This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Councilman Gallo is a Strong Voice of Dissent

Tony Gallo, who is the only Republican on the Glen Cove City Council, appears to annoy the mayor and his council colleagues.  His persistent questioning irritates the status quo since it forces them to publicly delve deeper into questionable policies and proposals.  

 

At a meeting in February 2012, the mayor and city council discussed the installation of surveillance cameras in Glen Cove.  Although the cameras were intended to fight crime, Councilman Gallo questioned their potential abuse by the government.  (In the wake of recent I.R.S. and N.S.A. scandals, the abuse of power is a legitimate concern.)  He called for a public hearing to address residents’ concerns about the loss of individual privacy and an attack on their civil liberties; however, not one council member--not even Independence Party member Reggie Spinello who ran with him on the Republican Party line in 2011--supported him.  Mr. Gallo later asked: “Is there a policy in place as to who will be responsible to monitor these cameras?  What safeguards will be put in place? Where will all this private, sensitive information be stored?”  His implied warnings reflect those of Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Find out what's happening in Glen Covewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Payment in Lieu of Parking (P.I.L.O.P.) program also disturbed Councilman Gallo.  New businesses in the downtown would be required to pay a P.I.L.O.P. fee if the Glen Cove Planning Board determined that they could use more than five parking spaces in the public garages.  Except for Mr. Gallo, all council members agreed that it would not discourage business growth in Glen Cove’s anemic economy.

Councilman Spinello, who does not always support Mr. Gallo, believed that the fee would apply to large businesses and commercial developments such as the proposed Piazza Apartments project in the downtown area.  As reported by Glen Cove Patch on August 29, 2012, Mr. Spinello said, “We would have to be crazy to pass something that would discourage businesses from coming here."  Supporting a punitive, tax-like burden on new businesses coming into Glen Cove without considering its potential deterrent effect is unfathomable. 

Find out what's happening in Glen Covewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Councilman Gallo again fought a one-man battle.  He responded with an example of a 60-seat restaurant that has a single owner who would be exposed to a potential P.I.L.O.P. fee of $2,200.  “It is well documented that it takes at least three years for a business to become profitable,” he said.  “It is perplexing to me to add on more fees to do business in Glen Cove when the economy has stalled and many business owners are simply just trying to make ends meet,” he argued.  

The Almanack asked last month, “Where have the Republicans been?”  In this issue, there is at least one who deserves your support: Tony Gallo.  Councilman Gallo’s personal campaign account is more deserving of your donations than the rudderless Republican ship currently captained by Chairman Paul Meli.  Mr. Gallo is a strong voice of dissent on the council.  The people of Glen Cove need him to continue representing us.  His strong convictions come from a love for this city.

He can relate to the struggles of small business owners since his father was one.  The Almanack, therefore, confidently endorses Tony Gallo for city council. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?