Who would’ve thought that a brilliant attorney who researches and analyzes issues such as Iranian criminality & terrorism is also a great karaoke singer and bigtime animal lover?!!!
As if that’s not enough to keep him busy, he is also a candidate for the 4th Councilmanic district in the Town of Hempstead. improving the conditions at the highly mismanaged, ill-reputed animal shelter is one of his top priorities and core values.
Today, we will get to know Aaron Eitan Meyer, Partner of Ostringer, LLP, father of three adorable kids, devoted husband and loving furdaddy to his beloved cat “Blakeny”.
Let’s learn about his experiences with helping the animals, what else people can do to help and also his vision/ideas for the voiceless should he win this November 2nd.
Tune in for this heart-felt conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.
Tommy starts the show by giving us a recap of what PALS is about. Valerie also mentions that there is a new sponsor, their web developer! Aaron Eitan Meyer is today's guest! He is an animal lover, and he is also running for town council in Long Island! Aaron says that he hated politics. He never thought he would go into politics.
Aaron brings up a good point, saying that many people think that owning a pet is enough education on animals. But Aaron says that is not the case. There is a difference between owning an animal and wanting to actively go out and help animals.
Valerie says that animal welfare is 100% a political issue. Drawing us back to Aaron's run for office. Aaron says that a lot of the problem is that we don't see political empathy. We see a lot of political capital but not political empathy
Valerie mentions that every township/municipality has to have a shelter. All the municipality shelters are government-funded. Many of the jobs are often given to people based on their connection, not their merit. For example, in Hempstead, the shelter needed an animal evaluator. The person they chose, In Valerie's opinion, was the least qualified. Aaron brings up the point that it is not just the shelters but in all government sectors. Unfortunately, nepotism is way too common.
Tommy asks what can be done to divert nepotism. Valerie chimes in, saying that they should review the history and resume of all the persons applying.
Valerie says it is complicated and a lot more complex to hire candidates now because the shelter has a lawsuit against it. The taxpayers have to pay for that mistake.
Aaron says that it comes down to the priorities. The animal shelter has a budget of $5.5 million, and most of that goes to salaries. Aaron comments that he can't accept that things can't be done because of staffing issues because there are no excuses for that. He insists that when you have to allocate resources, one needs to do it and do it properly. For Aaron, as a lawyer, telling people that things are fine when they are not is irresponsible. The animals are the victims of poorly made decisions. Like the horrific video, "Kill the Kitty," that came out of Hempstead.
"Transparency, accountability, and representation. Without those three things, elected officials do not merit their positions. We have an uncaring and inhumane local government, and that is something that I cannot abide by"-Aaron Eitan Meyer.
Tommy starts the segment with the quote above and transitions into what those three words represent for Aaron.
Before getting into that, though, Tommy asks Aaron to share the story about the dog that shows up in the picture with Aaron.
Aaron begins by saying that Cosmo was his wife's dog. She rescued him when he was a puppy, years before she and Aaron met. He was a "Katrina dog" who had made his way up to Michigan, where his wife lived. Aaron mentions that when he and his wife met, their date was interrupted three times because she had to go home and check that Cosmo was okay. Aaron says that he was the best dog; the kids loved him, and the cat loved him. Aaron says that Cosmo was why his kids keep asking for a dog now; unfortunately, Aaron is still a little bit allergic to dogs, but he says they will eventually get one.
Aaron says that people don't care because they don't have to care. It is easier to say nothing or speak in generalities or say, "thank you, we'll get back to you." This sort of behavior is a function of having a unified board. For example, when things keep getting voted on 7-0, Aaron says that is not open government.
Valerie details an account of a woman from Oceanside who would go to the town board meetings and was then treated with a cold shoulder when she asked for something to be done about her missing cat. After much insistence, there was a meeting held with the shelter staff and director. What came out of the meeting was the following: it is not in the shelter's policy to show you every animal that is there if you lost your pet.
Valerie says that a year after the woman's cat was missing, she found out that she was not shown every cat every time she went to the shelter looking for her pet. And it's heartbreaking stories like the one above that Valerie thinks the local government does not want transparency.
Since most people ignore their local government, the government can get away with omitting information.
Valerie adds by saying that the story, like the one above, is not the first occurrence. There was a couple's dog that went missing and was on the shelter's premises. But because of the ridiculous policy, the owners didn't find their pet sooner.
The importance of FOIL is tremendous, and it is available to every single taxpayer. FOIL, Freedom Of Information Law, is a vital part of how the government is supposed to work. Valerie says that there can be no accountability if people lie and do not abide by FOIL.
Tommy starts this last segment by saying that people can find today's guest on the Facebook page "Aaron Eitan Meyer for Homestead Town Council-4th District."
Valerie said that there was a hoarding house that the town, Hempstead, refused to help for years, there were almost a hundred cats in that house, and the town of Hempstead ignored all the neighbors' complaints. The neighbors went ignored for about 4-5 years, and the town finally got involved when the house was condemned. And the cats in that house went to the shelter. Valerie then asks why can't the Hempstead shelter help a kitten that is need when they have boasted on their Facebook page that they have gotten almost all of the cats that were hoarded adopted. Valerie emphasized that this sort of thing happens all the time when the shelter does not get involved.
This is why, when she met Aaron earlier this year, and he helped get the TNR program reinstated in Hempstead, Valerie was amazed that a politician did something for the animal-loving community. Aaron says that he does not need political capital, nor does he want it. He just wants to see the right thing get done. Aaron finishes by saying that representation is about being accountable, being accountable to the people, and working with the people because you are working for them. And he says that is what they don't have, and that is what he wants to bring.
