The clock is ticking towards Thursday and a painful deadline for organizations such as YES Community Counseling.
YES is one of dozens of social service providers that received a letter from County Executive Ed Mangano threatening to cancel their contracts with the county if Democrats didn't pass refunds that are due to residents who protested their tax bill.
Three Democrats are needed to create a supermajority to pass the bill and an attempt by Republicans to pass it this week failed to get those votes.
Democrats have argued that Mangano is to blame because the County rescinded a law that funded the service programs with money received from red light cameras.
Caught in middle are the service organizations who are watching time run out.
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Please, YOU CAN NOT ELIMINATE THE FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS YES and other YOUTH SERVICES! There has been a proposal put forward that would eliminate the Nassau County Youth Board and other Human Service Departments that fund our programs. Doesn't it seem unbelievable that in spite of our headlines screaming about teen deaths, family violence, unemployment, bullying, suicide and other tragedies that our elected officials could actually propose such a response? Something is terribly wrong when they can consider our children as disposable... when they are our future! Our children and our community deserve nothing less. We cannot allow the elimination of the resources that help those most in need in our community. Nassau County government appears to have chosen a path that will affect services not only to children, youth, and families, but to our senior citizens as well. THIS CAN NOT BE TOLERATED from either political party! Our elected officials must find a way to avoid these cuts to human services and save YES. You, Mr. Schmitt, have been elected to the position to protect our most vulnerable residents. Children and families should not be used for any political issues; their future is far more important than that. Thank you,
Do you have any idea all of the programs this will impact or are you so sure its people waiting in line for freebies? Considering that it is the political parties mucking up these programs by playing games with funding, I would say that the funding issue is significant enough that they should be worried about it. Go back to explaining to kids that vulnerability is a reflection on them. That may be the most ridiculous thing I've heard so far.
I wish it were as easy as you make it sound. Maybe then we wouldn't need those programs that are in danger of being cut. In the meantime, not only do we need them but the red light funds were originally supposed to go towards those funds. The money is there. The legislature is playing games. I wonder what you think will happen in your neighborhood to all of those kids we will fail because you think it is not your duty.