2009 State of the Village Address
Delivered by Mayor Jack M. Martins
to the Mineola Chamber of Commerce
September 15, 2009

My fellow Mineola Citizens.

Before I begin, I wish to recognize our Village Board – Lawrence Werther, Paul Cusato, Thomas Kennedy, and Paul Pereira and thank them for being here this evening. Also, I wish to thank our various department heads and supervisors. Thank you.

I want to recognize the Mineola Chamber of Commerce and in particular, its president, Ray Sikorsky. Thank you Ray and the entire Chamber for inviting me to once again present this year's, our sixth, State of the Village Address.

Someone once said that "There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going" . They very well may have been speaking of our own journey here in Mineola. Through the efforts of our residents and business community working collaboratively, we were able to set priorities and goals as a Village through our Master Plan. No small feat, I assure you, but critical to the continued success and long term vitality of our Village.

Understanding that change is inevitable, certainly communities change over time on their own, we set out to ensure positive change on our terms here in Mineola. Understanding where we needed to be as a community, we set our goals six years ago and set out to make them a reality. There were no shortcuts – we refused the quick, short-term fix opting instead for real, long-term commitments to growth and tax relief for our residents and business community as the only goal worth pursuing. We have a way to go yet in our journey, but looking back it is clear that we've come a long way and that the pieces are in place, the foundation has been laid, for continued progress as we move forward.

I welcome the opportunity to review where we were, where we are, and where we are going. Tonight we discuss the current state of four important areas of our Village: finance, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development. Throughout our discussion, we will evaluate the future of Mineola, focusing on our smart growth initiatives and the challenges posed by proposed federal and state projects that if successful have the potential to undue a great deal of that for which we have worked so hard.

Before delving into our substantive discussion, I need to stress the importance of “open government” in our efforts and our successes. I have always believed that it is essential in Village government today that decisions be made in an open setting for all to see and that as much information about the decision be made available to the public. When you look at it, we all have a stake in the Village and in its future. It is at the very foundation of Village government, and really all layers of government, that a well informed public be aware of the issues affecting the community and hold its elected officials accountable. The openness afforded through our televised meetings and hearings has led to a better understanding of the day to day pressures affecting the decisions we make and, as a result, greater input from the residents and businesses affected by those decisions.

Financially, the Village is in better shape than ever. The economic downturn that has played havoc with other layers of government – federal, state, county, and other towns and villages – has largely left Mineola unscathed. Not through chance, but because of basic sound fiscal management.

At a time when every level of government is addressing looming and ever increasing deficits due to a basic inability to just stop spending – Mineola has posted its sixth consecutive balanced budget. We committed early on to tackle our fiscal problems as the surest way to long term prosperity – no shortcuts. The very first act when I was elected was to propose and pass the Village's first Debt Management Plan. The Plan set the tone for our administration for in it we drew a line in the sand – no longer would we mortgage the future to pay for the present. You may recall that at the time, in 2003, the Village had over $33 million in long term debt. Today that figure is $21.9 million, down nearly $12 million in six years. We have proven that a Village can operate and thrive without continuous borrowing – in fact, there has been no new long term borrowing whatsoever in the past six years, my tenure as Mayor. None.

It is our legacy to shape the future of our Village. There are no shortcuts.

We will continue to pay down the debt which we inherited and continue our policy of fiscal restraint so that future generations of taxpayers are spared the burden of paying for expenses enjoyed by others. We have proven that it is not only possible, but proper to manage conservatively and to continue to provide the quality services to which we are all accustomed – all without mortgaging our future. Proof that government can operate on a pay-as-you-go basis.

At a time when we hear examples on a daily basis of one layer of government or another running out of money and borrowing to make up the difference, Mineola, through careful budgeting and constant review continues to pay for things as we go. This approach has resulted in a healthy unreserved fund balance, savings accumulated in the same six years. Paying down debt and saving for a rainy day – truly novel approaches to budgeting in government today.

We all agree that taxes are the scourge of our times – threatening our quality of life and threatening all that we hold essential to suburban life. If nothing is done to alleviate this burden, we are left with the prospect of having to choose between our continued piece of the American dream and our ever decreasing ability to pay for it – having to sacrifice items and programs we deem essential, but no longer have the ability to pay for.

Last year we approved and conducted the first Village-wide reassessment in seventy years. A lot had changed in seventy years. Some assessments were raised and others were reduced, but through reassessment we were able to assure that every property owner was paying his or her fair share – and so were their neighbors. The simple fact is that no one likes paying taxes, but what we really don't like is the prospect of paying more than our fair share. Thanks to reassessment, that is no longer an issue.

By reassessing, we have been able to address the scourge of certiorari payments and the resulting impact on our local property taxes. By assuring that everyone is assessed fairly, we no longer have to refund taxes that were paid based on overinflated values. Last year, Village payments on certioraris accounted for nearly 10% of our tax base -- $1 million. This year, that value was reduced to $750,000. and we expect further reductions in the years ahead. Every dollar that we save is one more dollar that can be spent on those vital services our Village provides and one less dollar that we have to raise through taxes.

