By John Santucci
Monday was a homecoming day for a very special alum at Hempstead High School: Gov. David A. Paterson, who spent much of his childhood in Hempstead, returned home to a hero’s welcome at his alma mater.
In an auditorium packed with more than 1,000 students, teachers and community members, New York’s first African-American governor encouraged the students sitting in the seats he once sat in to aim high and reach for your dreams.
“It is that spirit that I learned in this neighborhood that you can overcome obstacles,” Paterson said.
One of the main obstacles for the governor is the fact that he was born legally blind. It was the governor’s disability that forced his family to move to Long Island so that their son could receive a proper education.
“I pledge my 100 percent support to you, Governor Paterson, I ask you to help us here on Long Island with the problems we face,” Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi said, referring to the rising costs of living.
Paterson responded: “New York has the highest state and local property taxes in the country, we have escalating rates and yet the jobs don’t exist in New York that used to.”
Suozzi was appointed, by then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer, to lead a commission in hopes to uncover ways to reduce property taxes across the state. The state is still awaiting the commission’s findings.
The welcome back ceremony was arranged, in part, by Hempstead Village Mayor Wayne Hall, who was proud to welcome back a former resident. “He came back home, and he didn’t forget his roots.”
Paterson began his day at a local elementary school, sitting in a classroom as the students read to him. He then moved to Hempstead High School, and concluded his journey with a trip to the Antioch Baptist Church.
Paterson pledged his support to do all he could to a place that has been ignored, citing record levels of poverty and crime. He also addressed the budget, and the future debt New York will continue to endure unless something is done.
“We’re going to go into that budget and we’re going to find programs that didn’t work, but people didn’t want to take them out because they didn’t want to offend anybody,” Paterson said. “We will offend everybody, but we are going to balance this budget.”
The village responded with cheers and in his honor the street where the governor grew up has been named in his honor: “Governor David A. Paterson Avenue,” which will stand as a symbol to remind every student in Hempstead can overcome the adversities of discrimination and disability.
WRHU contributed reporting to this story.