson said that what makes the cancellation even more odd is that library officials reached out to him late last spring and scheduled the date, knowing it was less than two months before Election Day.
Levinson said he wants Franklin Square residents to know it was the library's decision to cancel the appearance, not his. "The library led people to believe I canceled," he said. "They canceled me out."
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