JACK'S BACK TIMES 5

Well it's been a while but Jack is back and in your face not once, not twice, but FIVE TIMES in this week's issue of the Jackazine known as The Mineola American.  Here's Jack with his pal John DaVanzo.  Here's Jack at the Portuguese festival. Here's Jack . . . Jack . . . Jack.

Plenty of photo ops in this week's issue.  And then of course, his weekly column where Sen.Martins discussed graduation and the hopes and dreams of those moving forward to their next level of education.  A not entirely inappropriate use of space considering the time of year.

But there is one thing Sen. Martins has never discussed in his column.  He's been very vocal about the 2% tax cap, and the MTA tax, and easing the burdens of state mandates for local municipalities.  But he hasn't said word one about his position on same-sex marriage.

Why is that?

He's not the only one of the Long Island Seven who has not taken a public stand but for the purposes of the 7th Senate District, he's the only one whose position matters.  Like it or not - and MNYT doesn't like it one bit - he is the narrowly-elected representative of all the residents of the 7th SD.  And a certain percentage of those residents are being discriminated against by not being allowed to marry the people they love.  They are Second Class citizens in Jack's district.  And he is ignoring them. 

It's bad enough that civil rights are being lumped in with financial considerations such as tax caps and rent control, but we know how politics works and we know it's all about "having hand."  (Seinfeld aficionados - that's your shout-out!)  But Senator, at least let your constituents know where your vote will fall when it finally does come down to it.

If it will make you feel better Jack, your "boss" Dean Skelos has already announced that it's okay to vote with your conscience - this time.  As opposed to the last time when everybody voted as they were told.*  (That's SO reassuring isn't it?) 

But what IS your conscience telling you Jack?  We don't know!  If you believe that marriage should only be sanctioned for heterosexual couples, then so be it.  We at MNYT would heartily disagree with your position but we would not disagree with your right to hold that position.  What we DO object to is cowardice.  It's time for you to act like an adult and let people know how you WILL vote IF you clowns ever decide to get this show on the road!

MAN-UP MARTINS!

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*  From the June 13, 2011 Newsday article by Yancey Roy:

Supporters are cautiously expecting that at least two more Senate Republicans will eventually support the measure, now that Sen. James Alesi (R-Perinton) has opened the gates.
Alesi, who voted against a gay marriage bill in 2009 when it was defeated in the Senate, announced his reversal after a late afternoon meeting with the governor. Alesi called his no vote two years ago "anguishing" and said he did it for political reasons -- because Republicans had decided to vote against it in a bloc.
"I've apologized for letting people down, but I was supporting a conference vote that I believed at the time politically was necessary when we [Republicans] were in the [Senate] minority," Alesi said, essentially saying that the GOP didn't want to give the Democrats who then controlled the chamber a victory.
He called his new stance liberating. "I believe that if you live in America and you expect equality and freedom for yourself, then you have to extend it to other people," Alesi said.

(available at http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/30-state-senators-openly-back-gay-marriage-1.2954585)

THE CIRCUS IS BACK IN TOWN!

MNYT loves nothing better than a good show - especially when it's free.  (Although considering the taxes the good folks of Mineola pay you can safely say that nothing in this village comes free.)  And we were highly entertained Wednesday night by the latest display of arrogance provided by Mineola's Building Superintendent Dan Whalen.  Like that little circus car that clown after clown comes out of, Mr. Whalen just never ceases to amaze! 

Two residents of Jerome Avenue spoke at the public meeting about the violation notice they received for having an RV parked on their property on the driveway side of the house.  When they went to the Building Department and asked for a copy of the village code the brainiac behind the counter told them they would have to pay $275 for it.  You read that right, folks.  $275.  For something that is available at the Village Clerk's office across the hall, or in the Mineola Memorial Library, or at http://mineola-ny.gov/ for FREE ! ! ! !   Not to mention the fact that they can get a copy of just the building code for substantially less than the aforementioned $275.  But it appears the "gentleman" behind the counter neglected to tell them any of that.

When they asked to view the file so they could see the complaints, this village employee told them that the complaints wouldn't be in the file.  You see, these were anonymous phone complaints.  FIVE of them to be exact.  All of a sudden.  They just dropped out of the clear blue sky like manna for the Israelites!  Glory be!  It's a miracle !!!

So these folks came to Village Hall to a Public Meeting to air their grievances.  Imagine that.  Using a public forum to voice your complaints!  Now if former mayor Jack Martins were there we all know how that would go down!  He would say they should have come to him first to address the issue.  You see, Jackie didn't like being called out in public - especially about Building Department issues.  So Mr. Whalen always felt safe because Jack had his back.  And apparently he feels he is STILL safe because when this woman and her son aired their grievances he just lounged back in his seat and draped his arm over the back of the chair next to him like he didn't have a care in the world.  That's arrogance at work and from the looks of it and IOHO that's about the only thing about Mr. Whalen that does work.

That's YOUR tax dollars at "work" too.  Yeah, baby!

POPCORN ANYONE?

STOP THE PRESSES ! ! ! !

From the Mineola Scallion (a little Onion):

                       JACK MARTINS INVENTS FIRE !!!

                                 "It was nothing," said the ever-modest
                                  senator from NY's 7th Senate District.
                                 "I was just rubbing some sticks together
                                  to kill time between photo ops and
                                  what do you know!!  Weenie roast at
                                  my place!!" 

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Oh Jack Martins!!!  Is there nothing you CAN'T do ? ? ? ?  It certainly seems that way according to the Mineola American.  Week after week we are barraged with photos of you unlike ever before.  When you were mayor of our "Friendly" little Village there was an occasional picture of you at a Veteran's Day ceremony or handing a proclamation to a century-old resident.  Now your face is all over the place.  They devote more space to your face than to news or advertising.  That's fer sure!

The Mineola American has become the TIGER BEAT of the 7th S.D. and Jack Martins is a "Fan Fave."  So we here at MNYT would like to issue a little challenge to all our readers out there, and friends of readers, and friends of friends of readers:  let's do a weekly count of how many pictures of Jack appear in each edition of Mineola's "official" publication, shall we?  The weekly prize is nothing but Bragging Rights but you can think of this as preparation for the upcoming election.  After the November debacle, we know how important counting ability can be!

So each Wednesday, be sure to run out to your mailbox or to your local news stand before all the issues are scooped up.  Sit down in your favorite big comfy chair with a hot cuppa joe and start circling those photos.  Then you log on to http://11501truth.blogspot.com where you can click "Post Comment" and enter your tally.  We can do this every week for as long as Jack is in office.  It doesn't matter how long this goes on because the comments box is just waiting for your numbers.  Just be sure to count carefully!  Only the most accurate participant gets to boast.  We want to keep things honest after all!