By Hank Russell
A group of Hempstead Town residents — led by Joe Scianablo, who is running on the Democratic ticket for town supervisor — held a rally calling for New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to audit the town’s finances. Scianablo has accused the town’s current supervisor, John Ferretti, of failing to submit the town’s financial statements in a timely manner.
In a series of documents obtained by Long Island Life & Politics, Scianablo presented a copy of a Material Event Notice, which read that “the Town of Hempstead, NY has failed to file its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 in a timely manner as required pursuant to the Continuing Disclosure Undertaking entered into in conjunction with certain bonds of the Town.”
“Taxpayers have a right to know the true financial condition of their government,” said Scianablo. “When required financial disclosures aren’t filed, when bond reporting obligations are missed, and when transparency is reduced, that’s not just a paperwork issue; that’s a warning sign. Public power cannot go unchecked. Accountability isn’t optional.”
In his letter to the New York State Comptroller, Scianablo outlined several concerns warranting a comprehensive state audit:
- Failure to file legally required audited financial statements
- Acknowledged noncompliance with bond disclosure obligations
- Potential risks to taxpayers and bondholders
- Removal of detailed financial disclosures from Town Board agendas in 2025
- Delays in responding to Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests
- Apparent weaknesses in internal controls
Some town residents in attendance also called for an audit.
“When residents attend Town Board meetings and ask basic questions, we are not given clear answers,” said Kelly Johnson. “The responsibility gets passed from one official to another, and no one takes ownership. As taxpayers, we deserve transparency, not confusion or silence. An independent audit is necessary to restore trust and accountability.”
“I am here as a resident and taxpayer who wants honest answers about how our money is being managed,” said Leslie Martin. “We were told taxes went up by 12% and then down by 18%, but residents are not seeing real relief. The town used reserve funds to create the appearance of savings, and taxpayers deserve transparency. That’s why an independent audit is so important, so residents can finally get the truth and accountability we deserve.”
Scianablo also called for a review of the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter’s budgeting and operations following years of questionable staffing and the shelter’s recent closure to the public.
Scianablo says the closure is a misinterpretation of Article 26-C of the New York State law, the Companion Animal Care Standards Act, which became effective December 15, 2025.
“Residents deserve clarity, transparency, and confidence that their local government is operating responsibly and within the law,” Scianablo said. “If everything is above board, a full audit will confirm that. If it’s not, the public deserves to know.”
LILP reached out to the comptroller’s office and asked if they received the letter and if they intend to audit Hempstead Town. Mark Johnson, DiNapoli’s press secretary, noted that the town was audited once in September 2021 and four times in September 2022. These audits looked at Hempstead’s budgeting, procurement, vehicle and fuel usage, IT access controls and compensatory time practices.
Johnson further explained that the comptroller’s office uses “a risk assessment process” in order to choose which entities to audit and when.
“We consider a variety of risk factors, including, but not limited to, those brought to our attention by residents, local officials and media accounts and reviews of available financial data,” he said. “We continue to monitor these concerns and consider pertinent information in our risk assessment process.”
Hempstead Town spokesperson Brian Devine shot back at Scianablo’s remarks. “Since taking office, Supervisor John Ferretti has made life more affordable for residents by cutting Town taxes by millions of dollars,” he said. “Joe Scianablo’s claims about the town’s finances are completely false and fabricated. The fact of the matter is, the town completed its state-mandated 2024 financial audit well before the September 30 deadline, and the report has been publicly available on our website ever since. Any suggestion that the town failed its auditing duties is not only disingenuous but also demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how town government works.”
Scianablo concluded the rally by saying, “The people of the Town of Hempstead deserve leadership that isn’t afraid to demand answers. No administration should be beyond scrutiny. That’s how democracy works.”