Issuu

CANDIDATES

inS le Ba ide llot

OCTOBER 31, 2019

A LOOK AT THE

2019

VOTER'S GUIDE

ELECTION

ElEction 2019

2019 judicial candidatEs Judges of the Supreme Court Vote for any three

Angela Iannacci

Christopher G. Quinn

Chris Garvey

Democrat

Running on the Democratic, Republican and Conservative party lines in the general election

Libertarian

Age: 59 Lives in: Manhasset Education: ■ Pace University School Of Law, J.D., 1986 ■ George Washington University, B.A., 1983 Legal career: ■ Associate justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, designated May 2017. ■ Acting presiding justice of the Appellate Term, 9th & 10th Judicial Districts, 2013-2014. ■ Associate justice of the Appellate Term, 9th & 10th Judicial Districts 2009 to 2017. ■ Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York, 10th Judicial District 2006. ■ Acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court, 20042005. ■ Judge of the Family Court, elected to Family Court 2004-2006. ■ Principal law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Allan L. Winick 2002-2003. ■ Angela G. Iannacci, P.C., Great Neck, 1996-2001. ■ Rossano, Mose, Hirschhorn & Corleto, P.C., Garden City 19901996.

Age: 64

Lives in: Amityville

Lives in: Wantagh Education: Bachelor of Arts from C.W. Post College of Long Island University, 1977; law degree, from Albany Law School of Union University in 1980 Legal career: After earning his law degree, Quinn was admitted into the New York State bar in 1981. He became a law clerk in Nassau County Court in 1985 until 1995. Quinn then became a New York District Court judge from 1998-2007. Quinn has been a County Court judge and acting New York State Supreme Court judge since 2008. In 2012, Quinn ran for a seat on the 10th District Supreme Court on the Republican and Conservative party tickets.. He was appointed as supervising judge of the Nassau County Court in 2013. In 2017, he wrote a letter to New York’s Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, informing her that he would be stepping down from his role to focus on his role in criminal court. Also in 2017’s general elections for New York’s local judicial offices on Nov. 7, the incumbent Quinn and Tammy S. Robbins defeated Joseph Conway and incumbent Jerald S. Carter for the Nassau County Court Reform primary for two open seats. Quinn received 27.89 percent of the votes, or 333 votes in total.

■ Rossano, Mose, Hirschhorn & Corleto, P.C., Garden City, 19871990. ■ American International Group, New York, N.Y. 1986-1987.

Stephen Lynch Democratic, Republican, Conservative Age: 68

David Gugerty

Lives in: Speonk

Legal career: Lynch is an Independence Party member running on the Democratic, Republican and Conservative lines in the 2019 general election. He currently serves as a New York Court of Claims judge in Hauppauge, having been appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2012. Lynch was principal law clerk to State Supreme Court Justice William B. Rebolini from 2008 to 2012. Before that, he was principal law clerk to Justice Robert A. Lifson from 1995 to 2007. Lynch practiced with the law firms of Colleran, O’Hara, Kennedy, Lilly and Dunne from 1978 to 1981; Robinson and Lynch, as a partner, from 1981 to 1991, and Marino Bernstein and LaMarca from 1991 to 1995. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1979, the Federal Bar, Eastern District and Southern District of New York in 1980 and the Florida Bar in 1990. He is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association and the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association, where he serves as a director. Lynch is a former member of the Nassau Bar Association and former member and director of the New York State Association of School Attorneys.

Education: Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University, law degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Legal career: Garvey has worked for Roslyn-based Collard & Roe, P.C., since 1982. In that position, he has prosecuted patent and trademark applications in federal and state courts. In 1998, Garvey ran for governor on the Libertarian line. In 2006 and 2018, Garvey also ran for attorney general on the Libertarian line, and in 2017, he ran for Suffolk County district attorney.

