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interview with Hempstead's 2nd District
Republican Councilman, Edward (Ed) Ambrosino.
BACKGROUND
Age 39; married with three children.
Resident of North Valley Stream. Attorney in private practice and a
law degree from New York Law School. Former First Majority Counsel,
Nassau County Legislature, and former Sanitation Commissioner,
District 6, Town of Hempstead.
THE NASSAU COUNTY LEGISLATURE
I'm proud of it and I was there at the
beginning and worked well with Chuck Cutolo, the Counsel to the
Democrats. We built something that is still evolving into a fine
institution. Being a legislator is a very difficult part-time job.
Ultimately you will see a truly independent branch of government based
on coalitions and more confidence in the institution. the Nassau
County Charter is still a Nassau County Executive based Charter.
MESSAGE TO VALLEY STREAM/NORTH VALLEY
STREAM RESIDENTS
We are doing a good job in the Town but
the challenges facing us are not the same as those in 1970. We are
responsible for quality of life issues but we are not expanding. We
need to maintain our infrastructure, have job development and
retention and work on quality of life issues. The illegal housing
problem must be stopped, prevented and if need be, punished. Finally,
with respect to the environment, we need to look at our gas stations,
and for open space issues, our business establishments.
FAVORITE MUSIC, TV SHOW, CHARACTER IN A
BOOK & INTERNATIONAL CITY
Classic rock, Law and Order, Atticus Finch
(To Kill a Mockingbird) and London, England
PROPERTY TAXES
They are way too high. Nassau County is
wealthy but not a liquid County in terms of wealth.
Senior citizens live in homes that they
bought inexpensively in the 1950s. A revenue stream model based on the
property tax base, without realizing counterbalancing efficiencies,
cannot sustain the growth of current government. Our revenue base is
taxing a non-liquid form of revenue. I want to commend our former
County Assessor, Charlie O'Shea, for doing a difficult job well.
AFFILIATIONS
President/Founder, Amber Rose Productions,
a non-for-profit community theatre production group, Counsel, Pat
Cairo Family Foundation and Member, St. Vincent de Paul Parish
(Elmont).
OTHER ITEMS
THE 2004 PRESIDENCY
Bush wins over John Kerry. Dean was out
front and has come back to the pack. Security and the economy are the
issues but Bush is giving us the confidence that we need.
THE ELMONT COMMUNITY
It is fully integrated and almost 80
languages are spoken there. The daily issues of Elmont are more
complex than they used to be.
GOVERNOR PATAKI
He has done a fine job. He has moved from
economic growth issues to social issues.
DOT GOOSBY
I admire her and my wife is President of
the Literacy Volunteers of Nassau County, of which Dot has been very
supportive. She fights hard for her Council area.
HEMPSTEAD TOWN 2004 vs.1984
It is an expanding municipality. People
voted Republican many years ago because we were deemed to be the
"builders" of Nassau County. The boundaries are different
today and people are looking inward. Expectations of government are
higher today due to the new forms of government and the aggressive
stand of the media.
SENIOR CITIZENS
it is very important for our children to
grow up with their grandparents near them. We need to keep seniors on
Long Island and keep families together.
McCARTHY vs. GARNER or O'GRADY (4th
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT)
The primary will be competitive. The
general election will be tougher for the Republican candidate.
McCarthy is regarded as being responsive to residents.
PERSONAL/FAMILY GOALS
I want my children to enjoy the childhood
that I had when growing up in Elmont and I hope that I am able to give
them the same opportunities that I was given.
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