In this area, we stand at the very forefront of all municipalities struggling with this issue. Williston Park, Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Westbury and others are considering following our example in hopes of effectuating similar savings.

We are by no means alone. Every village, city, and town in Nassau County and the County itself are in the same boat. With no open space left for development, there are no new homes or commercial buildings being built, leaving the homeowners and building owners to absorb ever increasing expenses. As the Village's day to day expenses increase – labor costs, gas, electricity, materials, equipment, etc – as they do in our own daily lives, it is the same group that is absorbing that increase – the taxpayer.

We must continue our efforts to expand our tax base through careful and sensible zoning initiatives which will preserve the character of our Village as a single family community, but expand the tax base so as to lessen the burden on each of us. As I mentioned, we are not alone. Each and every community is going through this process, but we are uniquely situated to take affirmative steps to give our taxpayers the relief we need without jeopardizing the character of our community.

Through smart growth initiatives, consistent with our master plan, we enacted legislation to encourage residential redevelopment along the Old Country Road corridor adjacent to our train station. Through this development we will ensure that the taxpayers of Mineola will receive the tax relief that we all need – once again, without sacrificing the character of our Village as a single family community.

Last year, the Village Board approved the Winston project along Old Country Road. That project, being the first, serves as an example of what is possible if we work together. When completed, not only will it provide much needed tax relief to the Village and school district as a whole, it will also serve to revitalize the entire area. Through the incentive zoning overlay district initiative, the developer has agreed to significant infrastructure improvements as part of the Village's approval, has agreed to expand public parking in the area, has agreed to pay $3 million for capital projects throughout the Village, and has agreed to build 36 units of affordable senior housing for Village seniors. All without any taxpayer expense.

I spoke to the developer just this morning. The project is currently before the Nassau County Planning Commission awaiting subdivision approval. He is hopeful that it will be processed in short order.

Just last week, the Village Board approved the project at 250 Old Country Road, a residential project similar to the Winston. Again, the tax relief the project offers to Village and school district taxpayers coupled with the revitalization of the area immediately surrounding our train station make the project a true win-win for the taxpayers, residents and businesses of our village. As with the Winston, through the incentive zoning overlay district initiative, the developer has agreed to significant infrastructure improvements as part of the Village's approval, has agreed to pay $2.5 million for capital projects throughout the Village, and has agreed to set aside 24 units for next generation housing with a preference to Village emergency responders – fire department, auxiliary police, and ambulance corp. members – allowing a powerful recruitment tool for our emergency services providers.

All of these amenities were negotiated from the developers for the benefit of our taxpayers, residents and businesses, saving taxpayers literally millions of dollars today and into the future.

In addition, the secondary benefits to our community of residential development along the Old Country Road corridor and in and about our downtown are clear. The residential development ensures more feet on the ground beyond the typical 9 to 5 workday which, in turn, ensures a safer and more vibrant downtown business community.

We must remain open to new opportunities as they present themselves. During the next year we will have the opportunity to evaluate the former Winthrop University Hospital satellite parking garage on 1 st and 3 rd and its potential redevelopment. Personally, I've made no secret that I would like to see a movie theater/hotel combination for the area. Whatever is ultimately approved, let me be clear and unequivocal, it will be consistent with the Village's overall redevelopment plan and the continued use of these opportunities to provide a boost to our downtown business community and long term relief to our residents and taxpayers.

In addition to our revitalization efforts, we must continue to develop alternative revenue streams and explore cost savings when and where available. We are committed to providing the same quality services to which we are all accustomed, but must look for alternatives that ease our property tax burden. Every dollar raised from alternate revenue streams – meters, parking tickets, permit fees, illegal housing fines, licenses, etc – is one less dollar we must raise from property taxes.

This year we have an opportunity to re-evaluate where we send our garbage and how much we spend to get rid of the garbage once the garbage man takes it away. You may not realize this, but we spend over $1.2 million a year, 10% of our entire tax base, in “tipping fees” – the cost of disposing of our garbage. Our current contract with the Town of North Hempstead, signed back in 1995, expires next May. We have been actively negotiating the terms of a new contract which, if approved, promises hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings going forward --savings that will be passed directly to the Mineola taxpayer.

To reiterate, we have taken no shortcuts. There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. While the federal, state, county and other governments struggle with the state of the current economy, we stand tall knowing that, even after absorbing all the impacts of the economic downturn, our budget is sound and our fiscal future is bright.

As you are aware, the Village maintains its infrastructure regularly so that we do not have catastrophic breakdowns in systems. To this end, our budget includes maintenance items for all systems in the Village, lessening the possibility of costly capital expenditures. We have a road resurfacing plan, a plan for well and storm water system maintenance, and a maintenance plan for the Village's fleet of vehicles and equipment. Simply, by regular maintenance we extend the life of our equipment and infrastructure thereby saving money each and every year.

