What Rockville Centre neighbors think

The Herald thought it would be interesting to contact some of Rockville Centre’s public figures — from a range of different organizations —

to get an idea of what they think are the most important issues facing the residents of Rockville Centre. Here’s what they had to say:

There are many difficult issues facing our village today. With an impending tax cap and rising costs in pensions and health care, we are all expected to do more for less.

The relationship between the school district and the village is a vitally important one. I would hope to continue this special relationship that we currently have with the village.

Working together with open communication and mutual respect we can face the difficult challenges ahead. Together, through shared services and continued cooperation, we can keep taxpayer costs down and better the lives for all who live here.”

- Liz Dion, President of the Rockville Centre Board of Education

“I could talk all day about how village government’s first responsibility is to deliver services and address the crumbling infrastructure (i.e. roads, water, etc.).  However, the greatest challenge we face stems from the deterioration of our downtown business area. In the past, our downtown featured a vibrant and diverse community of businesses. Increasingly, the downtown area has become a haven for saloons and salons. The ever-present vacancies and lack of business diversity limit the attractiveness of the downtown, which has an adverse effect on our community: upticks in crime, loss of tax revenue and a poor impression to visitors and residents alike. While the issue itself may seem small, the consequences are large. 

To address the problem, it is time to get rid of an attitude of “no” that has become pervasive in our village government. We need to be more encouraging and helpful to new businesses. It will also take a revision of the parking approach to the downtown that has caused us to become over-dependent on the ticket and meter revenue to operate the village. We are just hurting ourselves with policies that deter visitors and local use. No wonder we have buildings that have been vacant for years and years.

  Looking ahead, there is a new opportunity that will come from the changing shopping patterns caused by increasing gasoline prices and a greater interest in local shopping. It will take leadership and a progressive approach to the business district to take advantage of these changes. In the not too distant past, the village government embraced changes and improvements that made the downtown a better place for all of us. It is not too late. We can have a downtown with successful businesses that bring tax revenue, greater support for our schools and our community organizations and a place that serves the needs of our residents.”

- Wayne Lipton, Former Deputy Mayor, village trustee and chairman of the village Planning Board

My first concern is the lack of parking and the aggressiveness of the parking tickets.

My second concern is the lack of affordable housing for our children.”

- Margarita Grasing, Director of the Hispanic Brotherhood

“Financial stability is the major issue facing Rockville Centre. The next administration will be forced to deal with the continuing demands of spiraling health insurance and pension costs and will face even more staggering obstacles as the village negotiates contracts with its two unions. In light of the pending imposition of the state-mandated 2 percent cap on property taxes, keeping down the costs of salaries and benefits under these new contracts will be essential to keeping the services and quality of life that residents have come to expect.

If the arbitration with the PBA results in a large wage and benefit increase, the combination of decreasing revenue and a tax cap could force layoffs that would reduce the police force and lengthen response time. Likewise, unless the new CSEA contract keeps down labor costs, including health insurance costs, the village could be forced to lay off employees, which would reduce the services residents rely on and actually take for granted.

Costs must be cut and union members must bear a portion of the spiraling health insurance costs. Money must be spent judiciously. Department budgets should be scrutinized and audited to see if expenses can be cut. Cooperative purchasing with other municipalities should be expanded. Essential services must be the priority.”

- Robin Heaney, President of the Friends of Senior Services, Inc.

“Jews around the world have just celebrated the festival of Shavu’ot. This holiday marks our journey from freedom after the Exodus from Egypt and commitment by making a covenant with God at Mount Sinai.  This is what I think that people in Rockville Centre (and other places) want: freedom and commitment. 

People want freedom from high taxes and fees and the commitment from our mayor and village trustees not to reduce services and perhaps to increase them. Leaving schools aside, people want lower costs for the same or better services and convenient, free parking. I will be interested to see which candidates choose the reduction of taxes and fees and which recommend improvement of services. I will scrutinize proposals from candidates who believe they can do both.”

- Rabbi Marc Gruber, Central Synagogue of Nassau County, RVC Clergy Council member

“The most important issue facing Rockville Centre is the safety of our children. As a trustee, my first constituent call was from a resident whose lovely block was marred by the after effects of teen-aged partying. To address the dangers, we worked to create the Park Ranger program, to keep watch after hours on our parks and byways, including the infamous ‘bridge.’ 

As a private citizen, I worked as pro bono legal counsel to help form an independent, tax exempt nonprofit corporation, the RVC Youth Council, Inc., which represents a unique partnership between teens and adults, providing educational programming and positive alternatives to dangerous teen behaviors. This issue is not over; even this week we are learning just how real and close the drug trade is to our children. But, at the RVC Youth Council, we have been pleased to be supported by so many local businesses and residents, by the Rockville Centre Police and Fire departments, our schools, churches and organizations such as the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce, the RVC Public Library, and especially the ever-generous Tony Brunetta at the Recreation Center. Our teens have taken the lead to make our community safer. Our new co-presidents, high school seniors Taylor Kosakoff and Nick Suss, have both orchestrated substance-free events welcoming hundreds of our teens over this past year. Working with our teens has made me more than hopeful for our future.”

- Jeanne Mulry, Former village trustee