By Scott Brinton
The hot-button issues include: possible breakup of the Roosevelt School District; decommissioning of Freeport Electric's diesel Power Plant No. 2; insurance for senior citizens; state aid for local school districts; and -- what else? -- taxes, to name just a few.
As of press time, election results were not final. The Nassau County Board of Elections was performing an automatic recount in the race, for which 75 absentee ballots were outstanding.
Meanwhile, though, McDonough was preparing to head for Albany.
The Merrick businessman, 64, said that, again and again as he stumped the 19th Assembly District, "People said, 'Keep our taxes down.'"
The assemblyman-elect hopes Gov. George Pataki will follow through with promised tax cuts. In the wake of Sept. 11, however, the state is scrambling to fill a $6.8-billion deficit over the next two years in its annual $120-billion budget. A state tax cut appears unlikely, Albany insiders say.
McDonough wants to examine the troubles that senior citizens face in obtaining insurance to supplement their Medicare coverage. Many older adults, he said, are reeling after several HMOs have recently gone under, leaving seniors without coverage to bridge the gap in medical bills when Medicare payments stop.
Seniors "get scared to death -- people in their 70s and 80s," McDonough said of older adults' reaction to losing supplemental insurance.
In the Assembly, McDonough wants to explore the possibility of a state program to provide supplemental insurance, which would be akin to the assigned-risk pool for drivers.
McDonough also plans to closely examine the Roosevelt School District issue, which has vexed state lawmakers for more than 1 1/2 years.
"I don't fully know why they [the state] don't take action, but I intend to find out," he said.
Last June, the state Senate passed legislation to take over the troubled Roosevelt School District. The district stands at the brink of financial collapse and its students are failing state tests at an inordinately high rate, according to state education officials. Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) sponsored the bill.
The Assembly has yet to agree to the measure.
McDonough says he fully supports the Fuschillo legislation, as it would keep the Roosevelt district whole, allowing children there to attend local schools. "Children are entitled to go to school in their district," he said.
As for Freeport's Power Plant No. 2, McDonough wants it shut down. Merrick and Freeport residents have fought the plant for more than a year, saying its exhaust poses a cancer risk.
McDonough said he would like to see the diesel plant rendered inoperable, perhaps by having cement poured down its smokestacks, as proposed by Merrick civic activists.
He noted, though, that if the plant could be proven to run cleanly, with the use of higher-grade fuel oil perhaps, "I'm going to look at it." He would not approve of any use of the plant if it ran under what he called a "a dirty-type operation."
Finally, McDonough said local school districts should receive a greater share of state aid for education. "Expenses go up. Salaries go up. They [the districts] need more," he said, adding that he plans to fight for greater aid in the state budget.
Kathleen Murray (R-Levittown) vacated the 19th Assembly District seat Jan. 1 after she was elected Hempstead Town clerk this past fall. Murray campaigned door to door for McDonough in neighborhoods throughout Levittown.
She said the two biggest issues McDonough must tackle are the Roosevelt School District and Freeport Power Plant No. 2. During the special election, these issues "certainly resonated with residents, especially in Merrick," she said.
She also said that, with continued state pressure, a deal to close Power Plant No. 2 and balance Freeport's economic and Merrick's health concerns appears likely.
David Denenberg (D-Merrick), a Nassau County legislator who campaigned for Steve November, said he would like to see McDonough examine the state school-aid formula, which Denenberg contends is unfair for poorer districts such as Roosevelt.
"The formula that is used by the state provides certain districts, poorer districts, somewhat more aid, but not nearly enough... ." Denenberg said.
