LIuncoverednews

                                                                                 As Nassau Democrats and Republican county legislators argue publicly today at the final hearing on Nassau redistricting, the parties have been bickering behind the scenes as well -- at the Nassau Board of Elections. Democratic Elections Commissioner James Scheuerman wrote to Republican Elections Commissioner Joe Kearney Wednesday complaining that a delay in approving new lines by the Republican majority on the county legislature, was delaying all sorts of work and deadlines by the elections board. Scheuerman asked Kearney to join him in challenging the redistricting process in court. If Republicans did not join in, Scheuerman said he would go to court as elections commissioner. "Without judicial intervention, there will be confusion for candidates about when they can begin circulating designating peritions, where to vote, which registered voters can sign and how many signatures are required...We must

 Received this alert. Can this be true?                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                Robbie Walker The news yesterday that Linda Mangano, wife of former Nassau County Republican County Executive Ed Mangano, had been released from prison to home confinement surprised some political pundits -- even though her transfer to the "residential reentry management field office" had been telegraphed in late January on the Federal of Bureau of Prisons website.   Didn't know that meant home confinement in Bethpage. Her release date has since been changed to Aug. 12. Linda Mangano had been convicted along with her husband on federal corruption charges involving Oyster Bay concessionaire Harendra Singh, a family friend. Linda Mangano was accused of lying to the FBI about a $450,000 "low show" job she received from Singh and sentenced to 15 months in prison. She entered a minimum-security satellite camp at a Danbury prison complex in September, despite appeals for a stay. But most p

What a bummer for NIFA! You know, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the state-appointed Democratic-run financial control board that wants to maintain its budgetary authority over Nassau's elected-Republican government. Although NIFA continues to poor mouth Nassau's finances, the county's economy has proved more resilient than anyone expected. Earlier this month, the legislature's Office of Budget review reported that Nassau had received its final sales tax check from the state for last year. Collections totaled $1,545.4 million -- $160 million more than budgeted for sales tax revenue in 2022. Sales tax collections are a key indicator for the state of the overall economy. They go up when its healthy; down when its sickly. Last year's rosy results comes despite a cut in gasoline sales taxes -- proposed by Nassau Democrats when pump prices soared early last year -- on all sales over $3 a gallon. Budget Review reports that total sales tax collections in 2022 are 6 p

                                                                                Feb. 16 Nassau legislative hearing on redistricting                                                                                        What a difference from ten years ago. Back then, Republicans in control of Nassau county government drew up a new map of the legislature's 19 districts, presented it, and the  GOP legislature adopted it with only a few minor changes. This round of redistricting has seen nothing but changes: Republicans on an advisory redistricting commitee drew up a map and presented it to the Republican-controlled legislature. Democrats on the committee presented their own map. Republican legislators revised the first Republican-recommended map and submitted it in early February. That seemed to be it. Sure, the legislature held a near six hour hearing on the revisions on Thursday night. But even though the hearing was lively, there wasn't a large crowd. But late last night -- t

                                                                          Hempstead Town's newly adopted district map Hempstead's Republican-controlled Town Board Tuesday adopted new boundaries for its six council districts Thursday night. The new map looks pretty much like the old map. The Republican-controlled Nassau Legislature is expected to adopt new boundaries for its 19 legislative districts Thursday night; the new map -- revised by the Republican majority-- moves seven current legislators into new districts.** Democrats and some minority community representatives are not happy. A small group, led by former Nassau Democratic Legislator David Denenberg of Merrick, protested Hempstead Town's new lines before the vote, according to a post on the Open Nassau Facebook page. Their signs said, "Your maps clearly violate the voting rights act.." and "Our voice will not be diluted..." They maintain that at least two of the districts in the town of nearly 7

