By Hank Russell
On the cracked pavement of Mirschel Park, a once-vibrant community space in the Village of Hempstead, Democratic legislators, parents, and local leaders stood united today to demand that Nassau County Bruce Blakeman stop stonewalling long-delayed capital requests that would benefit children, families, and neighborhoods in underserved communities.
Despite the Village of Hempstead committing to a $9 million revitalization of Mirschel Park, Nassau County has refused to allocate a single dollar to the project, or to dozens of other shovel-ready proposals submitted by school districts, libraries, and villages in Democratic-led areas.
“You don’t need a study to know this park needs help, you just need to open your eyes,” said Legislator Scott Davis (D-Rockville Centre), who represents the Village of Hempstead. “The basketball courts are cracked. Weeds are growing through the pavement. The playground is surrounded by rust and rot. And the county’s response? Silence.”
The village submitted its $150,000 county request in 2023. More than a year later, the county has still taken no action, even as it continues to approve funding for nearly identical projects in Republican districts.
This is not the first time that the legislative Democrats have pointed out this disparity in funding. As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, they held press conferences calling on Blakeman to fund fire departments that are not receiving money simply because they are located in Democrat-controlled districts.
“The village is doing the right thing and putting real money toward this project,” Davis added. “But why should they have to go it alone? Hempstead residents pay County taxes like everyone else. Where’s their share?”
Joining Davis was Legislator Seth Koslow (D-Merrick), who drew attention to three school district projects in his communities that have also been frozen without explanation.
“Just like Hempstead, all our districts share similar stories — horror stories — when it comes to trying to get funding that taxpayers deserve,” Koslow, who is running against Blakeman, said.
Koslow highlighted two proposals submitted by the Freeport Union Free School District in December 2023: a $350,000 plan to convert the Columbus Avenue School courtyard into a usable outdoor space, and a $100,000 request for a community bus that would serve students and seniors. Neither project has been funded more than a year later.
“These are shovel-ready, community-supported, modestly priced projects,” said Koslow. “And yet we’ve gotten nothing but silence.”
Koslow also held up copies of two taxpayer-funded mailers recently sent by Blakeman in April and May — glossy self-promotional flyers that he said cost approximately $150,000 each to produce and distribute.
“That’s $300,000 of taxpayer money spent on political ads masquerading as public service,” Koslow said. “That amount could have covered the county’s share of revitalizing two public parks. Instead, it went to boosting Bruce Blakeman’s image. The priorities are completely backwards.”
Legislator Olena Nicks (D-Uniondale) pointed to three more stalled projects: a theater renovation and concession stand in Uniondale ($277,695), new carpeting for Uniondale Library ($32,000), and an indoor athletic field for Hempstead schools ($66,350). All were submitted between November 2023 and January 2024.
“These aren’t extravagant requests, they’re everyday needs,” said Nicks. “And every one of them has been stuck in place while the County Executive mails glossy flyers every month pretending, he’s getting things done.”
Legislator Debra Mulé (D-Freeport) called out the county’s failure to approve a $40,129 request submitted in November 2024 by the Roosevelt School District for an outdoor digital sign.
“This isn’t about bells and whistles, it’s about making sure parents know when school lets out early or when there’s an emergency,” Mulé said. “Roosevelt, like Hempstead, pays the same taxes as everyone else. But we’re not seeing the same support.”
“We’re not asking the county to do everything. The district has done its part. The ask is clear, the price is modest, and the impact is real,” Mulé said. “The only thing missing is the county executive’s signature.”
Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) spoke about the county’s refusal to fund $110,000 in improvements to John Maccarone Stadium in Glen Cove, a request submitted back in December 2022.
“This is Glen Cove’s main outdoor stadium. Little League teams play here. Schools use it. Families gather here,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “We’re not asking for anything extravagant; we’re asking to fix walkways, seating, and drainage. Basic stuff. But after two years, we still haven’t received a response.”
“The county has spent millions on fireworks and self-promotion. But when it comes to supporting real people, in real communities? It’s radio silence.”
All five legislators warned that these delays are not isolated incidents, but part of a growing pattern in which Blakeman has fast-tracked projects in Republican-held areas while allowing funding requests in Democratic communities to sit untouched for months, or years.
“This isn’t about red versus blue,” said Koslow. “It’s about right versus wrong. Our kids, our seniors, our families – they all deserve better.”
LILP reached out to Blakeman’s office for a response, but did not hear back as of press time.