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MFD Commissioners were wrong to highlight candidate in newslatter Dear Editor: This letter is in response to your featured article, Fire Commissioner's Race Heats Up in the Dec. 5 edition. I find it quite interesting that the Massapequa Fire District would not allow the members of the Front Street firehouse to endorse Pat Pogan, a candidate for fire commissioner in your newspaper. Joseph Frank, attorney for the Massapequa Fire District, is quoted as saying "not for profits are not supposed to be political and endorse candidates because they could lose their special tax status among other things." He also goes on to state that "the money in the department funds is supposed to be used for department purposes. If some individuals or a group of people want to endorse him that would be okay; they just cannot say they are representing the fire house." Having researched this legal opinion I believe he is correct. However, how is it possible that the Massapequa Fire District can mail out a publication to every household called Fire Gram, that was paid for by tax dollars, highlighting the accomplishments of current fire commissioner who is seeking re-election? This publication has never in the past included any members' personal picture and profile. Why did the Fire District choose this member over 250 other members of the Massapequa Fire Department? It appears quite evident that this publication was used by the Fire District to promote the incumbent by use of name and face recognition that is essential in any potential political race. Michael Hanna, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners is quoted as saying "the newsletter was set up even before we knew Pogan was running." He also goes on to say "the story was to acknowledge Malloy's 15 years of service on the board and all that he has done. In no way was it designed to tell people who they should vote for." Any reasonable person who viewed the District's propaganda would have to disagree with Chairman Hanna's explanation. Even if Mr. Pogan was not running in this election, I truly believe that using the incumbents' picture and profile in Fire Grams at the taxpayer's expense is at best unethical and at worst attempting to tamper with an election and a breach of the public's trust.
Michael J. Waters Massapequa Park
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