There will be a press conference and rally on Monday, June 18, at 11am, on the steps of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building (1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola). The rally is being organized by a coalition of community service organizations facing complete cuts of funding from the county for youth services like summer camps. According to the organizers, they “invite you to bring your children, family, friends and colleagues; together let us express our deep, collective concern for the children and families of this county and our outrage that their needs are being ignored.”
County Executive Ed Mangano is threatening to defund county programs dealing with troubled youth, the mentally ill, and drug addicts effective July 6. This decision leaves the most vulnerable children without services throughout the summer months and beyond. Funding for these programs was supposed to be secured in 2009 when the Nassau County Legislature voted to allocate revenues from the red light cameras to children and youth services.
After the rally, the coalition asks that you attend the county legislative hearing at 1pm as a visible sign of your outrage regarding the fact that county-funded youth programs, including COPAY’s “Kids Helping Kids” program, will be completely defunded. The hearing will be at the executive and legislative building in the legislative chamber.
Some of the children from a COPAY program that would be hurt by the cuts.
Many of these important programs serve immigrants and the children of immigrants. Call Nassau County elected officials and demand that they stop playing politics with the most vulnerable people in our county:
County Executive Ed Mangano: 516-571-3131
Deputy County Executive Robert Walker: 516-571-3140
Brian Nugent of the County Executive’s Office: 516-571-5825
Majority Leader, Legislator Peter Schmidt: 516-571-6212
Minority Leader, Legislator Kevan Abrahams: 516-571-6201