David Sullivan Republican Age: 56 Lives in: New Hyde Park Education: Bachelor of Arts in economics and math from Fordham College, 1985; law degree from Fordham University School of Law, 1988

■ Gordon & Silber, P.C., New York, N.Y. 1990.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Fordham University, 1973; law degree, St. John’s University School of Law, 1978

Age: 69

Legal career: Sullivan started his legal career as the assistant district attorney for Nassau County from 1988 to 1995. In 1997, he served as associate village justice of New Hyde Park, then was the village justice of New Hyde Park from June 1998 to December 2002. In the following years until 2012, Sullivan was an acting Nassau County Court judge and justice of the New York State Supreme Court. He remained as a Nassau County Court judge before becoming an acting justice of the New York Supreme Court, where he serves today.

Democratic Age: 57

Thomas Rademaker

Lives in: Bayville Education: Law degree, University at Buffalo School of Law, 1987 Legal career: Gugerty was the Democratic commissioner for the Nassau County Board of Elections from 2015 to 2019. He stepped down from the position in August 2019. He worked in various positions for the county from 2005 to 2019, including two stints as the majority counsel from 2005 to 2006 and 2008 to 2009, public administrator in 2007, minority counsel from 2010-2011 and chief of staff for the Minority Legislative Caucus from 2012 to 2014. He worked in private law practice as a partner for the Forest Hills-based Davis & Gugerty Attorneys at Law from 1993 to 2005 on cases involving negligence, civil rights, landlord tenant and family law. He als worked as a criminal defense attorney in Queens from 1987 to 1993, and he served as a village trustee in Bayville from 1994-2002.

Conservative Age: 48 Lives in: Sea Cliff Education: Bachelor of Arts, SUNY Oneonta, 1993; law degree, Touro Law School, 1996 Legal career: ■ Judge, Nassau County Family Court, 2015 ■ Principal law clerk, Hon. Philip Grella, 2003-2014 ■ Attorney, Thomas A. Rademaker, P.C., 2000-2003 ■ Of counsel, Peace, Agresta, Lemke & Blum, Esqs.,1998-2000 ■ Associate, David K. Lieb, P.C. 1997-1998

ElEction 2019

2019 judicial candidatEs Judge of the County Court

Judges of the Second District Court

Vote for one

Meryl Berkowitz

Gary Carlton

Joy Watson

Democrat, Conservative, Independent, Republican

Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent

Republican and Conservative

Age: 64

Age: 60

Lives in: Five Towns

Age: 65

Education: Barnard College, Mount Holyoke, Benjamin Cardozo Law School

Lives in: Valley Stream

Lives in: Hempstead

Education: Bachelor’s degree, speech communications/broadcasting and political science, George Washington University, 1976; law degree, Albany Law School, 1979

Legal career: Berkowitz worked for Nassau County Legal Aid for 16 years. Then, she opened her own private practice in Hewlett, working on criminal defense cases. In January 1999, she was elected as judge. She is now the most senior judge at Nassau County Court, where she works on criminal felony trials. Other: She is member of Nassau County Bar Association and Hadassah Women’s Zionist Organization of America -- an American Jewish volunteer women’s organization.

Legal career: Carlton was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1980 and is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. He worked as a personal injury lawyer in the Manhattan firm Goldberg & Carlton. He served as deputy attorney for the Village of Valley Stream, providing defense in tort accident cases for the last nine years. He was a Valley Stream Democratic zone leader since 2001. Carlton is a past co-president of the North Woodmere Civic Association and founder of the North Woodmere Park Foundation.

TRANSPARENT . RESPONSIVE . EFFECTIVE

Legal career: Watson has worked for Nassau County for over 30 years. She started her career in 1986 as an assistant district attorney for the county and held the position for 19 years. During her tenure, she served as chief of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Bureau and was deputy chief of the Major Offense and Homicide Bureau. In 2006, Watson became principal law clerk to New York State’s Supreme Court Justice Karen V. Murphy, where she spent more than four years. In 2010, she was appointed deputy comptroller in charge of Audits and Special Projects, for Nassau County and served for close to three years. Since being elected in 2013, Watson has served as a judge on the Nassau County District Court.

