Politics & Government

DeGiorgio: Make Supervisor Position a 4-Year Term; Initiate Term Limits

Town supervisor candidate favors term limits for Town of North Hempstead position.

In our weekly question series for Town of North Hempstead candidates Judi Bosworth and Dina DeGirgio, Patch asked whether or not the candidates support or opposed term limits for the North Hempstead's supervisor position.

The two women are vying for the position of town supervisor in the November election.

Patch asked:

Could you please describe your definition of a career politician? Do you favor term limits for elected officials, namely the town supervisor position? Why or why not?

DeGiorgio's complete response:

Our Founding Fathers had it right: Put down your plows and your shop aprons. Serve your country for a few years. Then go home, to be replaced by another person with the energy and the imagination and the integrity to do the people’s business.

I never set out to be a politician, and I still don’t consider myself to be one. I was an attorney with a small, local practice. I loved what I did. And I loved being a mom and a wife. (I still do, but my time is much more limited now.) I thought that we were getting a bad deal in Port Washington. So I opposed – and defeated – an incumbent who has been in local politics for over 20 years.

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In the past two years, I feel that I’ve accomplished a great deal, despite being in the minority on the Town Council. I’ve helped save a park from developers; uncovered a secret deal between the Town and the LIRR to turn Port Washington into a railroad siding, and protected senior housing developments from a planned depot for 80 garbage trucks. And I believe I’ve been a careful steward of our money – questioning big salary increases for appointees, new jobs that seem duplicative, and borrowing that, to me, doesn’t make sense. I introduced a resolution to broadcast our Town meetings live, so all of the people in North Hempstead could see their government at work. 

Whether you like me or not, I think no one can deny my energy, effort and enthusiasm. I get up every day, looking forward to working hard and serving the Town of North Hempstead.

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One reason is that this is not my third or fourth or fifth time around. I believe I have the experience to do this job well, but no so much time in the system that I’ve become jaded or bored. My opponent has been at it for over 20 years. I believe that her record demonstrates that she has become content with “making the donuts” instead of advocating for change and introducing fresh, new ideas into government.

Jon Kaiman is an example of a politician who ran out of steam. While I wasn’t in favor of a lot that he did, I had to admire his drive and his energy in the early years. Later, he was more focused on moving up the ladder than on serving the people. He did a lot of favors and filled the Town with dozens of appointees who earn almost $200,00 a year for doing very little. He created an entourage instead of an Administration.

If Judi Bosworth were to be elected, she’d have to bear Kaiman’s burden, because it’s been 25 years since there was another Administration. No question, there are appointees who work hard. But so many others have come to believe that it’s their Town instead of ours, that it would be virtually impossible for Judi to let them go.

I believe that the Town Supervisor’s term should be changed to four years from two, so that she can spend more time working and serving, and less time campaigning and fundraising. And I believe the job should have a two-term limit – no more than eight consecutive years in the position, providing plenty of time to do great things, without assuming that this is a lifetime position.

Our Founding Fathers were pretty smart. I think they’d be appalled to see how much time and money are wasted on petty infighting, and how little of the people’s work actually gets accomplished.

If I’m fortunate enough to be elected Town Supervisor on November 5, I’ll make every effort to make North Hempstead the kind of place they’d be proud of.

Read Bosworth's complete response here


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