Nassau County capital plan fails without Democratic support

Nassau County's proposed capital spending plan was rejected after all seven Democratic lawmakers abstained from voting. This decision came on Monday as part of their protest against County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who they claim has not been responsive to their project requests. The plan, which totals nearly $430 million, needed one Democrat to vote in favor to pass. All Republicans supported it, but tensions flared when Democrats presented a proposal to Blakeman, seeking assurances for funding in their districts. Blakeman accused them of wanting a "quid pro quo" and said they were playing politics ahead of the election. Democrats argue that Blakeman, who is up for reelection, has withheld funds that were already approved for their districts. They pointed out that Republican districts have received 31 funding proposals in the past three years, while Democratic ones received none. Democratic Legislator Seth Koslow, who is running against Blakeman, expressed frustration, stating that it would be irresponsible to agree to the capital plan without guarantees for their projects. In response, Blakeman highlighted the potential loss of about $4 million in funding for various community initiatives, including public safety and infrastructure projects. He accused Democrats of neglecting the needs of police and firefighters. The fate of the capital spending plan is unclear as the county Legislature plans to schedule another vote in April.