Meagher proposes mayoralty as community service

The position of mayor holds a tremendous amount of responsibility, even though it is technically a part-time job — and the salary reflects that.

In the second of a series of issues, the topic was proposed by Freedom Party candidate Richard Meagher. Last week’s topic, salary caps for village employees, was posed by Pride Party candidate Francis Lenahan.

“My suggestion to my opponent is that he join me in pledging to not take any salary as mayor in the upcoming term of office from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2015,” said Meagher.

“As we approach the village election in East Rockaway, we are also beginning the development of the village budget for fiscal year 2011-2012, which will run from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012.

“We will have to see what revenue projections are likely to yield in what promises to be another difficult year, even as we try to control the expense side of the budget, at the same time seeking to maintain the level of services that our residents need and, indeed, count on.

“We have had a tiny savings on one budget line during this current fiscal year of 2010-2011, due to the untimely death of our dynamic fallen leader, Mayor Ed Sieban. Since he died early in the fiscal year — on July 3, 2010 — most of the $15,000 salary he would have earned over the year was not spent.

Yes, this pledge will only save a symbolic sum of $15,000 per year, or $60,000 in total over the four-year term, but it would reemphasize the community service aspect of serving as mayor of our dear mile-square village.

“Compensation for mayors of Long Island villages ranges all the way from large full-time salaries to zero in Garden City.

Sometimes symbols mean a lot.

Response from Mayoral candidate Francis Lenahan:

“The Village Pride Party has put out a press release to the Herald asking Meagher to apologize for comparing me to Adolph Hitler and Joseph Goebbels,” wrote Lenahan. “Until he does, I won’t have any comment on anything he has to say on any other issue whether it’s a direct statement or something he is filtering through the Herald.”