The Hub is a Flub

The Hub is a Flub
by Bruce Piel

"The time has come the walrus said to speak of many things, of sailing ships and sealing wax, cabbages and kings." With the referendum looming, PARCnassau believes it is time to address the Hub, the Coliseum and a minor league ball park, etc. etc. Let us say right off, we think it is a bad idea in the current economic climate. What seems good to die hard Islander's fans and members of the building trades seems less so for the vast majority of Nassau County residents.

At the core of this idea is the assumption that Nassau can create a new "Times Square" at Mitchel Field and that residents will flock to this place of public assembly to live, work, play an socialize. Ain't gonna happen! Nassau taxpayers will continue to visit Green Acres Mall, Roosevelt Field, Westfield Sunrise Mall not to mention their local downtowns to shop, eat and enjoy their suburban lifestyle. If we want to go to Times Square, Yankee Stadium, Citifield, Madison Square Garden or Bethpage Bank Field, we can always take the LIRR or drive. In truth, most moved to Nassau to avoid living "in the city"

The initial cost of $400 million will, as always balloon over the 30 years into a financial monster. The estimated $58 annual cost to the taxpayer households will also balloon to pay for the usual cost overruns, legal fees, etc. etc. When it does, where will our political leaders be? Retired or advanced to higher office, feeling no regret or remorse over the mess they left to their successors who will in turn blame prior administrations. So who takes it in the neck? Why we do!. Our $1,740.00 will just be the start.

Let's face some truths. Most Nassau taxpayers are not Islander fans or in the building trades and while we sympathize with those that are, development of the"Hub" should be with private funds and on private lands. Mr Wang should pay for the new Coliseum, The Ducks owners should pay for another minor league field and developers should build modified high density housing, risking their money, not ours.

If none of this comes to be, we will survive as a suburban community. We just have to get thru the current economic doldrums using our funds to support our families rather than throwing our money away on a fantasy Mecca we don't need. So please vote NO on the August 1st referendum.

Nassau Hub

One of our PARCnassau friends was kind enough to send us a copy of the Nassau Hub Study proposal and noted that this could be a problem if Mitchel Field Park were adversely affected.She is absolutely right!

We have no innate objection to intelligent development of the "Hub" area. Currently being bandied about are Casinos, Minor League Ball Parks, New Hockey Arena, Modern Transportation Facilities and high density housing. Even with the removal of the existing Coliseum that is a lot for the land currently available.

What does concern us is that a lot of parkland may be at risk in this mad dash to create "an economic engine that will solve all of the county's fiscal problems". In the study area are the following parklands: Eisenhower Park, Mitchel County Park and the Hempstead Plains Preserve. The history of Nassau County shows that when when a political advantage is to be had or a temporary fiscal windfall is possible, the value and sanctity of public parklands is conveniently ignored.

The current development proposal, minimally defined, will cost $400 Million. Cost who? Why the county taxpayers of course. The county is proposing to sell bonds to finance this "Public Private" partnership. Traditionally this meant the Private entities walk away smiling and the Public takes it in the neck. What will be the final cost of these bonds? No one ever mentions that.

When the county finally gets around to laying out the plan in detail, we must be assured that the parklands noted above will not be adversely affected in any way. Once they are lost, they will never come back. In addition we must learn what amount of debt we will be passing on to the future residents of Nassau vs. the Estimated Economic Benefit.

The county has promised to detail the plan well before the August referendum. When they do, examine it closely and submit a knowledgeable vote.

Bruce Piel
Chairman