Blakeman calls Feb. 28 special election for vacant 19th District legislative seat

                                                                                

19th Nassau County legislative district


Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has called a special election for the end of February to fill the vacancy on the county legislature created when Republican Steve Rhoads last fall defeated Democrat incumbent John Brooks for the 5th District state senate seat.

Steve Rhoads

Under the County Charter, the county executive must call a special election within 60 days of the vacancy occurring, unless the opening occurs later in the year.

So Blakeman just squeaked by the deadline.

Rhoads, of Bellmore, was one of several Republicans who won formerly Democratic elected seats in November, from Congress through the state senate and Assembly .  Of course, one of them is now Congressman George Santos, who has admitted "embellishing" his resume and has been caught in multiple lies.

Although the 19th legislative district is considered a fairly safe Republican seat, the pall cast by the Santos scandal may effect the outcome. The South Shore District includes Bellmore. Wantagh and Seaford. 

There has been a dearth of potential candidates talked about in the political rumor mill. Special election candidates are chosen by the party chairmen.

The Santos aftermath means hopefuls should be squeaky clean, which would put a damper on potential comeback of the former legislator from that district, Democrat David Denenberg, who resigned in 2015 after pleading guilty to fraudulently billing a client of his private law firm for work he did not do.

Until Rhoads resigned on Jan. 1, Republicans held 12 of the 19 legislative seats.

John Brooks


The most interesting name in the mix of candidates is  Brooks, who is from Seaford and has a built in constituency.

We will have to see.  

Meanwhile, the Hempstead Town Council seat vacated by now Congressman Anthony D'Esposito also has yet to be filled. In that case, the Republican- controlled town board appoints. 

Here is the charter provision on filling vacant legislative seats

                                                                                 




 



 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CSEA retirees file suit to stop new contract insurance change (Updated)

Image
Civil Service Employee Association retirees today were in court attempting to stop a change in health insurance included in a new union contract scheduled to take effect Jan.1. The "Nassau Retirees Legal Fund" and eight other CSEA employees argue in a class action lawsuit filed today against Nassau and County Executive Bruce Blakeman in Nassau Supreme Court that they face  " imminent and irreparable medical, emotional, and financial harm because the County intends to deprive them of promised health benefits in 2024." The new contract negotiated between the union and Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman and ratified by members in August changes the health insurance from New York's Empire plan -- which provides platinum coverage -- to the New York Excelsior plan. The Excelsior plan is more costly for union members but less expensive for the county.  Update:  The state, meanwhile, has increased rates for the Excelsior plan -- in come cases by more than 40 pe
Read more

Nassau CSEA contract deal -- talk of the county for two days -- finally announced (UPDATED)

Image
Talk around Nassau County for the past two days has been that Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman had struck a new labor agreement, signed Monday, with the county's largest union, the Nassau Civil Service Employees Association. The CSEA, which include most non-law enforcement county employees, has been working without a contract since the end of 2017. As of June, there were 3,359 fulltime CSEA members. An announcement went out late today but it didn't say much: A spokesman for Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not respond to an email today asking when the CSEA deal would be announced. Everyone is looking at the CSEA because exempt employees -- county workers who are hired and fired at will -- traditionally are given the same benefits as the union members. But the exempts are not happy with some of the rumors about the agreement: one is that the CSEA will take a lesser health insurance plan in return for an upfront payment, perhaps of $1,500, for each member.
Read more

Eisenhower Park restaurant to be run by D'Amato client

Image
                                                                                A Manhasset group with ties to the food service business has won its bid to run a county-owned restaurant, cigar club, and golf concessions in Eisenhower Park,  replacing longtime operator Anthony Capetola. Capetola, a colorful Republican lawyer, has operated Carltun on the Park since 1995 through various license agreements and extensions under four different county executives, Republican and Democrat. But the county selected EGB Hospitality LLC of Manhasset from two proposals for a new 15-year operating license that begins this fall, with another five-year option, according to the deal submitted to the county legislature for approval on Monday. Lawyer Elias Trahanas, of Great Neck appears to be the lead principal in the five-member EGH group, along with his brother Bobby.  EGB Management Team Both Elias and Bobby trace their food service roots to the family-operated Golden Reef Diner in Rockville Centre, s
Read more