Politics & Government
CCAF to Legislators: 'Please Address These Issues'
The Farmingdale civic group is asking legislators to address issues in the community.
Following , the Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale has drafted and sent a letter to elected officials voicing the group's concerns.
Copies of the letter were sent to state Senator Kemp Hannon, state Senator Charles Fuschillo, Assemblyman James Conte, Assemblyman Joseph Saladino, Village of Farmingdale Mayor George Starkie, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Nassau County Legislator Joseph Belisi and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto.
"The CCAF Civic Board continues to be concerned with the ongoing burden of very high property taxes in our community and on Long Island. Being number two behind Westchester is nothing to be proud of," said CCAF President Chuck Gosline.
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The letter explains that the CCAF has provided forums over the past few years on many issues like school taxes, state education mandates, illegal apartments/housing, housing affordability, foreclosures and local economic development.
At the Sept. 22 civic meeting, the discussion asked for ideas from members on what elected officials should focus on and the CCAF board compiled the list.
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"We ask that you please address those issues for your specific jurisdiction," the letter reads.
The list goes on to address residential development in the Village of Farmingdale, union contracts, the guaranteed public pension system and healthcare benefits, government subcontracting, job growth in TOBAY and the Liberty Site.
A significant portion of the letter is dedicated to ideas surrounding funding public school education, what the group calls "the number one driver of high property taxes."
"Residents continue to lose careers and fall into foreclosure. Young people continue to leave Long Island for lack of affordable housing and high taxes [and] business move to other states due to all taxes," the letter reads. "The reality is we do not see enough action being taken by our New York State elected officials."
Residents interested in joining the civic association can contact Chuck Gosline at ckgosline@optonline.net.
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