Nassau Dems threaten funding freeze over $150K needed for Hempstead park rehab: ‘Completely ridiculous'
Nassau Democrats gathered at Mirschel Park Monday — a crumbling Hempstead hub in desperate need of an overhaul — and blasted the county executive for playing favorites with projects in Republican-led districts.
Democrats are seeking $150,000 to repair the park, but also claim $9 million worth of projects are being stonewalled by Bruce Blakeman, the Republican county executive. The Dems — if they don't get their way — are threatening to withhold key votes to block a funding transfer to the county's parks department budget.
Blakeman called the claims 'completely ridiculous.'
He slammed Democrats and pointed to approvals he gave for Hempstead projects like $1 million for water treatment, $400,000 for the African American History Museum, $100,000 for a fire truck, and more than $350,000 for license plate readers.
They acknowledged Blakeman signed off on those projects — although they say it was separate from the capital money they're looking for to fund the park rehab — but said the OK's didn't come without a partisan fight.
'They never have anything good to say,' Blakeman told The Post. 'What they should say is thank you.'
Mirschel Park is operated by Hempstead, not the county, according to Blakeman.
He added that Roosevelt, a Democratic district, just received a brand-new state-of-the-art facility at Eisenhower Park known as 'The Dream Court' in 2023, named after hometown legend Julius 'Dr. J' Erving.
But Dems said the $9 million in question is already allocated in approved budgets and Blakeman just needs to release it.
'This funding has been backloaded since 2023 — and there is no reason for that besides blatant politics,' Legislator Scott Davis, a Democrat, said outside Mirschel Park Monday.
'We are going to hold up the transfer until we see movement on our projects,' added Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, claiming roughly 34 projects across GOP-controlled districts have been approved without one of the Dems' 32 proposals being passed.
Blakeman said he has given plenty of funding to blue districts and the village of Roosevelt in particular.
'They're trying to pick on us because we're holding a $150,00 request when we've already given $3 million to the village — it is totally ludicrous,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The spectacular end of Elon Musk and Donald Trump's bromance
During a press conference in the Oval Office last week, President Trump praised Elon Musk, his adviser and the outgoing head of the president's Department of Government Efficiency, for waging war on the federal workforce. 'Elon has worked tirelessly to lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations,' Trump said alongside Musk, who wore a black DOGE hat and 'DOGEfather' T-shirt while standing next to the president. For nearly an hour, Trump heaped effusive praise on the billionaire Tesla chief executive, SpaceX founder and owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, whose stint as a special government employee had come to an end. 'Elon's really not leaving,' the president added. 'He's gonna be back and forth I think.' What a difference a week makes. Trump and Musk's unlikely bromance unraveled in spectacular fashion on Thursday, with the president telling reporters in the Oval Office that he was 'very disappointed' with Musk's criticism of his 'one big beautiful' spending bill, and Musk railing at Trump in real time on X. "I'm very disappointed in Elon," Trump said before a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "I've helped Elon a lot." The president suggested that Musk, like many others before him, had become 'hostile' upon leaving his administration. "I'll be honest, I think he misses the place," Trump said. 'People leave my administration, and they love us, and then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it, and some of them actually become hostile." "They leave, and they wake up in the morning, and the glamour is gone," the president added. "The whole world is different, and they become hostile. I don't know what it is." Trump also suggested that Musk was upset that the Republican-backed reconciliation bill did not include an electric vehicle mandate, which would have benefited EV manufacturers, including Tesla. 'He knew the inner workings of the bill better than anybody sitting here. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem and he only developed the problem when he found out we were going to cut the EV mandate." "False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!" Musk wrote on X. 'Whatever,' Musk continued. 'Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill.' 'In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that [is] both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this!' Musk added. 'Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.' Musk, who was one of Trump's most fervent and visible supporters during the 2024 campaign, wasn't done. "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate," Musk wrote. "Such ingratitude." Trump wasn't done either. 'Elon was 'wearing thin,'' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,' Trump added. 'I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' Musk tried to get the last word in, suggesting Trump's name is in unreleased FBI files on late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Time to drop the really big bomb," Musk wrote. "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" On Thursday night, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that 'this is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' because it does not include the policies he wanted. She added: "The president is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again.' The split capped a longtime partnership for the pair, with Musk stumping for Trump on the campaign trail, and the president, after installing Musk as the head of DOGE, boosting Tesla amid criticism of Musk with an unusual event at the White House. ("Trump turns the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom," NBC News proclaimed.) But in the last few months, there had been reports that Trump was privately growing tired of Musk. On May 27, three days before Musk's farewell press conference in the Oval Office, CBS aired a clip that showed him expressing disappointment that Trump's signature spending bill would undermine his DOGE work. Then on Tuesday, Musk went full blast on the spending package. "I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore," he wrote on X. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it." That brought us to Thursday, when Trump was asked about Musk's attacks during his Oval Office meeting with Merz. "Elon and I had a great relationship," Trump told reporters. "I don't know if we will anymore."
