East Rockaway Pride Party candidate in race

Longtime East Rockaway resident and Village Pride Party President Stanley Lombardo announced that he would join his party’s ticket seeking the second village trustee seat that is up for election in March 2011. Lombardo joins running mates Fran Lenahan and Ed Corrado on the Pride Party ticket next year.

Lombardo said that he pledges to reduce village spending in next year’s budget and use the savings to cut village property taxes. “Not too long ago, our village ran quite nicely with a modestly paid village clerk, a part-time building inspector, a volunteer recreation commission and a part-time paid recreation director,” he said. “Taxes were a lot lower then as well.”

Now, according to Lombardo, East Rockaway is paying some of the highest administrative salaries that you will find anywhere. “The former village administration put the budget for administrative salaries, perks, and benefits on steroids. Somehow, they got the idea that bigger was better and that East Rockaway’s families and senior citizens could afford the higher taxes necessary to pay sky-high salaries for a favored few.” Lombardo said that the money saved can be invested in top-notch programs for the village’s youth and seniors, and, most importantly, he said, “[to] give every single village homeowner a tax cut.”

A 28-year village resident, Lombardo has been involved in many areas of the East Rockaway community. He served for three years as commander of the East Rockaway Sons of the American Legion, and has been recognized and honored with several civic and volunteer awards on behalf of his long-time service to the area. He is also a member of the village’s Beautification Committee.

Lombardo was presented with an award for heroism by the New York State Civil Service Employee’s Association as well as East Rockaway’s own Boy Scouts of America, Troop 84 for his actions when digging a victim out of the rubble after a building collapse.