Town Supervisor Endorsement
Posted
Town supervisor deserves 2 more years
Agree or disagree with her positions on the issues, you must concede that Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead supervisor, has demonstrated enormous commitment to the job during her five-year tenure. She has been an energetic and highly visible leader and accessible to her constituents. Her challenger, Democrat Kevin Gorman of Wantagh, has failed to make his case that the town would be better off with him at the helm.
Murray has earned a reputation as an environmentalist, implementing a host of programs to conserve electricity, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and preserve open space. The town's Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick, a former landfill, is a model of open-space conservation. The preserve was created under a previous administration, but Murray has increased residents' opportunities to enjoy it with such initiatives as the town's new kayak eco-tours, which give paddlers a close-up look at the marvelous saltwater wetlands that hug the preserve.
At the same time, the town now generates much of its own electricity with 300 solar panels atop Town Hall in Hempstead and the Department of Conservation and Waterways in Lido Beach. And it has a fleet of five diesel-electric hybrid garbage trucks that emit a fraction of the greenhouse gases that older trucks do. Many of Murray's environmental initiatives have been paid for with state grants, which the town has aggressively pursued.
Murray has done also done a good job of managing the town's finances. In recent years she has held the line on taxes, which residents greatly appreciate.
We sympathize with people who have become frustrated with Murray's lack of progress on her ambitious plans to revitalize a host of South Shore downtowns, from Baldwin to West Hempstead. Some communities have waited up to a decade to see work begin as their downtowns have continued to go downhill. That's too long. These communities are angry that the town is preoccupied with process at the expense of action to improve their quality of life. In her next term, Murray must act decisively to bring her improvement plans to fruition.
Gorman, an Off-Track Betting executive, appeared intelligent and friendly during his interview with the Herald Editorial Board. He believes that Hempstead's government is hiding tax increases in line items for 19 town-run special districts. We got his point. He presented no evidence to show us that was the case, however.
Gorman rightly noted that progress has been slow on revitalization projects in places like West Hempstead. But he offered no concrete measures to speed up the process.
Cast your vote for Kate Murray for Hempstead Town supervisor on Nov. 6.
Agree or disagree with her positions on the issues, you must concede that Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead supervisor, has demonstrated enormous commitment to the job during her five-year tenure. She has been an energetic and highly visible leader and accessible to her constituents. Her challenger, Democrat Kevin Gorman of Wantagh, has failed to make his case that the town would be better off with him at the helm.
Murray has earned a reputation as an environmentalist, implementing a host of programs to conserve electricity, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and preserve open space. The town's Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick, a former landfill, is a model of open-space conservation. The preserve was created under a previous administration, but Murray has increased residents' opportunities to enjoy it with such initiatives as the town's new kayak eco-tours, which give paddlers a close-up look at the marvelous saltwater wetlands that hug the preserve.
At the same time, the town now generates much of its own electricity with 300 solar panels atop Town Hall in Hempstead and the Department of Conservation and Waterways in Lido Beach. And it has a fleet of five diesel-electric hybrid garbage trucks that emit a fraction of the greenhouse gases that older trucks do. Many of Murray's environmental initiatives have been paid for with state grants, which the town has aggressively pursued.
Murray has done also done a good job of managing the town's finances. In recent years she has held the line on taxes, which residents greatly appreciate.
We sympathize with people who have become frustrated with Murray's lack of progress on her ambitious plans to revitalize a host of South Shore downtowns, from Baldwin to West Hempstead. Some communities have waited up to a decade to see work begin as their downtowns have continued to go downhill. That's too long. These communities are angry that the town is preoccupied with process at the expense of action to improve their quality of life. In her next term, Murray must act decisively to bring her improvement plans to fruition.
Gorman, an Off-Track Betting executive, appeared intelligent and friendly during his interview with the Herald Editorial Board. He believes that Hempstead's government is hiding tax increases in line items for 19 town-run special districts. We got his point. He presented no evidence to show us that was the case, however.
Gorman rightly noted that progress has been slow on revitalization projects in places like West Hempstead. But he offered no concrete measures to speed up the process.
Cast your vote for Kate Murray for Hempstead Town supervisor on Nov. 6.
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