By ANTHONY BOTTAN
More than 50 local business owners, residents and Chamber members attended the question-and-answer session. Four candidates vying for two village board seats that are up for grabs on March 18 were given three to four minutes each to address the questions prepared by chamber members.
Current Trustee David Penso and former Deputy Mayor Tom Miccio are running as Lynbrook Pride Party candidates. They are being challenged by Hilary Becker and Mike Hawxhurst, who are running under the New Vision Party banner.
"The village will be well served by these candidates," said Chamber President Harry Levitt. "It was interesting listening to their ideas and plans, and I'm glad they found time to address the business community."
Becker and Hawxhurst underscored Mayor Brian Curran's three-point plan for the revitalization of the village's downtown commercial area, and Becker said that they had the plan in order for "when we win."
The proposed plan entails forming a small business expediter's office to help potential business owners cut through legal red tape and fees more quickly, so they can open their doors sooner. The plan also calls for requesting special legislation from Albany that would give Lynbrook the power to extend tax breaks to these business owners, who create jobs for Lynbrook residents. Finally, the plan would establish an 18-month moratorium on the village's parking fund - the going rate per parking space is $10,000 - which Curran said would help bring more business into Lynbrook.
"The Curran team will utilize any and all village resources whenever needed and wherever possible to assist Lynbrook residents and businesses through the tough economic times we are all experiencing," Becker said.
Hawxhurst described the downtown area as the "lifeblood to the community," and said that a moratorium on the parking fund would provide more opportunities for new businesses and could help alleviate some of the economic stress in the village.
Penso fired back at Curran's plan, saying that he had been advocating for a parking fund moratorium for the past three years and his suggestion had been shot down by the board. "It's too little, too late," Penso said.
He noted that the New Vision Party's scope of the downtown area was limited to Atlantic Avenue, when there are also many businesses on Sunrise Highway, Merrick Road and Lakeview Avenue. "We need a village-wide downtown revitalization," Penso said. We have to do it ourselves. These are difficult times, and you go to meetings and everything is fine in Lynbrook - and it's not."
Penso's running mate, Miccio, said the village needs a thorough, comprehensive master plan that entails rejuvenating the commercial districts and cutting frivolous spending from the village budget. "We need to go out and cut spending as close to the vest as we can," Miccio said.
Chamber members also raised the issue of parking for shoppers in the commercial areas of the village, saying that the limited availability of parking hurts businesses. Hawxhurst said he would open negotiations with the Long Island Rail Road to regain parking spots.
Penso criticized the current administration for the lack of progress with Regional Planning Associates, a planning team the village hired 14 months ago to devise a way of restructuring current parking lots and zoning laws to rejuvenate the commercial district. The village spent $35,000 to hire the team, and more than a year later the project is still in its nascent stages. "We want economic development and to expand the tax base," Penso said. "We get parks and trees. It's fluff and decorations."
The idea of building a Marriott Hotel in town was welcomed by all the candidates, though they differed on where it should be built. Becker and Hawxhurst advocated a site at 630 Merrick Road, but Penso and Miccio said that wasn't the optimum location because that property is owned by Becker.
Becker said that if he and Hawxhurst were to be elected, "We will be a united board. We will provide the good government the village deserves."
Penso and Miccio said that if there is an all-New Vision village board, it will no longer be a democratic government. "Giving them unbridled control is not in the best interest of the village," Penso said.
Village elections will take place on March 18.
Comments about this story? ABottan@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.
