An Important Update From Councilman Santino

Murray and Santino Urge IDA to Just Say "No" to Rockville Centre Avalon Bay

March 25, 2009

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino today announced that they are opposed to the application that has been filed by Avalon Bay Communities seeking financial assistance from the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency (IDA) for the planned construction of a 349-unit market rate rental apartments in Rockville Centre.

The Industrial Development Agency is an independent entity, created pursuant to state law, which is separate and distinct from the government of the Town of Hempstead where Murray serves as chief executive and Santino is the senior member of its legislative body.

While Murray and Santino do not sit on the IDA board and have no jurisdiction whatsoever over the decisions of the IDA, the supervisor and the councilman want to make it clear that they "unequivocally oppose the granting of this application."

"The reasons for denying this application have been set out in compelling fashion by Rockville Centre Mayor Mary Bossart, members of the village board of trustees, and many residents of Rockville Centre," said Santino. "Granting the financial assistance sought from the IDA by Avalon Bay Communities would strain already overburdened village services while denying the village the tax revenue necessary for it to provide this large residential complex with such basic needs as sanitation, fire, police and EMS services." Murray added, "When weighed against the severe strain that the application's approval would place on village finances, the resulting six permanent jobs that Avalon Bay representatives admit would be created are woefully inadequate to warrant positive action by the IDA."

In closing, Murray and Santino noted that were they members of the IDA board they would hold to the highest standards of public necessity any proposed project that did not enjoy the support of the municipality in which it was located.

"Since the Rockville Centre Board of Trustees has formally voted its opposition to this project, and since the applicant has freely admitted that the proposed project will create only six permanent jobs, Councilman Santino and I see no compelling reason to grant the application," concluded Murray.