S PAC I O U S WAT E R F RO N T C A D I LL AC S PLIT- LE v E L!

Re-Elect Steve

Rhoads cCoOuUn N tT y Y

Education: Bachelor’s degree, State University of New York at Albany, 1982; law degree, Pepperdine Law School, 1985

lL e Eg G Ii Ss Ll AaTtOoRr

19th Legislative District Fighting For Nassau Taxpayers! Re-Elect

Steve Rhoads Nassau County Legislator

Fighting for Taxpayers • Never voted for a tax increase. • Demanding fairness and transparency in the County Executive’s Reassessment, which has created a back-door tax hike for hundreds of thousands of taxpayers. • Stopped the County Executive’s plan to tax our Little Leaguers and seniors for the use of County playing fields. • Sponsored the Assessment Bill of Rights for taxpayers and legislation to allow residents to decide whether they would like to return to an ELECTED County Assessor. • Opposed the Governor and State Legislators on the new $1 billion commuter tax. • Forced the Nassau Assessor to come clean and provide notices to homeowners that disclose the impact of the County Executive’s Reassessment on your taxes. • Fought for over $15 million in County road infrastructure projects, impacting every community in the 19th Legislative District. • Passed historic ethics reforms to combat corruption, including the creation of an independent Inspector General; an overhaul of the County’s contracting process and a ban on convicted felons from holding County office.

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Protecting Our Families • Stopped County Executive’s plan to remove ICE agents from Nassau County Jail...ICE prevents the release of gang members into our communities. • Wrote legislation expanding the NCPD “panic button” technology to now include houses of worship, schools and public venues. • Voted to create 24/7 hotline for victims of opioid addiction. • Passed free college tuition for Nassau’s Gold Star families and the families of fallen First Responders. • Obtained nearly $2 million in grants for first responders and schools, including an emergency access road, fire and rescue equipment and dozens of A.E.D’s. Steve himself is a first responder for 25 years. • Has condemned Albany’s radical agenda including cashless bail for violent criminals allowing felons to vote and serve on Juries and allowing cop killers to walk free.

MASSAPEQUA SPLIT-LEVEL IN NASSAU SHORES

Francine Bassett

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson 516.972.0880 cell 516.795.3456 office

SEE THE CENTERFOLD FOR SAMPLE ELECTION BALLOT

SAMPLE ELECTION BALLOT OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 5, 2019 NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

ELE Justice of the Supreme Court (Vote for any Six)

OFFICE

Juez de la Corte Suprema (Vote por cualquier Seis)

DEMOCRATIC

A REPUBLICAN

Seaford

B CONSERVATIVE

IMPORTANT NOTE: ThIS BALLOT MAY ChANGE Due to ongoing litigation by the Women’s Equality Party, an additional ballot line may or may not appear on the ballot that voters see on Election Day. INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mark only with a writing instrument provided by the Board of Elections. 2. To vote for a candidate whose name is printed on this ballot fill in the oval above or next to the name of the candidate. 3. To vote for a person whose name is not printed on this ballot write or stamp his or her name in the space labeled “write-in” that appears at the bottom of the column, for such office and fill in the oval corresponding with the “writein” space in which you have written in a name. 4. Any other mark or writing, or any erasure made on this ballot outside the voting squares or blank spaces provided for voting will void this entire ballot. 5. Do not overvote. If you select a greater number of candidates than there are vacancies to be filled, your ballot will be void for that public office or party position. 6. If you tear, or deface, or wrongly mark this ballot, return it and obtain another. Do not attempt to correct mistakes on the ballot by making erasures or cross outs. Erasures or cross outs may invalidate all or part of your ballot. Prior to submitting your ballot, if you make a mistake in completing the ballot or wish to change your ballot choices, you may obtain and complete a new ballot. You have a right to a replacement ballot upon return of the original ballot. 7. After completing your ballot, insert it into the ballot scanner and wait for the notice that your ballot has been successfully scanned. If no such notice appears, seek the assistance of an election inspector.

