By Karenlyn Barone
The elder statesman has a list of accomplishments that include, in recent years, the destruction of the troublesome Oceanside Motel, the inception of a library system for those previously unserved in the district, numerous downtown revitalization and streetscape programs and the rebuilding of the Woodmere dock. Bechtle comes into the race without a record, but with a stated mission to make a difference and foster some positive changes in the Town of Hempstead. Santino says he loves his job in government. Bechtle appreciates the opportunity to run.
Married to Erika and the father of a 6-month-old son, Bechtle is an attorney with his father's firm, Murphy & Bechtle, in Garden City. He grew up in Rockville Centre and graduated from South Side High School. He enrolled at Fordham, and then transferred to Adelphi, where he earned a degree in psychology. He completed a law degree at Hofstra. This is his first foray into politics.
"I was invited to run by Harvey Levinson, whom I worked under in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office when he was chief assistant," said Bechtle. "Obviously, this is a great opportunity that I couldn't pass up."
Bechtle said there is a definite need for young voices in local government. "As far as politically, and why I want to run, obviously, I am a young person, and I think people in my age group have it the toughest," he said. "The prices of homes, as everybody knows, are outrageous, and on top of that, taxes are the highest they've ever been."
Bechtle said that taxes are a big problem, and he would like the opportunity to see if there's something he could do to make a difference.
Taxing issues
"I'm not exaggerating when I say that a lot of my friends have moved away," said Bechtle. "It's sad that the people who lived around here, and grew up their whole lives in the Town of Hempstead, have to move away ... because they can't afford to live here."
Bechtle, who just bought his first home, said that affordable housing is a big issue for everyone. He also said that he doesn't see tax dollars being spent "necessarily in the right ways and being put back in the community in the areas where they should."
Santino, who graduated summa cum laude from St. John's with a degree in history and a minor in government, disagrees. "Taxes are always an issue, and people still gripe about them," he said. "The town collects all taxes, and we have done a fairly credible job of keeping them stable."
Santino does concede that "you can't arbitrarily hold the line on taxes forever, but [there has been] one tax increase for the incorporated villages in the last 11 years, and there's been four out of the last seven years in the unincorporated areas with no tax increase. In the final analysis, that's such a small part of the total tax bill. People understand that the lion's share of their taxes is the school district - some 60 percent."
Bechtle said, "A lot of the problems I see with the Republicans having control of the Town of Hempstead for years is that it has basically generated hundreds of patronage jobs. I think things need to be shaken up a little bit."
Santino credits the town with putting initiatives in place to reduce spending. "In the 12 years I have been on the town board, we have cut the town's full-time work force by 19 percent," he said. "That's pretty sizable. We are doing more with less. Government is a labor-intensive undertaking, and there are things beyond our control, like state pensions and health insurance costs. There are things beyond our control, but there are management initiatives that you can take -- and we have taken -- to reduce spending."
Bechtle contends that there are jobs in the town that are unnecessary, and that they come with salaries that are ridiculously high. "The answer is not to keep raising taxes every year," he said. "The answer is to look at how tax dollars are being spent, what cuts can be made, and where are the wasteful areas?"
With that in mind, Bechtle looks straight to the Town of Hempstead mailings.
You've got mail
The general mailings sent out by the Town of Hempstead have come under attack lately, but Santino says they are necessary for effective government. "Government has an absolute responsibility to communicate with its citizens and to let them know what is going on and what services are available to them," said Santino.
He said that the mailings generate dialogue with the people he serves and that they promote letters back to the town. "If you don't know who to go to, you get the mailings and say, 'Let me give that guy a try,'" said Santino, who has been featured in past mailings with Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray. "That interaction is an important part of government, and helps us do our job as their town representatives," he said. "We have a great park system, great programs for young people, great programs for seniors, great programs for business owners, but people don't know about them. If you're not engaged with your constituents, you may have the greatest programs in the world, but if you don't tell people about them, what's the point?"
Bechtle sees the mailings as a waste of taxpayers' money. He said that while they are informative, "It is 2005, and I think there are other ways that are less expensive, like a Web site or e-mail lists. Those don't cost as much."
Casting votes
Bechtle recognizes that the fight against Santino will be uphill, but he said his inexperience may just be the winning ticket. "For me this race is not about attacking the person that I'm running against," he said. "My biggest issue is that the younger people need a voice. I think that maybe not purposely, or maliciously, but some of the politicians have been in place for so long that they have lost touch with the problems and issues that we face."
Furthermore, said Bechtle, who has yet to cultivate any civic affiliations, "I think that it's my lack of experience in politics, which is zero percent, that makes me the better candidate to take care of problems, because I don't owe anybody. I'm not involved to the point where I feel that it is my obligation to pay people back."
He also noted his experience prosecuting crimes in the district attorney's office from 2001 to 2003, which, he said, gave him good problem-solving skills.
The incumbent
When asked why he wants to continue to serve as councilman, Santino said, "There is always more to do. There are always things that can be done to provide better services for the community." He hopes to be able to continue to improve the appearance of the communities and their residents' quality of life.
"In this job, which is really a nuts-and-bolts political job -- very hands on -- there is always one more thing to do," Santino said. "There will never be a lack of work or lack of issues to address. It's just a matter of whether you have the enthusiasm to do the job, and I still do. I love this job."
Comments about this story?
KBarone@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
