This is part five of a five-part series on the Cedar Swamp Road project.  Please click on ”Paved with Good Intentions?” for part one, ”Peddling the Dream” for part two, ”It Takes Teamwork to Make the Scheme Work” for part three, and “Guest at the Feast” for part four.

“[G]overnments cover up bad decisions by spending even more taxpayer dollars on even more dubious projects.”–Thomas J. DiLorenzo, Hamilton’s Curse: How Jefferson’s Arch Enemy Betrayed the American Revolution — and What It Means for Americans Today

The overall purpose of the Cedar Swamp Road project was to stimulate economic growth; however, streetscape improvements will not encourage businesses to settle or expand in Glen Cove if they face high taxation and regulation. Without a business-friendly environment, an aesthetically pleasing road unattractively squandered taxpayer dollars.

It could be a fact of life that there are members of political dynasties who have an occasional boondoggle. The Kennedy clan had its senator who lobbied for the “Big Dig” in Boston; those who followed this series know who peddled the “waterfront dream” for many years. The former cost taxpayers $14.8 billion whereas the latter’s tab is at least $100 million. We could thank the local political machine for its bargain but its dream produced nothing tangible for Glen Cove residents. At best, we got a “ferry tale” that ended in a money-losing reality in 2002; nevertheless, our local rulers continue to pour more taxpayer dollars into the waterfront quagmire.

Local economic conditions changed considerably since the peddler first pitched his waterfront dream. Major companies such as Acclaim Entertainment, Konica, and Photocircuits are long gone. We can, however, alter Glen Cove’s economic plan. As John Cocchiola, a local business owner, said, “If we adapt, we can overcome.”

Developing the Photocircuits site, for example, should be a priority — not the waterfront dream. The Photocircuits site has contamination as the formerly contaminated waterfront sites. Why continue to spend tax dollars on the peddler’s dream that produced, thus far, a defunct ferry service and colorful drawings by consultants? (Last year, the federal government gave Glen Cove approximately $11 million in so-called “stimulus funds” for the ferry terminal project.)

Would taxpayers be better served by improving a site with the potential of being a destination for “green” energy manufacturing or biotech research and development? When industry builds it, jobs and overall economic growth come. 

New city leadership should listen to the concerns of local business owners. Some business owners are currently struggling to make a profit while paying a higher property-tax rate than others. They need new city leaders who can streamline government, eliminate suffocating regulation, and keep the local property tax burden low.

The ruling party may have believed that it had the best intentions in beautifying a road to its dream; however, a new slate of elected officials could put Glen Cove on the right road to economic prosperity.

On Election Day (Nov. 8), we can make the change.

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Born in Rockville Centre and raised in Glen Cove, 30-year-old Robert Germino has set his sights on state political office. Germino, an Iraq War veteran, is running on the Republican ticket for the Assembly’s 13th District seat against Democratic incumbent Charles Lavine.  His 2011 platform is economic growth, efficient government, and responsible spending.