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DEMOCRATIC

Stephen J . LYNCH

Angela G. lANNACCI

David J. GUGERTY

Christopher G. QUINN

David P. SULLIVAN

T R

REPUBLICAN

Stephen J . LYNCH

Angela G. lANNACCI

David J. GUGERTY

Christopher G. QUINN

David P. SULLIVAN

T R

CONSERVATIVE

Stephen J . LYNCH

Angela G. lANNACCI

David J. GUGERTY

Christopher G. QUINN

David P. SULLIVAN

T R

LIBERTARIAN

Christopher B.

Annette TOTTEN

WORKING FAMILIES

D LIBERTARIAN

F GARVEY INDEPENDENCE

INSTRUCCIONES

1. Marque solamente con el instrumento de escrituea proveído por la Junta Electoral. 2. Para votar por un candidato, que aparezca en esta papeleta, rellene el óvalo que se encuentra encima o al lado del nombre del candidato. 3. Para votar por una persona cuyo nombre no aparezca imprimido en esta papeleta, escriba ó marque con sello el nombre en el espacio en donde esta escrito “write-in” al final de la columna donde aparece el titulo del cargo. Debe rellenar el óvalo en el espacio en donde esta escrito “write-in” correspondiente al lugar donde a escrito el nombre. 4. Cualquier otra marca, ó escritura ó borrada que aparezca en la papeleta fuera del óvalo ó espacios en blanco, señalados expresamente para votar, harán que la papeleta quede anulada totalmente. 5. No sobrevote. Si selecciona más del número de candidatos requeridos en la posición vacante, su papeleta será anulada en esa oficina pública ó posición del partido. 6. Si rompe, ó mutila, ó marca la papeleta erróneamente, regrésela y obtenga otra. No intente corregir errores en la papeleta haciendo borraduras o tachando. Borrar ó tachar puede invalidar toda o parte de su papeleta. Antes de entregar su papeleta, si a cometido un error al completar su papeleta o si usted desea cambiar su selección, puede obtener y completar una nueva papeleta. Usted tiene el derecho de reemplazar su papeleta una vez haya regresado la papeleta original. 7. Después de completar su boleta, insértela en el escáner y espere el aviso que le diga que su voto ha sido escaneado. Si ese aviso no aparece favor de buscar ayuda de su inspector electoral.

WRITE-IN

This is not an actual ballot, but a composite of several s

Complete reporting on candidates running in districts covered by the For elec

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SAMPLE ELECTION BALLOT COURTESY OF

ECTIon’19 District Attorney (Vote for One)

County Court Judge (Vote for One)

District Court Judge District 2 (Vote for any Two)

Hempstead Supervisor (Vote for One)

Fiscal del Distrito (Vote por Uno)

Juez de la Corte del Condado (Vote por Uno)

Juez de la Corte Distrito 2 (Vote por cualquier Dos)

Supervisor (Vote por Uno)

10A

Hempstead Council Member District 5 (Vote for One) Concejal Distrito 5 (Vote por Uno)

11A

12A

Hempstead Town Clerk (Vote for One)

Secretario Municipal (Vote por Uno) 13A

Hempstead County Legislator County Legislator Receiver of Taxes District 17 District 19 (Vote for One) (Vote for One) (Vote for One) Receptor de los Impuestos (Vote por Uno) 14A

Legislador del Condado Distrito 17 (Vote por Uno) 17A

Legislador del Condado Distrito 19 (Vote por Uno) 17A

DEMOCRATIC

Thomas RADEMAKER

Madeline SINGAS

Meryl J. BERKOWITZ

Gary M. CARLTON

Joy M. WATSON

Laura A. GILLEN

Lora J. WEBSTER

Sylvia A. CABANA

Chandra M. ORTIZ

Allen F. FOLEY

Jill L. LEVINE

10B

11B

12B

13B

14B

17B

REPUBLICAN

REPUBLICAN TAX REVOLT

REPUBLICAN

Thomas RADEMAKER

Francis X. McQUADE

Meryl J. BERKOWITZ

Gary M. CARLTON

Joy M. WATSON

Donald X. CLAVIN, Jr.

