There's no business like Bruce Blakeman's show business

Daily Point

Nassau County exec falls back on old slogans to fight new battles

For the moment, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has an uncomfortable problem — inadequate legislative support for more borrowing to carry out his $428 million plan for improving roads, parks and police equipment.

Blakeman needs two-thirds, or 13 members, of the 19-member county legislature to approve the plan. But on Monday, his Republican allies came up one vote short of the supermajority and managed only 12 of the votes needed as all seven Democrats abstained.

In the years before hyper-partisanship spread through America, Republican Blakeman might have evaded the pickle he’s in, by negotiating enough votes from Democrats. But last year his administration denied Democrats’ districts a share of discretionary spending — including $1 million for volunteer firefighters and first responders — even as GOP requests were funded.

So when lawmakers confronted him in the executive chamber Monday, show business set in. His expected opponent in November, Legis. Seth Koslow (D-Merrick), approached the podium with an agreement in hand for those district funds. And Blakeman, with a clearly anxious edge, told Koslow what could be an iconic line: "Sit down! This is my show."

Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) gave it a try and was told, "If you don’t sit down, you’ll be asked to leave."

Whose "show" it was — and what it shows for Election Day — was established as Monday’s key Nassau drama plays out against the national backdrop of the moment. Blakeman might have seen it as "his" show because the Democrats had their news conference separately.

On Tuesday, DeRiggi-Whitton said in a statement released to The Point: "Our caucus is ready to do what the Senate Democrats in Washington wouldn’t — fight like hell for good government and for every community we serve. We’re not folding, we’re not flinching, and we’re damn sure not letting Bruce Blakeman play political roulette with public safety."

For his part, Blakeman played on the public-safety funding that comes with his so-far rejected borrowing proposal. His "official" newsletter to residents carries the hyperbolic headline: "Democratic Legislators Vote to Defund Police & Firefighters."

Which leads to a more essential political question: Will Blakeman and other Republicans try to rely on past controversies over police reform and funding, bail reform and de-incarceration, and housing development legislation as he and many legislators seek reelection, especially if he runs for governor next year? Republican sources tell The Point that those issues remain the party’s core talking points this election cycle.

Does that agenda risk fighting the last war? "Defund the police" has been dead for some time as a progressive electoral slogan, elected Democrats have increased public safety budgets, some "bail reform" provisions have been modified, Gov. Kathy Hochul has long since dropped her bid to override local zoning to create denser development, and President Donald Trump’s unilateral takeover of the budget process has center stage in Washington. In case you haven’t followed Blakeman for the past year, Trump is his political North Star.

Whether it’s Broadway or television, nobody really can say how long any show will last, or who will be acting in it.

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

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