By Brian Zanzonico
Democratic challenger Scott Banks, who is looking unseat Republican Ed Ambrosino, served one year on the town board after being elected in 1999, part of a crop of Democrats who broke a decades-long of Republican rule in Hempstead Town. In 1999's final at-large election, Democrats picked up three seats to the Republicans' three, giving Dems a solid foothold on the council. Republicans kept control of the board only because the town supervisor, Richard Guardino (R-Point Lookout), retained a tie-breaking vote. A judge's ruling in a legal action in 1999 divided the town into six discreet districts, and mandated the town-wide system of representation changed to election by district. The Second District includes Elmont, a part of Franklin Square, North Valley Stream, South Floral Park, Floral Park, Bellerose, Stewart Manor, Garden City, New Hyde Park, Garden City South and West Hempstead.
Ambrosino was appointed to a one-year term to the Town Board in March 2003 after Joseph Kearney stepped down and ran successfully for a four-year term that November.
Both candidates suggest the impacts they've made on the town board constitute holding the post for the next four years.
Banks, an attorney who has lived in West Hempstead since 1983, said though his time as a councilman was short-lived - he lost his seat to Kearney in the 2000 election - the initiatives he introduced are still around today. He drafted legislation that called for all town board meetings to be held at night. "I would look around the room, and most of the people there worked for the town," he said.
He said the Republican majority wouldn't warm to the idea of having each meeting at night, but agreed to have one once a month. That is how meetings are scheduled to this day, but he said if he is elected, he would propose the town board hold one or two meetings a year in each councilmatic district. "That way, residents of each district don't just see their representatives, but the entire town board in action."
Banks also wrote the town's original nuisance law, which was aimed at closing the crime-ridden Courtesy Hotel in West Hempstead. It scaled back drastically after the town attorney reviewed it for constitutionality and economic impact, he said. In the summer of 2000, his proposal appeared on the agenda with major changes to the plan.
"I proposed amendments because I felt the law had no teeth. The version that appeared on the agenda had no teeth," said Banks, who is in favor of the plan proposed by Trammell Crow Residential, which has been in contract to purchase the Courtesy Hotel property since March of 2006, and has filed an application to have the property zoned so it can build 220 apartment units at the site. "It required infractions to occur inside a facility. I abstained because I objected to the amendments."
If he is elected next month, Banks said he would propose unifying the town and county's building departments to eliminate duplication of services, such as clearing snow during storms. He also said the town should be given the power to oversee special districts, such as Sanitary District No. 6.
"The town should have the oversight to audit districts on an annual basis to check traveling expenses, salaries and overtime," he said. "Special districts would not be autonomous."
Citing illegal housing as a major problem area in the district, Banks said homeowners should be given an opportunity to make their currently illegal apartments legal, excluding basements which pose a fire hazard for occupants and firefighters. He said he would work with fire inspectors to help map out a plan.
"Illegal apartments create congestion and a drag on services such as garbage pickup," he said. "And schools, of course, are obligated by law to educate children whether they're living in the district legally or illegally. If a family is renting, we're paying for their services and education, and there is no compensation for that. If they become legal, the homeowner would be responsible. The idea is to make it legal and safe."
Banks also is in favor of a hotel on the Belmont Park grounds, but is skeptical of video lottery terminals because of the traffic it may create. "I'd have to look at Yonkers because I want to see how it works in that community," he said of the upstate racetrack that also has video gaming. "You also have ask if it's worth it. Would we see revenue from it earmarked for Elmont?"
Banks said he wants one more chance to prove he can be an effective councilman.
"When I came into this race, people asked me why I'm doing this," he said. "The Democrats didn't say to me to go back in and see if I can make a difference. For me, it's not about politics. I respect Ed Ambrosino. I think Ed is a good guy. He's not effective as I was. In fact, I'm not sure what Ed has done to draft legislation."
Ambrosino, who was born in Elmont and lives in North Valley Stream, is a former Sanitary District No. 6 commissioner as well as a former attorney for the county legislature. Since defeating Democrat George Bassias by 4,500 votes in 2003, Ambrosino said he has focused on quality of life issues facing his district, and has championed beatification projects in areas like the Dutch Broadway section of Elmont. Ambrosino drafted the town's "Nail and Mail" legislation in 2005 which, allows building departments to more easily serve summonses to landlords of suspected illegal apartments.
Under provisions of the law, after three unsuccessful attempts to personally serve a summons to the owner, building inspectors may post it on the door of an allegedly illegal dwelling and serve a duplicate summons via certified mail. The fines for owning illegal housing now range from $500 to $1,500 for a first offense, $1,500 to $5,000 for a second offense and $2,500 to $10,000 for a third offense. Under the town's old system, the maximum fine for a first offense was $500, $1,000 for a second offense and $1,500 for a third offense. In addition to the fine increases, the town added more building department personnel and established night shifts, and now sends undercover building department workers to open houses for suspected illegal apartments.
Ambrosino supports the town and county's joint economic revitalization of Elmont, advocating the remodeling of existing buildings along Hempstead Turnpike. A public hearing regarding a blight study of the old Argo theater on Hempstead Turnpike and Elmont Road is scheduled for Nov. 13, and Ambrosino said he will work to foster one of the community's biggest hopes for the revitalization plan to fruition at the Argo - a supermarket. He said Whole Foods, Key Food and King Kullen are among the grocery giants who have shown an interest in coming to Elmont.
Regarding Belmont Park's future, Ambrosino said the New York Racing Association, which operates the track, needs to include concerts and other forms of entertainment to make it a true tourist destination. He also advocates for a hotel, but has reserved judgment on video gaming until a study is done. He also said if video gaming comes to Belmont, it is only right that the surrounding communities benefit.
"There should be revenue sharing among Elmont, Floral park, South Floral Park, Bellerose and Bellerose Terrace, with the funds going into an escrow account to help maintain businesses," he said.
Like Banks, Ambrosino supports consolidating services of the town and county. "We have to get rid of the way it is now, where a county truck lifts its plow and backs up when it reaches town jurisdiction during a storm. It's absurd," he said.
With the election weeks away, voters will decide whether Banks should get another shot at the town council, or if Ambrosino deserves four more years.
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