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
In Nashville, everybody wants to be a millionaire — until they are
Editor's note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree, or click on this link to fill out the form. We welcome diverse viewpoints. I know some Nashvillians who wanted the rich to pay their fair share (whatever that is). They never considered themselves rich until, lo and behold, they woke up one day and found out that the $400,000 home they over-paid for ten years ago is now worth a whopping one million dollars. They have, by luck or design, joined that same exclusive 'Millionaire's Club' they've resented for years. Now, they don't want the rich to pay their fair share… because they hate paying the increased real estate taxes that go along with the sky-rocketing value of their home. However, no matter what, they never stop funding their pet projects, even if the money comes from continuing the deficit spending they have embraced for years. They can't have it both ways. More: With Nashville budget debate looming, some on council may lobby for lower property taxes Do we want a city or state income tax? (Tennessee has neither.) Do we want a state inheritance tax? (Tennessee doesn't have one.) Do we want tolls on all our highways? Do we want the European valued added tax of 20% on everything we buy, or our 9.75% sales tax? More: Trio of Republican groups form coalition to oppose potential tax hike in Nashville Every Tennessean is expected to live within their means. Yet some won't apply that same principle to our own town. And they don't want to pay the higher taxes on their highly appraised properties. Hypocrisy is alive and well and living in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Steve Morris DDS (ret), Nashville 37205 Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to letters@ Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet Nashville's new millionaire's club: Your neighbors | Letters
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump and Musk to speak today after feud escalates
Good morning, all. It's National Donut Day. Celebrate by treating yourself to a free doughnut. Here's where you can get one. Now, on to the news. Subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox each morning. President Trump and Elon Musk are reportedly scheduled for a call one day after their alliance appeared to crumble in a tit for tat that began with Trump saying he was 'disappointed' by Musk's criticism of his 'big, beautiful bill.' Escalating rhetoric: After the president's comment, Musk suggested Trump couldn't have won the 2024 election without him. Trump threatened to revoke Musk's government contracts, and Musk, without evidence, claimed Trump was in the so-called Epstein files. [CNN] Reactions: Congressional Republicans criticized Musk, while some Democrats reacted with glee. 'This is like the Real Housewives of Foggy Bottom,' Rep. Jared Moskowitz quipped. The internet responded in typical meme fashion. [USA Today/TheWrap] Bill updates: Trump's tax and spending bill is currently moving through the Senate, where Republican lawmakers are considering more Medicare changes. Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she would vote no on the bill when it returns to the House. [The Hill] 🏀 Haliburton's Hail Mary With 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton sank a buzzer-beater to defeat the Thunder 111-110, completing yet another epic playoff comeback that even stunned one NBA legend. Watch it. [Yahoo Sports] ⚖️Colorado suspect in court ⚖️ hamed Soliman is scheduled to appear in federal court today after a state hearing yesterday in which he was charged with 118 counts, including 28 counts of attempted murder, in relation to the fire attack that injured at least 15. [CNN] ➡️ Sean 'Diddy' Combs's trial After the judge in Sean Combs's sex trafficking trial warned that he could be excluded from court for gesturing at the jury, another one of Combs's exes, 'Jane,' testified that she was forced to participate in his 'freak offs.' [Yahoo News] 🏛️Harvard visa update A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's proclamation that would've banned foreign students from getting visas to attend Harvard University, saying it would sustain 'irreparable injury.' A hearing is set for later this month. [The Hill] 🎬 Tom cruises to a world record Tom Cruise's preference for doing his own stunts won him a Guinness world record for the most burning parachute jumps, which he did 16 times while filming the latest Mission: Impossible. Watch the footage. [Entertainment Weekly] 🎵 New music drops: TikTok star Addison Rae released her debut, self-titled album, and Sabrina Carpenter debuted her first single of 2025, a country pop song called 'Manchild.' [Billboard] 🎬 Now in theaters: Ballerina, the 'entertaining, ultraviolent' John Wick spinoff starring Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves, and The Ritual, an exorcism horror film featuring Al Pacino. [Variety/IndieWire] ⚾ On the field, cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies, play at 6:40 p.m. ET on the MLB app. [AP] 🏀 On the court, the Dream tip off against the Sun at 7:30 p.m. ET on Ion. [Norwich Bulletin] 🏒 On the ice, the NHL Stanley Cup Final continues with the Oilers and the Panthers facing off in Game 2, starting at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. [Yahoo Sports] ☀️ And don't forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area. In 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day to begin liberating German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. Photographers accompanied the infantrymen as they ran headfirst into enemy fire. See some of their incredible photos. [Yahoo News] Getting ready for the summer and need a new book? Yahoo Entertainment reporter Kelsey Weekman has some ideas. Jessica: What are the hot new releases people are talking about? Kelsey: Atmosphere, by internet darling Taylor Jenkins Reid, might just be the beach read of the year! For my fellow romance lovers, I'd suggest Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry — I always see at least three copies of it when I board a plane. And if you're in the mood for something hard-hitting, try Flashlight by Susan Choi. Kelsey: Everyone's talking about the Mark Twain biography by Ron Chernow. It's 1,200 pages long, so they must mean business. Matriarch by Tina Knowles is my favorite recent celebrity memoir, and Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green has a head-turning cover, but it's illuminating and surprisingly hopeful. Kelsey: For the YA crowd, you can never go wrong with the new Hunger Games book, Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins. And for younger kids, Lulu Is a Rhinoceros by Jason and Allison Flom seems like a sweet one — it was just adapted for TV! Ready to read? Here are more new summer releases. Betsy Shortsleeve thought she was joining her daughter, Kathryn, on a work trip to Washington, D.C. Instead, Kathryn surprised her with a six-day European vacation. 'It was truly one of the most special weeks — everything just clicked,' Kathryn said. [People] Have a great weekend. See you Monday! 💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: If you want to simultaneously limit your screen time and increase your step count, this app has you covered. [Yahoo Life] About The Yodel: The Yodel is a morning newsletter from Yahoo News. Start your day with The Yodel to get caught up on weather, national news, politics, entertainment and sports — in four minutes or less. Did you like this morning's newsletter? Subscribe to have it sent to you on weekdays. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
