Kaminsky takes issues head on

Says corruption, inefficiency result in bad service — and anger

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State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, is among the local elected officials charged with appointing representatives to the Community Advisory Council that will offer its input on the Islanders’ proposed $1 billion arena at Belmont Park in Elmont. So it was inevitable that he would be asked whether he believes the project will be good for the local community.

In a Herald interview, Kaminsky said he thought it was too soon to give a comprehensive answer. “The project will bring huge investment to the area,” he said, “but we don’t know enough yet.”

So far, the only part of the project that has been disclosed is the plan for the arena and a rough estimate of its cost. “The Community Advisory Council is a good start” to bring local voices into the decision-marking process around the new arena, Kaminsky said.

He recently named Evan Babbs and Joyce Stowe, of the Tudor Manor Civic Association, to the council.

Asked about the promise to build the arena solely with private funds, Kaminsky conceded that infrastructure improvements outside the park would not be paid for out of private funds. “Of course, some public investment will be needed,” he said.

Parkways might need expanding, and surface streets will also have to be improved to carry heavier traffic. “Imagine getting on the Southern State at 6:30-7, when fans will be on their way to the games,” he said. “It’s already a parking lot that time of day, without the addition of 18,000 fans.”

In the long run, however, “the public will benefit” from the infrastructure investments, he said.

Like many, Kaminsky was also concerned about the Long Island Rail Road station at Belmont Park. Two weeks ago, he grilled Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joe Lhota during Senate testimony, focusing on the railroad’s overall service record. Low on-time rates, equipment failures and stranded passengers have become commonplace, Kaminsky said.

“People move to the suburbs, and the idea is that they’ll be able to get on the train and be in the city in 40 to 45 minutes,” he said. “Right now, the railroad’s performance is abysmal. They’re taking consumers’ money and not giving anything in return. Chairman Lhotta promised they’d do better. It’s up to us to hold their feet to the fire and make sure they do.”

The senator was equally scathing on the subject of local industrial development agencies, such the Hempstead IDA that oversaw millions of dollars in tax breaks for the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. “IDAs eat what they kill,” he said, referring to the fact that members of local boards have, at times, been paid with proceeds of the projects they have green-lighted. “That’s how you get situations like Ambrosino,” he said, referring to Hempstead Board Trustee Edward Ambrosino, who was indicted on fraud charges after allegedly failing to turn over monies paid to his law firm for work done for two local IDAs. His firm specializes in IDA projects.

Kaminsky also pointed to projects in Valley Stream, where the IDA process not only failed to benefit residents, but also allegedly ended up adding to residents’ school taxes. “Citizens and local boards need to be told in advance exactly what is happening. Without this communication, you get a situation like Green Acres,” in which School District 30 officials believed they would receive $1.4 million more in revenue in 2014-15 than turned out to be the case. Faced with a shortfall, the district raised taxes, as previously reported in the Herald. District 24 also had tax disputes arising from incentives granted to the mall the same year. A judge ruled last November that the district must pay Valley Stream Central High School District $2 million in wrongfully withheld taxes.

Last week, the Senate passed a bill to address such issues. The measure would require businesses with PILOT agreements (payment in lieu of taxes) to notify relevant municipalities and school districts in advance of their intention to challenge property tax assessments, according to Kaminsky’s Senate web site.

“People are starting to wake up to corruption in government and take an interest,” Kaminsky said.

Several newly elected officials owed their seats to corruption charges leveled against their predecessors. “My own seat is a ‘corruption seat,’” he said, referring to his predecessor, former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who is currently awaiting retrial on multiple counts of influence peddling and bribery. Skelos was originally sentenced to five years in prison, but a federal appeals panel ordered a new trial last September, after finding the judge in the original case had given improper instructions to the jury. The panel also found, however, that the evidence appeared sufficient for a properly instructed jury to convict Skelos, according to a New York Times article at the time.

Kaminsky also supports legislation outlawing the sale and possession of so-called bump stocks. Bump-fire stocks accelerate the rate of fire for semi-automatic weapons and were used in the mass shooting last Oct. 1 in Las Vegas. Current law allows ownership of the devices, only prohibiting their use. “Gun control has to start somewhere,” Kaminsky said. “There’s no reason for any private citizen to own an automatic weapon, but gun control is only going to happen piece by piece. We can start with bump stocks.”