Nassau's legislature used to have a function

The Nassau County Legislature has only been in existence for 29 years. That’s pretty young as governments go, especially for a county about 100 years older.

In its short history, the legislature had functioned as a separate branch of government, providing oversight over how taxpayer dollars are collected and spent in a shared spirit of governance for all of the county’s residents. Former presiding officers such as the late Judy Jacobs, a Democrat, or Peter Schmitt, a Republican, were widely respected leaders, forceful in protecting and exercising their oversight powers regardless of who was county executive.

Now governing in Mineola is more of an exercise of executive control than a shared effort to meet the considerable challenges of affordability, economic growth, safe roads and infrastructure upgrades. There are aging drainage and sewage pipes that need attention; heavy rains are closing beaches more frequently. The assessment system remains so flawed that more than half of residents challenge their tax bills annually.

Ironically, the legislature’s first presiding officer, Bruce A. Blakeman, who served four years before losing his seat in 1999, is responsible for this new dynamic. One of Blakeman’s significant moves as county executive, in 2024, was to end the fixed two-year term of the presiding officer, who is elected by a majority of lawmakers. Now, the presiding officer can be removed at will by the majority, which essentially allows party leaders to stifle the legislative independence that fosters a bipartisan approach.

The latest example of the legislature’s diminished role was apparent at its recent meeting to review the county executive’s proposed $4.2 billion budget: Not one question was asked by any member of the Republican majority.

The servile actions of the GOP majority were clearly demonstrated recently when dozens of female county employees — spurred on by an email from an employee in the county attorney’s office — showed up for a legislative hearing dressed in red to denounce Democratic Legis. Seth I. Koslow, who is challenging Blakeman. The chamber is for governing, not rallies and the presiding officer should have ended the nonsense.

Another consequence of this unprecedented ceding of control to the county executive is how Community Revitalization Program grants — county money that is funneled to local programs — are handled. Since January 2024, Republican legislators received 59 grants for $7.57 million, while Democrats only got two awards totaling $589,000.

Earlier this year, the imbalance in funding capital infrastructure projects was also glaring even though Democrats had some leverage. After nine months of bitter wrangling, Blakeman was forced to fund two proposals in Democratic districts because the county charter requires a supermajority to bond capital projects. The Republicans controlled 12 of 19 votes but needed one more. Of the $429.5 million bonded, Democrats will get $1.3 million for the seven districts they represent. More than 40% of county residents are represented by Democrats.

This year's candidates

A considerable number of Nassau voters again will be looking at unfamiliar candidates on their ballots this year. Maps the GOP majority approved in 2023 for elections that year were later found discriminatory by a federal judge for packing minority neighborhoods in just a few districts. The voting rights lawsuit was eventually settled and a map with new boundaries will be in place until 2032.

And a recent change in state law moving most local races to even years means Nassau’s 19 seats will be up again in 2026.

Newsday Opinion’s endorsements in the legislative races are based on issues as we assess whether candidates, regardless of party, have the skills and experience to provide independent, constructive oversight of Nassau.