By Dave Vieser
Incumbent sets hectic pace against aggressive 4th-District opponent
Since April, whenever there has been a community meeting, local event or special ceremony in the portion of Hempstead Town bounded by Baldwin on the east, and Lynbrook on the west, chances are that Hempstead Town Councilman Tony Santino has been there. In fact, since it was determined during the spring that a special councilmatic election would be held this November, Councilman Santino has maintained a public- appearance pace that would leave most elected officials and politicians in the dust.
Ask the Councilman, and he'll tell you it's because he loves his job, especially solving problems for his constituents. Ask his Democratic opponent, Jerry LaMonica, and it's because Mr. Santino is "running scared" of how the voters, fed up with Nassau County's inept handling of its fiscal mess, will treat local Republicans in November.
Either way, the pace and tener of this contest has made for some very active and interesting campaigning as decision day 2000 draws near. At stake is local representation in the Town of Hempstead's Fourth District, which includes all of Baldwin, Oceanside, Rockville Centre and East Rockaway, and portions of Lynbrook, the Five Towns, and Island Park.
The major issue in the race is the $50 million surplus that the Town has, and what should be done with that money. The incumbent cites the surplus as a shining example of what's different about the fiscal stewardship of the Town vs. debt-ridden Nassau County government. "The residents need to have the knowledge that at least one level of local government is handling its finances in a proper fashion. We have a strong record of fiscal success on which I am proud to run," Mr. Santino said in a recent interview.
However, his Democratic opponent sees the $50 million surplus in a different way. "They have a surplus because they have overtaxed the residents, while also raising user fees," said Mr. LaMonica, a lifelong Oceanside resident. "This is a race about fiscal management. I believe that the surplus should be returned to the taxpayers in the form of a tax cut. That money belongs in their pockets, not in the coffers of the bureaucrats."
In a role reversal from the Presidential race, where the Republicans are proposing a larger tax cut than the Democrats, Councilman Santino cautions against such actions. "Everyone knows that county taxes will be going up as part of the fiscal bailout package, and you can be sure that school taxes will continue to rise. I favor a policy of long-term stability for our residents. Let's use some of the surplus to provide that stability for the taxpayers, and the remainder to improve our Town roads and parks."
Democrat LaMonica also questions the Town's contract to operate the Lido Beach Golf Course. "This is a sweetheart deal with a bunch of North Valley Stream GOP committeemen, which doesn't provide adequate revenue for the Town. It's another example of the Town's willingness to help the politically connected instead of all the taxpayers."
Mr. Santino says that the operating contract went through a vigorous approval process and that the facility is generating revenue that benefits all taxpayers.
Both candidates have maintained active campaign schedules, spending plenty of time at railroad stations in the mornings, and supermarkets during the day.
Mr. LaMonica, 49, has never held public office, though he did run unsuccessfully for Sanitation Commissioner in Sanitary District #7 two years ago. He owns and operates the Dan Lauren Photography Studios in East Rockaway. A lifelong Town of Hempstead resident, he lives with his wife Susan in Oceanside. They have two children: Danny, 17, and Lauren, 21. His proudest achievement has been his involvement with the improvement of the Oceanside triangle, which he hopes will be the catalyst for further improvements in the Long Beach Road business area.
Mr. Santino, 39, has served as Town Councilman since 1993. Before that, he was both deputy mayor and trustee in the Village of East Rockaway. He has also served as executive assistant to the Board of Supervisors, and the Town of Hempstead Supervisor, and is currently employed as exceutive assistant to Nassau Republican Party Chairman Joseph Mondello. His proudest achievement was the establishment of the Bay Park Library District, which enables thousands of Bay Park residents to use the East Rockaway Library without paying "exorbitant" fees. He says that this inter-governmental agreement is now being used as a model by other communities and will bring library service to previously unserved communities.
The Councilman was born in Corona, Queens, and during his childhood moved to East Rockaway, where he has resided for the past 30 years.
