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On Monday, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray held a press conference at the West Hempstead hotel to announce that the town is now armed with a new weapon to close the establishment down.
Murray said that on June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that government can condemn property for private development. In the past, she said, local government only had the ability to condemn the property for future public use.
Murray explained that the town would utilize the court's decision in concert with a recently commissioned "blight study," which is scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks. "Condemning the Courtesy Hotel under blight provisions and turning it over to a responsible private-sector developer will be in the best interest of local neighbors," she said.
Added Hempstead councilman Ed Ambrosino, "Our plan will rid the area of a bad neighbor without increasing the local property-tax burden."
The ruling by the Supreme Court allows a private developer to purchase the area, keeping it on the tax rolls. If the Town of Hempstead were to condemn the property, as it did at the equally notorious Oceanside Motel, it would cost West Hempstead residents about $10 million in additional taxes over the next 10 years.
Murray also took a veiled shot at Harvey Levinson, a Democrat who is running for town supervisor in the fall. Earlier this month Levinson criticized Murray, a Republican, for not being more aggressive in shutting the hotel down. "I think it is important to point out that Hempstead Town is the only government that has taken steps to close the Courtesy Hotel," she said, referring to Nassau County. "Despite the fact that another level of government has a public-nuisance law, such an effort is apparently not a priority for officials at that level."
In response to Murray's comments, Levinson, the Nassau County assessor, said, "I think it would be interference if the county came there and took care of their building codes and their laws."
He added, "[The town] prides themselves on having local control, and if she's suggesting the county take over, that's just silly."
Whether or not the Courtesy is closed, Murray said she is working with the Nassau County Police Department to establish a police booth in the area.
Dennis Lemke, the attorney representing the Courtesy's owner, said the Supreme Court decision would have no bearing on the future of the hotel. He said that the decision refers to closure under the public-nuisance law, and not to condemnation. "She's misleading her constituents, is what she's doing," he said of Murray.
A representative of the state attorney general's office had not returned a call seeking clarification as of press time.
Lemke added that he was not contacted prior to any press conference held at the hotel, either by Levinson or Murray. Of Murray, Lemke said, "She always pulls this off the side without giving us the opportunity to respond to her comments. She's obviously looking for votes."
Comments about this story? JScheer@liherald.com or 569-4000 ext. 282.
Murray said that on June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that government can condemn property for private development. In the past, she said, local government only had the ability to condemn the property for future public use.
Murray explained that the town would utilize the court's decision in concert with a recently commissioned "blight study," which is scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks. "Condemning the Courtesy Hotel under blight provisions and turning it over to a responsible private-sector developer will be in the best interest of local neighbors," she said.
Added Hempstead councilman Ed Ambrosino, "Our plan will rid the area of a bad neighbor without increasing the local property-tax burden."
The ruling by the Supreme Court allows a private developer to purchase the area, keeping it on the tax rolls. If the Town of Hempstead were to condemn the property, as it did at the equally notorious Oceanside Motel, it would cost West Hempstead residents about $10 million in additional taxes over the next 10 years.
In response to Murray's comments, Levinson, the Nassau County assessor, said, "I think it would be interference if the county came there and took care of their building codes and their laws."
He added, "[The town] prides themselves on having local control, and if she's suggesting the county take over, that's just silly."
Whether or not the Courtesy is closed, Murray said she is working with the Nassau County Police Department to establish a police booth in the area.
Dennis Lemke, the attorney representing the Courtesy's owner, said the Supreme Court decision would have no bearing on the future of the hotel. He said that the decision refers to closure under the public-nuisance law, and not to condemnation. "She's misleading her constituents, is what she's doing," he said of Murray.
A representative of the state attorney general's office had not returned a call seeking clarification as of press time.
Lemke added that he was not contacted prior to any press conference held at the hotel, either by Levinson or Murray. Of Murray, Lemke said, "She always pulls this off the side without giving us the opportunity to respond to her comments. She's obviously looking for votes."
Comments about this story? JScheer@liherald.com or 569-4000 ext. 282.
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