By Nick Buglione
Legis. Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow), of the 13th District, will in turn take over Salisbury and become, for the most part, the East Meadow School District's sole county representative.
"It appears, from what I've seen of the map, that I lose everything west of Newbridge Road," a dejected Dunne (R-Levittown) told the Herald. "I'm going to do the best I can where I am, but I'd like to continue serving Salisbury."
The 11-member Nassau County Temporary Districting Commission was originally charged with the responsibility of coming up with a redistricting proposal for the Legislature to vote on, but the Democratic and Republican appointees developed different recommendations and couldn't agree on a comprehensive plan.
The onus then fell on the 19-member Legislature, and in a Feb. 10 news conference, the Democratic majority revealed a map of new district lines -- essentially a copy of what the commission's Democrats proposed, with a few revisions to predominately black and Latino districts.
Under that plan, Dunne will lose Salisbury to Gonsalves and take over a western section of North Wantagh and all of Wantagh and Seaford from Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick).
Testimony and letters from local residents, along with population shifts, were said to have precipitated the move.
"This is a fair plan for Nassau County, and it keeps all 19 incumbents in individual districts," said Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), the Legislature's presiding officer.
Some East Meadow civic leaders, however, don't agree. Considering that the East Meadow School District is the largest in the county, they fear losing an extra voice in the Legislature.
"I'm a Democrat, and I'm speaking from my heart," said Helen Meittinis, president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue in Salisbury and one of the redistricting plan's staunchest local opponents. "I feel betrayed by them.
"I think Norma is fantastic, and that has nothing to do with this. They're taking away the voice of the people. I believe there will be important decisions to come in the future, and we'll lose. We're dead in the water."
Richard Cardozo, president of the Carman Community Association, echoed Meittinis. "Norma is a good person, but having two good people is better than one good person," said Cardozo, who initially though it would benefit all of East Meadow to be covered in one legislative district.
Others in Salisbury, like community activist Viki DeJong, don't think losing a voice in the legislature will have such an impact. "I think it's a very minor point," DeJong said. "It's more important that we be represented by one legislator rather than two."
She reasons that one legislator serving the entire community will be more in tune with the issues and needs of that area.
Gonsalves said, "I think it was a good idea [to have two representatives]. If that reasoning was good in 1994, why isn't it good now?"
Still, with the Democrats holding a 10-9 majority over the Republicans in the Legislature, there's little doubt that the redistricting plan will pass on Feb. 24.
"They have the votes to pass it," said Dunne, who has family living in Salisbury and a granddaughter attending Bowling Green Elementary School.
Republicans had hoped that Legis. Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) and Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), who initially expressed reservations about losing minority neighborhoods through redistricting, might oppose the plan. Revisions to the lines, however, were made and the two were pacified.
"This map maintains effective minority districts," Corbin said. "In fact, Districts 1 and 2 increase as a percentage of minority population and comply with the federal Voting Rights Act."
Charging the Democrats with gerrymandering -- deliberately rearranging boundaries to influence the outcome of future elections -- the Republicans will likely take their case to court. Yet Dunne is not so sure that'll make a difference.
"We'll fight it in court, but there has not been one decision in our favor when it comes to the gerrymandering of lines," said Dunne, who believes he's being moved out of Salisbury because of his success there in recent elections.
He also noted that he doesn't believe his move out of Salisbury will weaken support for Gonsalves. "I believe it strengthens Norma Gonsalves, because it's been a very good area for me," Dunne said.
Gonsalves doesn't think the move will hurt her chances of re-election either. "I guess the reason they put East Meadow as a whole is to weaken my base, but the East Meadow School District is my base," she said. "I work hard, so I'm not concerned whether or not it's going to."
But if anyone truly appears to benefit from the move, it's Democrat David Denenberg, who will pass the traditionally Republican neighborhoods of Wantagh and Seaford to Dunne -- making a November re-election bid probably easier for both of them.
"I am sure that's the way people will look at it," Denenberg said. "But if you look at my results in Wantagh and Seaford, I won in Seaford and barely lost in Wantagh. And I'm getting North Bellmore, which typically votes Republican.
"I hate the entire process, but unfortunately it's a necessary evil," he continued. "I'd say it's a fair plan."
Redistricting takes place every 10 years, in accordance with the U.S. Census. The Legislature's district lines were drawn in 1995, based on 1990 Census data. This marks the first time its lines were redrawn.
Once passed, the new districts will go into effect after legislators take office following the November election.
