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The MarkeT July 23, 2020
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VOL. 68 NO. 30
Armed robbery in Massapequa Park
New assistant for special ed.
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JULY 23 - 29, 2020
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Webinar offers tips for plotting ‘new normal’ By TIMOTHY DENTON tdenton@liherald.com
Courtesy Wantagh Schools
No Place for Hate Wantagh Middle School Principal Anthony Ciuffo, center, was surrounded by this students earlier this year as they prepared for No Place for Hate, a week of activities exploring and fostering inclusiveness. On July 15, the Anti-Defamation League announced that the school was one of 1,600 across the nation to win the No Place for Hate award. It was the school’s third consecutive award.
“You are the engine that will drive our recovery,” State Sen. John Brooks told a group of small-business owners at a webinar on July 16, as he introduced a panel of experts he had invited to offer tips and discuss programs and new legislation designed to aid local businesses in the coming weeks and months. The Seaford Democrat did not understate the importance of small businesses to local communities. According to Nassau C o u n t y C o m p t ro l l e r Ja ck Schnirman, sales tax accounts
for roughly 40 percent of the county’s annual revenue. And in a report released last month, Schnirman said that losses for the current fiscal year could be as much as 12 percent of Nassau’s $3.2 billion budget — or more than $380 million — as a result of coronavirus-related sales tax losses. By the end of next year, losses could total as much as $1 billion, Schnirman said. As primarily residential communities, Seaford and Wantagh depend heavily on property taxes to finance schools and libraries. Before the pandemic, the two school districts’ property CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Gordon juggernaut raises $1.6M in 2nd C.D. By J.D. FREDA jfreda@liherald.com
Fresh off of her June primary win, first-time congressional candidate Jackie Gordon, a Democratic former Babylon town councilwoman and military veteran, kicked off her general election campaign in the 2nd District on June 13 with a celebratory Zoom videoconference. Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer and New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli joined the festivities, and congratulated Gordon on her primary success as well as her fundraising prowess: She brought in nearly $800,000 from April to June, bringing her total
to $1.6 million, with $1.1 million in cash on hand. In that three-month span, Gordon, who is seeking to become Seaford Republican U.S. Rep. Peter King’s successor, received donations from more than 6,800 donors. Her campaign administrators reported that 90 percent of the donations were $100 or less. “I’m proud to have the support of so many Long Islanders who are stepping up to contribute their time and hard-earned dollars to support our campaign,” Gordon said. “Voters want to see a change in Washington. They want a representative who will fight to expand access
to health care, take care of our veterans and support our small businesses. Together, we’re building a grass-roots, peoplepowered campaign that will deliver for Long Island.” Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg was one of the first voices to be heard during Gordon’s virtual campaign kickoff. She was Richberg’s guidance counselor at North Babylon High School 20 years ago. “I’m here because of Jackie Gordon . . . 17 to 20 years ago, Jackie stood by me and pushed me forward,” Richberg said. “Today I’m happy to do the same thing. This isn’t something I wrote down; it’s from the heart. I
will help lead from the front, because that’s what Jackie does.” DiNapoli noted Gordon’s stick-to-itiveness in fighting to represent the district amid the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic. He stressed the importance of looking out for taxpayers, gaining access to college, as well as vocational and technical training, for more peo-
ple, and moving toward providing health care for all. DiNapoli, who lives in Rockville Centre, playfully said that although a significant portion of the district is in Suffolk County, Gordon would be an “islandwide presence for all of us.” “Jackie, when you get sworn in, these problems won’t go away, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4