Hempstead Town Supervisor Announces New Ethics Reform Measures

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Half of Nassau County's population lives in the Town of Hempstead, where a new supervisor took over in January.

After running on a platform of controversial ethical reforms, Laura Gillen on Monday proposed new anti-nepotism measures and banned political activity on town property.

America's largest township employs 3,800 people, more than any other city, village, or town on Long Island.

"If you look at the employee rosters you see a lot of the same names again and again and again," Gillen said, making good on campaign promises eight months into the job.

Accusations of cronyism in the prior administration proved the undoing of the GOP after 100 years. Former-Supervisor Anthony Santino's final act was to appoint, transfer, or give raises to 192 town employees.

Among Gillen's proposals for ethics reform was an end to the practice of pressuring town workers to contribute cash to their boss's campaigns or petition on town property.

"No politician from either party should be politicking and asking them to contribute money to their campaigns," Hempstead town clerk Sylvia Cabana said.

Gillen also made a promise to homeowners to increase the number on the town ethics board, and to include members of both political parties as a means to make it transparent.

"If you want to know who currently serves on the Town of Hempstead ethics board, you may have to be a detective or amateur sleuth," Gillen said.

Conservative political pundit George Marlin believes Gillen may be stonewalled.

"They don't want anybody examining reviewing or exposing any ethical, financial, or political antics during their year 112-year control of the town," he said.

Gillen wants to meet with the Republican majority town board members in hopes of preventing a united front on ethics reform prior to an upcoming public hearing or potential vote.

GOP town board members did not wish to comment until they review the reform proposals, but complained they should have been part of the planning process.