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Friday, November 25, 2022
Vol. 7, No. 47
PortWashingtonTimes Washington GUIDE TO SMALL BOUTIQUE COMING COMEDY FOR BIZ SATURDAY A CAUSE TO PORT PAGES 25-32
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Dems, GOP deadlock on redistricting
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T U R K E Y D AY !
Litigation predicted as decision on maps moves to Nassau Legislature BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z AND STEVEN KEEHNER The Nassau County Temporary Districting Advisory Commission voted along party lines for a pair of resolutions to submit maps to the county’s Republican-controlled legislature Monday night, prompting Democratic officials to say they anticipate litigation to be filed. The 11-member committee made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and one nonvoting chairman, voted along party lines, 5-5, for each of their submissions. The Republicans, who presented a revised map that moved Stewart Manor into the 8th Legislative District right before the meeting started, all voted in favor of their submission, while all the Democrats opposed it. The Democrats, who had a pair of maps they wanted to present to the Legislature, all voted in favor of their motion to do so, while all Republicans opposed it. The county Legislature, comprised of 12 Republican officials and seven Democrats, will now be in charge of reviewing all of the maps, public input and materials obtained by the commission and drawing their own district
lines. “The only thing that happened here is that the Republicans of Nassau County have guaranteed litigation over an illegal map,” Democratic committee member David Mejias said following the vote. “If and when they lose, it’s going to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.” Chairman Frank X. Moroney said Mejias’ prediction of litigation was something he had heard from the start of the redistricting process. Moroney said Republican officials asked the Democratic commission to work across the aisle, saying the Democrats “did not want to do that.” “If we litigate it, we litigate it,” Moroney said about the maps. “It’s unfortunate.” The map was last redrawn in 2013. Democratic officials have chastised Republicans for their lack of transparency in developing the 2023 map. They contend that the Republican proposal allows officials to select their representatives rather than the public. “Our proposal eliminates partisan gerrymandering, complies fully with state and federal laws and enhances equity by ensuring there are five miContinued on Page 47
PHOTO COURTESY OF PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOLS
Daly Elementary School kindergarteners celebrated Thanksgiving last week with their classmates, teachers and families.
Calls to deal with town’s feral cats persist BY ST E V E N K E E H N E R Calls for a cat shelter in North Hempstead and an improved trap, neuter and release program were heard again during a Town of North
Hempstead Board meeting Nov. 17. Several different speakers addressed the board on the topic. They claimed that the town was falling behind others on Long Island and that the problem would not go away
without their help. David Bernacchi, the founder of the animal rescue nonprofit Pets4Luv, was one speaker. He described the issues the town is facing Continued on Page 46
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