Dear Neighbor: 

As many may know, I was raised in a family that was deeply involved in politics and government. My father, Donald DeRiggi, served as the Mayor of Glen Cove, a Commissioner of Finance, a City Councilman and a County Court judge before he retired.

He taught us it was a privilege to be a public servant, and that, though governance may be contentious, it was important to do so fairly and in the best interest of the people, regardless of political affiliation. This has made the last three and a half years of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman quite jarring.

His administration has erected countless roadblocks to shield itself from scrutiny – so much so that my colleagues Scott Davis and Debra Mulé were forced to sue the County Executive to secure information about his “armed militia”.

Similarly, his administration has refused to say how the future life of Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) would be protected. This regionally significant hospital is an essential safety net for the community and must not be neglected. To get any answers, we have had to resort to the Freedom of Information Act. Soon after, the hospital’s leadership was accused of taking advantage of the public - allegedly to the tune of millions of dollars.

One would think that County Executive Blakeman would condemn such damaging behavior from his appointees – but his silence has spoken volumes and sent a clear message that he has little interest in fair, equitable and responsive government.

We are continuing to fight for fairness in the distribution of Community Revitalization Program (CRP) grants, where Blakeman has made his partisan bias obvious. To date, districts represented by Republicans have had a staggering 50 grant requests approved. Districts served by Democratic members have received zero approvals through the normal legislative process, and more than 30 Democratic CRPs remain caught in the blockade. Specific to District 11, this includes $350,000 to improve Pascucci Field in Glen Cove, $275,000 for an all-ability playground in Port Washington, $110,000 to upgrade Maccarone Stadium in Glen Cove and $100,000 for a local history center at the Port Washington Library. These funds are not being held up on their merits. Rather, they’re being held up over partisan politics.

During my two decades as a public servant and elected official, I have learned that effective leaders, regardless of political affiliation, must not operate in secrecy. They must not demand political allegiance - and they must not unilaterally shut out opposition voices. To operate in a purely partisan manner, as the Blakeman administration has for the last three and a half years, betrays the spirit of community service and our duty to fight for the greater good of the people – all of the people.

Sincerely,

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader