I am so pleased to have learned that Bob Lincoln is seeking re-election as commissioner of the Great Neck Park District.

Bob has devoted much of his life to serving the residents of the Great Neck peninsula. He has been a volunteer with the Vigilant Fire Company for 42 years and has served as chief of the department on two occasions. He serves as a board member of the Great Neck Student Aid Fund and is a founding board member of the Great Neck Historical Society. He has been one of the commissioners of the Great Neck Park District for the past six years.

During Bob's term as commissioner, the parks system has had its infrastructure improved, restored and replaced where necessary. Bob has instituted ways of sharing costs and resources with other entities in our community, which have resulted in lower costs to the residents of the Park District for these projects. He knows and understands what has to be done to keep our parks the jewels that they have become and has worked to make the parks a place where all residents of our towns can enjoy themselves. The increase in attendance at the parks is perhaps the best testament to the work that Bob has done.

I have worked alongside Bob on many occasions and have always found him to be dedicated, willing to listen to the opinions of those around him, and oriented toward goals. I have never seen Bob take on a project without thoroughly reviewing both the current and long-term effect of the task at hand. He is a hard-working man who has proven his worth to our parks.

Bob Lincoln is an honest man with vision, and integrity. He has been a great commissioner for six years and can be expected to continue to do a good job for the next three years. I strongly support the re-election of Bob Lincoln as commissioner of the Great Neck Park District.

Stephen Goodman

According to the most recent financial data available from (the website) the Office of the New York State Comptroller, which is responsible for financial oversight of all villages in the state, the Village of Great Neck Plaza collected $1,121,831 in fines during the most recently completed year (2005). According to the website, this amount ranks as the highest of any village in Great Neck, seventh highest of any village in Nassau County and 25th highest of any village in the entire state.

There is proof that this staggering statistic is not by accident, but by design. In the annual budget of the Village of Great Neck Plaza, the expenses attributable to code enforcement, including civil service salaries, overtime, benefits, vehicles and their maintenance, clerical staff, data processing and prosecution are all, by law, budgeted and approved by the mayor and the trustees. On the other side of the ledger, the receipts anticipated from fines levied by the judges who by statute are required to be impartial and objective are also, by law, budgeted and approved by the mayor and the trustees.

According to the Great Neck Record, we now know that the mayor, the trustees and the judges of the Village of Great Neck Plaza collectively receive $78,875.00 in salary per year or, at a minimum of $15 per offense (using my calculator), the proceeds of over 5000 parking tickets just to pay themselves.

In reality, the actual compensation package of the mayor, the trustees and the judges of the Village of Great Neck Plaza is somewhat higher due to the fact that, as salaried New York State government employees, they are entitled to receive additional benefits which include a pension and an excellent health insurance plan.

Your article also pointed out that (unlike those serving the Village of Great Neck Plaza) the vast majority of officials and judges serving Great Neck as a whole "earn absolutely nothing and receive absolutely no benefits, other than the satisfaction of doing a really tough job so very well."

There are many ways in which one can give something back to our community. The mayor, the trustees and the judges of the Village of Great Neck Plaza should start with their salary and benefit package.

Jonathan P. Kahn