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Friday, February 24, 2023
Vol. 8, No. 8
PortWashingtonTimes HEALTH AND WELLNESS GUIDE
GRAND CENTRAL ACCESS BEGINS
BLAKEMAN FREEZES ASSESSMENTS
PAGES 21-28
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
Dems bash GOP’s alleged gerrymandering
PUPPY LOVE
Abrahams, Drucker say Minority caucus will not OK partisan maps BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Nassau Democrats bashed a newly submitted legislative map from Republican county legislators claiming it violates federal and state laws and exemplifies extreme partisan gerrymandering. Under the GOP plan, Roslyn-area villages would once again be split into four separate legislative districts, Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams said in a letter to Nicolello last week that his Democratic colleagues strongly objected to the maps of legislative districts pushed forward by the Republicans. Abrahams said the proposal goes against parts of the federal Voting Rights Act and the John. R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York. “As we have stated and demonstrated throughout this process, the members of the Democratic Minority Caucus will only support a map that adheres to all applicable local, state and federal laws,” Abrahams said. “The Minority delegation remains willing to cooperate, in a public and transparent manner, with the Majority in attempting to create a mutually agreeable map which meets all applicable legal standards and best serves the residents of Nassau County.”
Abrahams bashed the GOP proposal for “diluting the voting power of minority communities across” Nassau County, including having an “AsianAmerican influence district.” In 2010, Asian Americans made up 7.6 percent of Nassau’s population, which increased to 11.7 percent in 2020, according to data from the U.S. Census. Democratic county Legislator Arnold Drucker, in a statement, expressed his displeasure with the proposal that splits Plainview and redraws the lines in his district. “The current proposal is an extreme partisan gerrymander that carves apart Plainview and other communities across the 16th Legislative District,” Drucker said last week. “This is not about the political fate of one person over another — it is much more significant. This is a brazen attempt to dilute and render irrelevant the voices of all Democrats residing in the 16th District and it must not stand.” 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. The county Legislature, comprised Continued on Page 38
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Guggenheim students were treated with a special guest from the Guide Dog Foundation.
Incumbents unopposed in 3 Port village races BY C A M E RY N O A K ES
unopposed. The villages of Flower Hill, Three Port Washington villages Baxter Estates and Port Washingare holding elections for multiple ton North are holding elections on political offices in March, but only March 21. Flower Hill residents will be votincumbents are running and all are
ing for the positions of three trustees, currently held by Frank Genese, Max Frankel and Mary Jo Collins. Baxter Estates has three offices up for election: Mayor Nora HaagenContinued on Page 39
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