Farewell…mentor

When asked, I always say without hesitation that I got my political chops from Tom DiNapoli, the current NY State Comptroller, who met with a scared kid on a Sunday afternoon in his Great Neck district office, not soon after the kid’s High School graduation, and hired him to be one of his summer interns.

I learned a great deal that summer and I’m proud to say Comptroller DiNapoli has remained a friend throughout the years.

However, when pressed about who I consider your my true political mentor, there is only one…the same one many others feel the same way about…May Newburger.

May passed away recently, at the age of 92, after a tremendous career in public service as a New York State Assemblywoman, Town of North Hempstead Councilmember and as the first female Town Supervisor of North Hempstead. It was in her capacity as Supervisor when she took me under her wing to help the town produce informative newsletters. She was tired of the photo heavy format that she felt didn’t provide enough substance for the residents of the town. She wanted it to be a ‘tablet of information’ that residents could count on and refer to often. And that’s what we produced.

In addition to the newsletter, I was also served as a producer and director for her local cable show ‘Talk of the Town,’ a round-table discussion on important Town issues. You’ve seen these types of shows, and yes they tend to be boring, especially if they are talking about a topic that doesn’t concern you. May was determined for us to produce a show that was topical for all who tuned in, and that’s just what we did. You see, May never did anything halfway. It was all or… and trust me, you never wanted that statement to be completed.

As tough as she was, May was always fair, warm and loving. She was truly a mentor to all, and while she will be missed, her legacy lives on in all of us who learned from her and can’t help but pass along her teachings to others.

Thank you, May.