The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Nassau County and state Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Charles Fuschillo of Merrick and Sen. Jack Martins of Elmont, announced an agreement last week to avert proposed cuts to the MTA’s Long Island Bus service in Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village and North Valley Stream. The cuts, which were announced nearly a month ago and were expected to affect more than half of Nassau County’s bus routes, have been postponed until January 2012, and the MTA will have to find a way to solve its budget shortfall in the meantime. more

Nearly 60 protesters gathered on March 29 to chide state Sen. Jack Martins, of Elmont, for a promise they say Martins did not keep. The group included local and state redistricting reform activists, who are angry that despite legislation Martins pledged to pass last summer, independent redistricting will not be mandated in New York state until 2022. more

In February, the Metropolitan Transit Authority announced that its 100,000 daily Long Island Bus riders would face the most dramatic cuts in the bus system’s nearly 40-year history throughout the spring. In an effort to save $26 million, which MTA officials say is needed to maintain existing bus service, the MTA announced last month that its Long Island Bus services would be cut by 56 percent. more

Sen. Jack Martins (R-Elmont) introduced a bill last week to repeal a recently implemented policy by the Metropolitan Transit Authority that charges customers a $10 processing fee for returning unused Long Island Rail Road tickets. Martins said he introduced the legislation because he believes the fee is an unfair addition to the MTA’s already inconvenient fare increases and service cuts that have occurred over the past year. more

New York Racing Association officials committed to investing in the revitalization of Belmont Park at a State Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee meeting Feb. 7. Sen. Jack Martins, a Republican from Elmont who advocated not only for improvements at Belmont but for revamping the Hempstead Turnpike corridor at the hearing, said the commitment was “a very positive step forward” toward developing Belmont’s south lot and improving the aging racetrack. more

After hearing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget release in early February, the Sewanhaka, Franklin Square and Elmont school districts have been on their feet, working to incorporate heavy school aid cuts and a proposed 2 percent property tax cap into their budgets. The tax cap, which was recently passed by the Senate and would take 76 of 150 votes in the Assembly to fully pass, wouldn’t go into effect until 2013, but districts are preparing ahead of time. more

Mineola Mayor Jack Martins was officially declared the victor in his race against 7th State District Senator Craig Johnson by a Nassau County Supreme Court Judge on Saturday. But Johnson announced on … more

Jack Martins, 42, the mayor of Mineola, will challenge state Sen. Craig Johnson in November for New York’s seventh district seat. more