Politics & Government

Q & A: Diane Madden, Candidate for Town of Hempstead Council

Diane Madden is the Democratic Party candidate for Town of Hempstead Council, running to represent the Sixth Councilmanic District, a position currently held by Gary Hudes. 

Madden is also endorsed by the Working Families Party, The League of Humane Voters and The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5. Residents can find their polling locations at the board of elections website and absentee ballots can also be found online here

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a mother of four children, and a 35 year resident of East Meadow. I have been an active member of my community and animal advocate since 2002.

Q: Why are you running for this position?

I am running for the Hempstead Town Council as I have viewed first-hand by attending three consecutive years of Town Board meetings, the wasted tax-dollars, mismanagement and extreme patronage in all Hempstead departments. I have had my civil rights violated by Town officials, and have repeatedly viewed others who have been victimized as well.

Q: What qualifies you to serve in the position? 

I have observed and maneuvered around the politically entrenched animal shelter for 10 years. For the past three years and with the help of a NYS audit, I exposed the grotesque misuse of taxpayer dollars, patronage jobs which required donations and participation in the Republican Club and mismanagement within the shelter. 

Due to these inhumane operations, animals suffered and were destroyed as the current Town Board passed a $7.5 million dollar budget; the majority going to Republican club loyal's. In attending the past three years of Town Board meetings I have had a front row seat which provided the opportunity to learn that every department in TOH functions this way, as the public is mislead and deceived. Instead of the animals, it is now the taxpayers who are suffering, and at THEIR expense, finance the self serving government that is supposed to be providing for and protecting the public. Those enjoying equal or special treatment are the favored employees with duties that serve the club; not the public.

Q: What TOH services are most important to the district? 

I believe that every town service offered to the residence are important. In addition, it's time that the town offer resources to a struggling community. We don't need Easter Egg Hunts or environmentally unfriendly mailings, we need low income apartments/housing, fewer big box stores, free seminars on financial management and mental health care, and public participation during Town Board meetings. Our government has become a dictatorship. The community needs to regain their voice and reverse that wheel.

Q: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Town?

The biggest issues facing TOH and the County are the exorbitant taxes, financial debt, lack of affordable housing and jobs. Every year, TOH budgets are increased and tax dollars are wasted through irresponsible spending on the part of Town Board. 

Q: If you are elected, what is the one thing you’d like to see accomplished during your term? 

If elected, my goal would be to achieve an operational and full fiscal NYS Audit of every department across TOH. The Hempstead Shelter is just one example of what it took to implement humane reforms. Open up the government, take a look, and let the people decide.

I would also advocate for video taped town board meetings to be streamlined on the Internet so that the public could participate and become educated regarding decisions and spending. The public should also have the ability to observe the conduct of the current town board. Until the people achieve transparency and accountability in our government through the above implementations, the waste, corruption and exclusive Republican Club patronage will continue to poison our community.

Q: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Importantly, my campaign is a long term campaign to benefit the public; not a 90 day fight for an election. In the same way the Republican party works 365 days a year to secure and protect their dictatorship, the taxpayers need to unite and demand transparency. A coalition needs to form in order to expose the government which works daily to serve the party, not the people.

My allegations of the mismanagement, patronage and wasteful spending in the Hempstead Shelter were solidified through a NYS Audit. This took three years of working every single day to expose. No matter the outcome of this election, Nov. 6 will be the first day of a movement to achieve real transparency and accountably in Hempstead. It was the only solution for the problems that plagued the shelter and it's the only solution that will begin the repair of our very broken government where only a handful of Hempstead employees richly prosper at the expense of the overburden taxpayers. This time, instead of animals being mistreated and used as an excuse to line pockets, residence are being victimized. It's time to show career politicians the door, and roll out the carpet for proven advocates.


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