Blakeman withholds funds from Downtown Sounds

For 27 years, Downtown Sounds has been more than just a concert series in Glen Cove; it has been the heartbeat of our community every summer. This cherished event, which brings music, laughter and family fun to the city, has faced an existential threat this year thanks to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s inexplicable decision to withhold its annual funding.

I was a member of the City Council when then Mayor Ralph Suozzi transformed Jazz in the Square, created in 1997, into Downtown Sounds. The event draws thousands of people to our downtown business district, fostering community spirit and supporting local businesses. It has been a pleasure and a priority for my office to provide funding for it, including one year in which we were able to secure $25,000 to help the city meet the budget obligation.

In April 2023, my office again started the process to allocate money for Downtown Sounds. The paperwork was filed and the funding was secured. The last step was for the county executive to approve the grant and place it on the legislative calendar for a vote. Well, that never happened.

As an elected official for the past 16 years, I have worked with both Republicans and Democrats, and have a good working relationship with members of both parties. Blakeman’s refusal to let this item be voted on, and his refusal to respond to my emails and requests for meetings, goes beyond politics and, in my opinion, constitutes bad government. I also have many grants for first responders that his office refuses to send to the Legislature to be voted on.

Downtown Sounds is more than just a series of concerts. It is a platform for local talent, a magnet for visitors and a boon to our local economy. Every performance fills Village Square with music lovers, families and friends, creating an atmosphere of joy and togetherness.

Local businesses, from restaurants to shops, thrive during these events, benefiting from the increased foot traffic and patronage. The concert series is a lifeline for our downtown area, fostering a sense of community and supporting economic growth.

By withholding funds, Blakeman is undermining not just an event, but the very fabric of our community. His actions threaten to silence the music, dampen the spirit of Glen Cove, and hurt the local businesses that rely on the influx of visitors. It was a shortsighted and detrimental move that disregarded the needs and desires of the people he is supposed to serve.

At this point, I ask all those who enjoy this event to email Blakeman and ask him to allocate the $7,500 for Downtown Sounds, as was planned. I regret having to go to such lengths, but I feel this may be the only way to finally get the funding.

Politics is politics, and yes, the county executive and I have disagreed on several issues, but that is no reason to hold up funding needed to bring music and a sense of community to our downtown. We cannot allow this to continue. As a community, we must stand together and hold our elected officials accountable for their actions.

The withholding of funds from Downtown Sounds is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant civic engagement and the need to ensure that our leaders prioritize the well-being of all communities, not just a select few. Glen Cove deserves better, and together we can ensure that our traditions are preserved and our town continues to thrive.

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton represents Nassau County’s 11th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s minority leader.