We are fortunate to live and work in the center of Nassau County, to have the State and County courts on our border, have Winthrop University Hospital in our community, and have a major train station that's on the LIRR main line. As a result we have thousands of professional offices and ancillary businesses which provide the support and underpinnings for our vibrant business community.

The Village has committed and continues to commit significant resources to our Downtown Revitalization Project – we have all seen the brick pavers, trees, benches, and improved lighting in our downtown corridors. This year, the Village will be focusing on Station Plaza North, paving roads, installing pavers, trees, benches, new lighting and a pocket park to what is a significant gateway into our Village. All of these improvements are being done with Community Development grants at no taxpayer expense.

The Roslyn Road Grade Crossing Elimination Project has finally nearly come to an end. I say nearly, because we still await the State transfer of property to the Village for the parking field on the southwest corner of 2 nd and Roslyn Road. But the project itself is done and what a project it is – I do not believe there is another similar project anywhere on Long Island. The architectural elements and new landscaping have improved the area significantly. We finally have an uninterrupted north-south artery on the east end of the Village.

As we move forward, we must continue to be vigilant to efforts by the County, or the MTA, or the State, or anyone else, to develop regional plans for Nassau County as they will invariably involve Mineola, be it the proposal for a light rail system as part of the County's Hub development, the MTA's proposal for a third track, or the State DOT proposal for an intermodal freight facility. We will protect the integrity of our own vision for our Village's future without interference from any outside group. Rest assured, the character of our great community will not be sacrificed to what others perceive to be the greater good.

A great deal has been made of the NYS Consolidation bill proposed by Atty General Cuomo, passed by both houses of the state legislature, and signed by the governor. According to its sponsors, there was such a need for this piece of legislation that it had to be passed immediately, which it was, but it does not go into effect until next March – 270 days, 9 months after it was signed into law. So, aside from politics as usual in Albany, what was the rush? Some state legislators readily admitted that it was a flawed bill and then voted for it anyway.

The basic premise of the bill is that we have too many government entities in New York and, as such, we need to consolidate government function to save taxes. Replace smaller units of government with larger government units. I don't know about you, but my universal experience with government has shown that the larger the bureaucracy, the more costly and less efficient it is. Far from cutting costs, the ultimate result of this law will be increased waste, abuse and fraud and, clearly, increased property taxes. Big government has always been the hallmark of urban living – we must not sacrifice our suburban communities on the altar of inept big government politicians.

What is needed is not consolidation, but oversight and accountability. Something that is lacking in some layers of government – most noticeably our federal and state governments. Just imagine if other layers of government were run with the same oversight and accountability as our village government, how much better off we would all be. We will continue to work with the NYCOM and the NCVOA to persuade our elected officials in Albany to rethink the bill prior to it going into effect.

We are blessed to have a dedicated group of professionals coordinating the efforts of our various departments.

Joseph Scalero Village Clerk

Thomas Rini Superintendent of Public Works

Daniel Whalen Superintendent of Buildings

Giacomo Ciccone Village Treasurer

Fred Booher Supervisor of Water and Sewer

Valerie Passarella Village Court Clerk

Charles Schleefe Library Director

To each of you and your departments, thank you.

A special thank you to our Village Justice John O'Shea and Associate Village Justice Richard O'Callahan. The Mineola Justice Court is charged with adjudicating violations of our Village Code and is crucial to our efforts to preserve our suburban quality of life. In order for us to have any success in preventing violation of our Code, there has to be a real understanding that there are stiff consequences for anyone that would interfere with the quality of life we all enjoy.

Public safety continues to be one of the Board's highest priorities. We are truly fortunate in Mineola to have exceptional emergency services, be it the Mineola Fire Department, the Mineola Auxiliary Police, or the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corp. On behalf of a grateful village, I wish to extend our thanks to Chief Connolly, Chief Spae, and Chief Rummell and to each of your member for your countless hours of service and dedication to our community.

It is essential to the well being of our Village that we have a healthy and vibrant business community. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, led by its president, Ray Sikorsky, Mineola's business community has never been stronger.

Thanks to the efforts of our public works personnel our pool and parks are in wonderful condition. We are truly fortunate to have the quality facilities that we have as a community. My thanks to John Strein, president of the Mineola Athletic Association, and Bobby Redmond, president of the Mineola PAL for their countless hours in providing our children with the sports programs we enjoy. Today, thanks to the MAA and PAL, our children can play baseball, football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and softball. Thank you John, Bobby and all of the directors, commissioners, and coaches who make all of this possible.

I would like to thank the many residents who volunteer their time and energy to serve on the Village's committees and commissions that are necessary to keep this public body operating.

I ask all of you to step back and observe the many assets we have in this community. Our Village services and facilities, our pool, our library, our parks and ball fields, our retail and business centers, our community service organizations, our emergency services organizations and our faith based organizations clearly make Mineola not only a complete community, but one that works together to make our quality of life one of the best anywhere.

Along the way, we have not taken any shortcuts, opting instead to address issues head on, resolve them, and move on to the next one. As I stated, there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going – in this case, the future prosperity of our great Village.

Thank you.

God bless you and God bless our great Village.