Christopher J. CARINI

Kate MURRAY

Jeanine C. DRISCOLL

Rose Marie WALKER

Steven D. RHOADS

10C

11C

12C

13C

14C

17C

CONSERVATIVE

Thomas RADEMAKER

Madeline SINGAS

Meryl J. BERKOWITZ

Gary M. CARLTON

Joy M. WATSON

Donald X. CLAVIN, Jr.

Christopher J. CARINI

Kate MURRAY

Jeanine C. DRISCOLL

Rose Marie WALKER

Steven D. RHOADS

11D

12D

13D

14D

17D

WORKING FAMILIES

Madeline SINGAS

Laura A. GILLEN

Lora J. WEBSTER

Sylvia A. CABANA

Chandra M. ORTIZ

Allen F. FOLEY

Jill L. LEVINE

11F

LIBERTARIAN

Francis X. McQUADE

Diane MADDEN 8G

10G

11G

12G

13G

14G

17G

INDEPENDENCE

Meryl J. BERKOWITZ

Gary M. CARLTON

Joy M. WATSON

Donald X. CLAVIN, Jr.

Christopher J. CARINI

Kate MURRAY

Jeanine C. DRISCOLL

Rose Marie WALKER

Steven D. RHOADS

sample ballots so as to reflect all the districts within the communities covered by your edition of the Herald.

e Herald – as well as the full text of our endorsements in each race – may be found at LIHerald.com under the Elections ’19 tab. ction results after the polls close Tuesday night, go to LIHerald.com.

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COMPANIES

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ELECTiON 2019

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD CLERK Sylvia Cabana Incumbent

Party: Democrat Age: 52 Professional experience: Town of Hempstead clerk; attorney Education: Bachelor of Arts, Barnard College; law degree, Hofstra University On the issues: Partisan animosity is not in the best interest of the people, and only serves as a distraction to those whose priority is to provide good governance to the people, according to Sylvia Cabana. The clerk’s office should be run as though part of a larger governmental organization, saving the taxpayers money by jointly coordinat-

ing efforts with other departments, improving communication and sharing information, she noted. Career politicians seek only to take advantage of circumstances for their own ends, with no regard for the principles and values of the constituents they serve, she said. Working within budget parameters, she upgraded and streamlined all of the operations in the clerk’s office, including the passport division, vital records, archives and licensing by installing credit card

machines, online registration and application forms. She also created a computer program whereby residents can apply for parking permits online. She plans to continue digitizing services, enabling her office to share information with residents in real time, creating more openness and honesty in government. Modernization and transparency have been and will continue to be among some of the primary initiatives of the office, she said. Her political future is focused on doing all that she can to expand the services in the clerk’s office, and to continue the fight against nepotism and corruption.

Kate Murray Challenger

Party: Republican Age: 57 Professional experience: Deputy Nassau County clerk; former Town of Hempstead supervisor and clerk Education: Bachelor of Arts, Boston College; law degree, Suffolk University On the issues: Murray said she aims to create a paperless office and would continue technology upgrades. She would secure state grants for upgrades requiring the purchase of equipment. She would cross-train staff to produce a cadre of workers capable of performing one another’s jobs. She believes the clerk’s office can and should play a pivotal role in

enhancing the transparency and openness of government. The online posting of financial disclosures for elected officials and top managers, as well as realtime tracking of Freedom of Information requests would enhance responsiveness and accountability. Making Town Board calendars more userfriendly would encourage public participation. Moving forward, going paperless in the production of Town Board calendars is another area where costs could be

reduced or contained. No longer would staff be dedicated to photocopy records. Rather, the calendars, which consist of more than 100 pages on occasion, would be delivered to board members via tablet. Similarly, the implementation of license plate readers to replace parking permits at area train stations would increase the efficiency of public safety officers who patrol lots. As far as politicizing the office, she has never looked at any position as a stepping-stone for career advancement. She is focused, she said, on providing the best possible municipal services to Town of Hempstead residents at the lowest possible cost.

