Accuse Blakeman of Politicizing Public Safety Funding
By Hank Russell
Members of the Nassau County Legislature’s Democratic Minority held a press conference inside their media room in Mineola to rail against County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s request to borrow nearly $500,000, pledging to withhold approval until over $1 million in essential public safety funds are immediately released to first responders. Democratic lawmakers emphasized that this funding, already approved in previous capital plans, is vital to public safety but has been unjustly withheld by Blakeman.
Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton criticized Blakeman for politicizing critical resources. “From veteran legislators to our newest members, we all agree — County Executive Bruce Blakeman has politicized even the most basic issues,” she said. “Funding clean drinking water, equipping firefighters, and supporting emergency responders should never be political. Sadly, under this county executive, everything has become a partisan fight. This stops today.”
“We’re not talking about Republican fires or Democratic fires — just fires that need to be put out,” said Seth Koslow (D-Merrick), ranking member of the Public Safety Committee. “The withheld funds would provide critical turnout gear to protect first responders with new turnout gear, CPR devices, and communication equipment. Yet, since November 2023, funds have flowed exclusively to Republican districts, leaving Democratic areas completely unfunded. This blatant political bias must end now.”
Democratic legislators demanded that Blakeman sign a binding agreement to release the withheld funds within three months and to commit to regular, transparent updates on the progress of capital projects throughout all legislative districts.
Legislator Scott Davis (D-Rockville Centre) highlighted past efforts to overcome similar partisan obstacles. “Last September, Democrats were forced to hold up borrowing because Blakeman refused to release federal funds meant to address contaminated drinking water in the Village of Hempstead — funding that Republican districts received immediately for identical projects,” he said. “It took Democrats refusing to sign off on more borrowing before Blakeman agreed to release the funding. This pattern of unequal distribution must end.”
Legislator Olena Nicks (D-Uniondale), herself a 14-year veteran volunteer firefighter, underscored the immediate risks to first responders posed by Blakeman’s actions. “Withholding money for basic safety gear — like protective coats or SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus) — is unacceptable. First responders see through these dangerous political games, and we will continue standing united until the county executive prioritizes public safety over politics.”
Democratic legislators expressed their openness to dialogue but emphasized their determination to maintain their stance until Blakeman complies with these essential public safety demands. Legislators reiterated they will withhold their votes approving more than $420 million in additional county borrowing until first responders are fully funded and a letter of agreement is signed by the county executive guaranteeing that these funds will be released. They highlighted that, since November 2023, Republicans have exclusively received funding, securing $2.5 million across 31 projects, while Democratic districts — which comprise approximately 40 percent of the county — have received no funding at all.
Legislator Seth Koslow concluded strongly, stating, “Public safety isn’t negotiable,” Koslow said. “Until the county executive puts safety ahead of partisan politics, we’re not backing down.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to Blakeman’s office. This reporter received a video message from Blakeman in which he addressed the opioid crisis.
“Since I’ve taken office, my administration has prioritized cracking down on the sale of deadly drugs like heroin and fentanyl, while expanding education, treatment and prevention efforts,” Blakeman said.
Blakeman said his administration has invested more than $39 million to fight this crisis. And has been “working collaboratively” on initiatives like the Heroin Task Force, partnering with nearly 30 groups to take those services directly to the communities,
He also pointed out that opioid-related deaths dropped 16%, but added, “The work is far from over.”