Update of Nassau Park Fees

The parks budget which includes increased fees will not be on the agenda for tomorrow's (Oct 6) committee meetings. Apparently the administration and the legislature are still "batting it around." We will check on whether it will be part of the full legislative hearing on October 18th and let you know.

There is no procedure to withdraw or cancel the park budget ordinance. If they choose not to pass it, they will either not include it in the final version they do vote on or they will vote no on it separately. A strange system, it would seem. In any case it is important that we keep the pressure up and insure the legislators know we are firmly against the proposed budget. Our reasons:

To insure fair and equal treatment of all organized sports that use county fields, public or private.

To insure all county residents have access to affordable recreation

To accomplish this, no increases in any county park fees! Our regular county property taxes pay for the park system. Fees pay for special services not covered by property taxes. There are no services being offered to justify any increases or new fees. Ergo, there should be no new or increased fees.

On October 14th or 15th we will check to see if he proposed park budget is included in the overall county budget hearings and let you know. If it is not included it would mean it is dead and we will make a point of thanking county government on October 18th for their response to our concerns. If it is included, we will testify against it and encourage every park user to join us on the 18th.

Another Friday Surprise from Parks, More Fees

Well its Friday afternoon and Nassau Parks did a last minute submission to increase more parks fees. Does anyone see a pattern here? Fortunately, unlike parks administration, not all civil servants leave early on Fridays and they continue to process and distribute these submissions in a timely manner allowing us to pass them on to you.

Parks is updating their 2011 budget proposal includes the following:

An Alcohol Beverage permit will go from $45 to $50. (Enforcement will probably remain at zero)
The Eisenhower batting cage will go from $3 a token to $5 (a 66% increase)
Nickerson Entry Fee will go from $8 per vehicle to $10. (a 25% increase)
Nickerson seasonal sticker will go from $80 per vehicle to $90. ( a 12.5% increase)
Nickerson Cabanas will go from $2,100 per season to $2,520 (a $420 increase)
Nickerson Cabinette will go from $700 to $765 per season ( a 13% increase)
Rifle & Pistol Range will go from $7 to $10 per entry (a 30% increase)
Leisure Passes will go from $25 to $30 per person ( a 20% increase)
Eisenhower miniature golf will go from $7 to $9 (a 22% incease)

By the way, since we told the legislature this past Monday, that parks was including fees for Hempstead Harbor Beach Park and Whitney Pond Park and that those parks were given to the Town of North Hempstead in 2007, they wisely deleted them with this amendment. Who is in charge?

Have your fees been increased yet? Hang on, let's see what next Friday's surprise will be. If your fees have increased, feel free to let your legislator know you aren't happy about it.

Note: The Legislative Financial Committee will meet on October 8, 2010 at 10:00 am to discuss the proposed county budget including the unjustified camouflage taxes disguised as fee increases submitted by parks. It wouldn't hurt to use that committee to practice for the final hearing on October 18th.

Final (?) Hearing on County Budget set

As per a legal notice in today's Newsday, the county legislature will hold hearings Monday, October 18, 2010 at 10:00 AM on the proposed county budget for 2011. This will be at the legislative chamber, 1550 Franklin Avenue, MIneola. We are checking to se if here will be committee meetings on specific portions of he budget before hand. If so, we will let you know.

We have almost a month's lead time to marshall support to stop the fee increases in the parks budget. Certainly all the ball teams that will be adversely affected should make a showing and have representatives testify. Once again, emails, letters, phone calls and petitions should be generated opposing these camouflage taxes and sent to the legislators . Dog owners might want to protest the $25 dog run fee, etc. etc.