Why Jack's Running
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
- John Quincy Adams
More About Jack M. Martins
When the residents of the Incorporated Village of Mineola elected Jack Martins mayor in 2003, he inherited a village government on the brink of bankruptcy, suffering from a shrinking tax base, facing a half-million dollar operating deficit, and whose nearly 20,000 residents were taxed to the breaking point.
On his first day in office, Jack “rolled up his sleeves” and began working tirelessly to restore fiscal integrity and accountability to a village that had become dependent on borrowing and back-room deals. He immediately set to work cleaning up the budget and establishing open government --- two reforms he saw as critical to Mineola’s survival.
Jack implemented an action plan that included:
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Across-the-board budget cuts
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Overhauling management
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“Freezing” discretionary spending
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Closed the budget deficit he inherited
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Developed a first-ever debt management plan to address $33 million in long term debt
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Maintained quality services to residents
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Prohibiting the practice of using bonding to pay for “tax certiorari” --- commercial property tax refunds that ate up nearly 10 % of the village budget annually
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Began conducting all village business in public view. By his second year as mayor, Jack began televising all village meetings using a provision he uncovered in the village’s existing cable television franchise.
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Launched the village’s first website and began an annual series of community and business forums to encourage more active involvement in village activities.
Realizing that short-term solvency would only allow a temporary recovery, Jack laid out a vision for Mineola’s future. By including residents from all aspects of life, Jack completed the Village’s first Comprehensive Master Plan project in 60 years, creating a blueprint for Mineola’s future growth and stability while preserving its suburban character.
Jack introduced smart growth concepts used successfully by communities throughout America and began implementing his vision to convert a dying commercial and light-industrial downtown railroad corridor into a pedestrian-friendly downtown complete with next-generation, transit oriented development housing and public amenities. A key component of this was Jack’s passage of a “development overlay” zoning district that encourages private investment in “smart growth.”
In the first projects negotiated under the Master plan and overlay district, Mineola taxpayers are slated to receive millions of dollars in benefits that offset their taxes, such as a new fire truck for village first responders, new sidewalks, walkways and curbing, street lighting, beautification projects, public parking facilities, and cash payments to a Community Development Fund for use in other municipal capital projects. The highpoint of this was the creation of first-ever affordable senior citizen housing with a preference for local seniors who want to stay in their hometown, but who can no longer afford to maintain their homes – all at no cost to taxpayers.
Throughout his tenure, Jack also tackled the chronic problems that plagued his village. He produced balanced budgets every year and stabilized taxes. He began programs to rebuild a neglected, aging infrastructure. He undertook the first property reassessment in over 60 years using a little-known provision in state law – the Homestead Act – which created long-term tax relief by providing a permanent solution to Mineola’s commercial tax certiorari problem and protected residential taxpayers from future tax burdens.
Jack has been acknowledged as a leader for his planning and management efforts by independent organizations such as the Regional Plan Association, Sustainable Long Island, and Vision Long Island. In 2005, he received the Vision Long Island Smart Growth Award in recognition of his Master Plan success and his planning leadership.
In 2006, he was appointed to the Finance Policy Committee of the New York State Conference of Mayors’ Legislative Committee, a committee that drafts and reviews proposed statewide legislation affecting New York’s cities and villages. Since 2007, Jack has served on NYCOM’s Executive Committee as well as the Executive Committee for the Nassau County Village Officials Association.
Jack is a member of the County Seat Kiwanis Club, a charter member of the Long Island Portuguese Lions Club, a former president of the NYS Portuguese Civic Association, and has served on various boards including the American Foundation for Charities of Portugal, Mineola Portuguese Center, and Escola Julio Dinis in Mineola. In addition, he has served on the board of the Heart Council of Long Island, where he an Ambassador’s Award recipient, and was the former zone chair for the Lions District 20 K-2. He has served on the Corpus Christi School Board and the Mineola Library Board where he was responsible for overseeing a $4 million modernization project.
Jack is a lifelong resident of Mineola where he and his wife Paula are raising their four daughters. Their fourth daughter Caroline was born on May 29th of this year. Jack holds degrees from American University and St. John’s University School of Law.