                                                                              The administration of Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman has quietly extended this year's deadline for challenging Nassau's property tax assessments from March 1 to April 3. There were no announcements but the link "How to Appeal Your Assessment" on the website for Nassau's Assessment Review Commission -- the agency that handles assessment challenges -- says grievances can be filed from Jan. 1, 2023  through April 3, 2023. At the same time, the main page this afternoon still had the March 1 deadline. After an inquiry, Blakeman confirmed the extension: “As Nassau taxpayers continue to struggle with the previous administration’s failed phase-in which does not expire until next year, I have directed the county’s Assessment Review Commission to extend the property assessment grievance deadline from March first, to April third," Blakeman said in a statement. "My admin

                                                                                     Jon Kaiman Uh-oh.  North Hempstead Democratic Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey and Nassau Democratic Legislator Josh Lafazan better look over their shoulders. A high-profile Democrat may be on their heels. Former North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, who finished second in a Democratic primary for the Third Congresional Seat won by Republican George Santos last year, today emailed supporters that he is gearing up for another run -- for either his former town job or the Congressional seat. Kaiman, a former district court judge, was North Hempstead Supervisor from 2004 into 2013. He also served as chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county's financial control board, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's coordinator for Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts. He most recently has worked as a deputy for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. But Bellone, a Democrat, is term limited and will

Photos have been distributed and press releases issued for both candidates in Nassau's special election for the 19th District county legislative seat -- vacant since Jan. 1 when Republican Steve Rhoads took office as a new state senator. The election is Feb. 28, less than three weeks away. So its about time voters were told who the candidates are. The Republican is Michael Giangregorio, a J.P. Morgan vice president.  Michael Giangregorio The Democratic candidate is Robert Miles, counsel to Democratic county legislators and former deputy assessor/deputy county attorney.                                                                            Robert Miles Here are the two press releases from the two parties. Make up your own mind on what to believe. The GOP release is first because it was issued first:                                                                                     Now here is the Democratic release:                                                              

                                                                            Revised Republican legislative redistricting map  (replaces previous posted map)                                                 Nassau Republicans, who control the county legislature, have submitted their revised redistricting map. And since they have the votes, this is the map that likely will be approved. It's difficult to tell exactly who gets what on this map. But it looks like the 14th District, now represented by Republican Laura Schaefer, has been redrawn to be more compact, compared to the current version that hopscotches across the middle of Nassau. But it also looks like Democrat Josh Lafazan, of Woodbury, who now represents the 18th District, has been redrawn into the new 16th District, currently represented by fellow Democrat Arnold Drucker of Plainview. If that's accurate, it may mean that Lafazan, 29, may have to move out of his parent's basement in Woodbury and get his own place in

                                                                              Bruce Blakeman Nassau Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman today made six new appointments to county agencies and boards. almost all with political or apparently personal ties. They range from the wife of a state assemblyman to former Hempstead Town commissioners to the manager of an Elmont restaurant long known as a favorite haunt of Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo. Which is not to say the appointees are not qualified for their new positions, but only to point out that they have connections. Perhaps the most interesting is the appointment of Gennaro Cesarano, the general manager of the  King Umberto restaurant in Elmont,  to a part-time position as a member of the Assessment Review Commission for a salary of $15,000 a year. ARC reviews and decides property tax grievances filed by homeowners and businesses. King Umberto for decades has been a favorite watering hole for Cairo, who has been the No

                                                                              Nassau's 19th Legislative District     Nassau's two main political parties have chosen their candidates for the Feb. 28th special election in the county legislature's South Shore 19th District to replace Steve Rhoads, who was elected to the state senate in November. Democrats have chosen Robert Miles, who currently is counsel to the Democratic minority on the county legislature. Republicans have selected Michael Giangregorio, who works in finance and has been active in the community. Both candidates live in Merrick. Neither candidate has known political profile. Miles is a former deputy county attorney who served as a deputy assessor and, often, the spokeman for former Nassau Assessor David Moog under former Democratic County Executive Laura Curran. When Republican Bruce Blakeman took office, he fired Miles along with other Democratic appointees but the minority caucus quickly picked him up as the