Hochul's GOP critics keep driving their point home

Daily Point

Housing battles seep into Nassau governance

Gov. Kathy Hochul may have thought she found an easier way to address the region’s housing crisis with her recent executive orders.

But Nassau County Republican legislators aren’t letting up on their opposition to the efforts.

In recent days, Nassau County residents in some GOP districts have been receiving a two-sided mailer decrying Hochul’s attempts.

“Gov. Hochul’s high density housing plan for Long Island defeated for now … But Not Going Away!” the flyer proclaimed.

Sporting photos of multifamily buildings under construction, the mailer quotes comments Hochul made in April and May, after the Housing Compact budget fight, saying: “We need to go big.” The comment wasn’t about the height of buildings — but the quote is spread across a photo of a multistory apartment building.

It notes the defeat of Hochul’s efforts to include housing in the state budget, adding: “However, based on recent comments, the governor and many state legislative leaders still intend to pursue a housing proposal that will threaten our suburban quality of life and erode local zoning control.”

And it has a mission for residents receiving the flyer.

“Please join me in fighting this proposal by contacting state leaders and signing my petition,” it reads.

Mary Studdert, spokeswoman for Nassau’s legislative majority, told The Point that at least six legislators — Rose Marie Walker, Laura Schaefer, C. William Gaylor, Richard Nicolello, Michael Giangregorio and James Kennedy — have sent out the mailer, though it was offered to every member of the majority. The contents of the mailer, and the decision to send it, were a “group decision,” she said.

“It’s important and it’s our job to make sure our residents are well-informed with what’s going on in Albany,” Studdert said. “The governor and others in Albany have indicated they’re not backing down and they’re still not having meaningful conversations with the communities. We want to make sure our residents … have the opportunity to voice their opinions, no matter what it is.”

Sent just four months before local elections, the mailers came from county lawmakers’ government offices and were paid for with taxpayer money. Studdert said she wasn’t able to estimate how much they cost but added that she saw the mailers as part of the legislators’ jobs, rather than an election-related effort.

“I don’t see it as a campaign issue,” she said. “It’s something that affects all of our residents. They deserve to be part of a conversation. It’s our job to keep them informed of items that will affect them.”

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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