Hon. Bruce A. Blakeman, Nassau County Executive
1550 Franklin Avenue
Mineola, N.Y. 11501
RE: Juneteenth as an Official Nassau County holiday
Dear County Executive Blakeman:
I was truly dismayed by your response to the Democratic Minority delegation’s June 18 filing of legislation that would at long last make Juneteenth an official Nassau County holiday.
To suggest that the County’s collective bargaining units should be forced to trade in another holiday to have Juneteenth off is the height of disrespect for a sacred day in our nation’s history and a slap in the face to the hardworking men and women of our dedicated County workforce.
Moreover, your excuse of blaming County finances – which you have on numerous occasions have “never been stronger” – strains credulity and seeks to distract from your failure to do what our federal and state government, as well as Nassau’s City, Town and Village governments long ago figured out how to achieve in recognition of a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
We honor Juneteenth because we honor freedom - and we celebrate freedom by standing up to injustice. Legislative Democrats have introduced legislation on four occasions to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for Nassau County employees. Four times, the Republican Majority has blocked it through their inaction.
This is the latest example of your administration’s blatant disrespect for our County’s workforce, which under your tenure has endured:
- Increased healthcare costs and stagnant wages;
- Stripping away benefits in the name of “sacrifice” while giving raises to political appointees; and
- Cutting time off despite the fact that public employees already earn less than private-sector counterparts.
Our County workforce has earned the respect, recognition, and the same basic rights that workers in every other government office in this country already enjoy. The first step you can take toward addressing your administration’s woeful treatment of our workforce is to at long last bring Nassau County in line with its neighbors by recognizing Juneteenth as an official holiday.
For far too long, your administration has treated public servants like expendable line items in a spreadsheet. It’s unconscionable, it’s insulting – and it must stop now.
Sincerely,
Seth I. Koslow
Nassau County Legislator, Fifth District
Juneteenth Blakeman Letter (PDF)
Juneteenth Proposal (PDF)