Letter: LD 13 Candidate Ed Kraus Responds to Norma Gonsalves needing "further review" for jail oversight board

It's a sad state of affairs when a discussion among the entire Legislature on the Nassau Jail Oversight Committee nominations is postponed at the last second by Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves, so that "further review" could take place.  Further review by whom?  Isn't the purpose of having this topic on the agenda for a public Legislative session to review the nominations in front of the full Legislature?  State Supreme Court Justice James McCormack ruled on this issue over five months ago.  It should have been completed already.  As Peter Fenn has said, "A basic tenet of a healthy democracy is open dialogue and transparency," not back room, closed door decision making.

From my research on the issue, Norma Gonsalves considers an "oversight board" to be an "out-of-sight board." Her only effort has been to hide the fact that we even have a prison in East Meadow by covering it with hedges and taking away guard towers. The fact is; we have public servants in there, facing bodily harm each day. We have public servants in there that face bodily harm each day and we must also explore whether or not the county is sufficiently staffing and providing the necessary training at this facility.  

Ed Kraus

Legislative Candidate for District 13