County Executive Blakeman’s administration is persisting in its stubborn refusal to approve Community Revitalization Program (CRP) grant funds in Democratic Minority Caucus districts, stalling funds for essential investments in the safety of first responders in District 11 and across Nassau County - in some cases for years.

The funding in question is for essential law enforcement and lifesaving equipment and has been delayed despite the approval of funding in previous capital plans, which were adopted in a bipartisan fashion. Some examples in District 11 include:

July 29, 2021: $100,000 for Port Washington Fire Dept. turnout firefighting gear

Oct. 31, 2022: $90,000 for Port Washington Fire Dept. breathing air compressor

Feb. 16, 2022: $70,000 for Sands Point Police Department communications system

August 8, 2022: $37,400 for Glen Cove EMS cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices

“The safety of our first responders and our communities should never be compromised by partisan politics,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “The people of Nassau County deserve better, and this issue must be addressed before we pass a capital plan.”