L&M Publications
Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

POLLING: Wendy Yegidis of North Merrick is assisted by polling officer Ben Cernese as she registers to cast her vote for the Nassau Coliseum/Hub referendum at Park Avenue School.  Merrick Life photo by Paul Roberts.

Nassau County residents rejected a plan to borrow $400 million of taxpayer money to rebuild the Nassau Coliseum and build a new minor league baseball field on Monday. The vote – 88,389 to 66,829, or 56.95% to 43.05% – means the county will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with another plan to redevelop the Nasssau Hub area.

“The people of Nassau County have spoken,” said County Executive Edward Mangano. “But this is not the end of our journey, merely the beginning.” At a press conference on Tuesday, the county executive said he would solicit other proposals for the Nassau Coliseum site.

This newspaper went to the Stop & Shop on Jerusalem Avenue in North Bellmore and polled customers to see if the vote truly reflected the county’s sentiment.

Carimine Notarire said, “I have mixed emotions about it. But right now I think it’s the right move.” He followed up, saying, “I mean, I want it [a new coliseum], but right now people are getting zapped with taxes.”

Laura Giangarra agreed, “I’m not unhappy about it... I think not having it passed, it’ll be better financially.”

So did Michele Addeo: “I’m very happy with how it went.”

Only Angelo Salamone disagreed, “I think they should have voted yes,” he said, adding “It’ll affect the community, it’ll be a vacant lot in a couple of years.”

- with Naomi Volk and Philippa Boyes

By Laura Schofer

Laura Schofer, staff writer for L&M Publications, has been recognized with several awards for many of her feature pieces published in Bellmore and Merrick Life, The Citizen and The Leader.