ELECTiON 2019

RECEiVER OF TAXES Chandra Ortiz Challenger

Party: Democrat Age: 55 Profession: Attorney Education: Bachelor of Arts from Long Island University Post, ABA Paralegal Certification from Adelphi University, law degree from Touro Law School On the issues: Chandra Ortiz said she believes the tax receiver’s office has a history of not adhering to budgets, using an outdated technological infrastructure and depriving taxpayers of adequate transparency. She believes the tax office has mismanaged its budgets to benefit politically connected individuals and that mailing costs have been abused.

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The receiver of taxes office should not have allegiance to either party, but to the taxpayers, she said. She believes trust could be restored by doing more than just running seminars and webinars, but explaining the functions of the office and why certain decisions are made. Furthermore, the office could run more effectively if there were more communication, both within the town’s departments and with the county, she said, and cited the tax reassessment.

While she acknowledged that the it is not in her jurisdiction, she would seek to be in constant contact with the county executive and assessor’s office to help her constituents with any issues they may have. She said she intends to run an efficient tax receiver’s office using her 33-year experience in real estate law, both as an ABA certified paralegal and attorney, her 20-year tenure running her own legal practice and her work in the Tax Certiorari and Condemnation Bureau of the county attorney’s office.

Jeanine Driscoll Challenger

Party: Republican Age: 52 Profession: Associate Village Justice of the Village of Bellerose Education: Bachelor of Arts from Catholic University, law degree from Fordham Law School On the issues: Jeanine Driscoll said that the biggest issue facing the tax receiver’s office is the impact of errors made in the Nassau County tax reassessment. She believes certain taxpayers are being overcharged, and she would prioritize advocating for them and educating the public about property tax exemp-

tions and property tax assessments. She hopes to continue the work Don Clavin has done in the position regarding increasing eligibility for property tax exemptions for senior citizens and veterans. Driscoll commended the way the office has been managed and lauded its transparency in respect to the implementation of online tax bills, e-billing, online tax payments, email tax payment reminders and autopay tax payment features. To further increase transparen-

cy, she said she would help create an online system for taxpayers to track government spending, Freedom of Information Law requests and reviews of all town contracts, service agreements and other actions that provide for the use of private vendors. While greeting town residents, Driscoll said that concerns that caught her attention included the condition of roads, in addition to those regarding property taxes and the reassessment. When it comes to personal financial experience, Driscoll has managed the budgets of her own law office and has been doing her taxes for the past decade.

SEE THE CENTERFOLD FOR SAMPLE ELECTION BALLOT

election 2019

District Attorney Madeline Singas Democrat Age: 53 Professional Experience: Nassau County district attorney Education: Fordham University School of Law On the issues: Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas believes it is her job to keep communities safe. She thinks her 30 years of prosecutorial experience qualifies for the position. Singas points to the 25 percent reduction in crime in Nassau, the 20 percent decline of opioid overdoses and her office securing the convictions of several MS-13 members as evidence of her qualifications. She noted her

partnering with multiple law enforcement agencies and her recruitment of “the best and the brightest” prosecutors to get that work done. Using asset forfeiture money, the DA’s office funded the expansion of Maryhaven’s New Hope Center — New York’s first 24/7 drug crisis center — that bridges the treatment gap between release from the emergency room to placement in longterm treatment. For those who need help, it shields them from facing complexities of the healthcare

bureaucracy and offers them care until a plan for treatment is established. Since the partnership, more than 2,600 people have received lifesaving treatment. Aiming to attack the root of crime, Singas highlighted programs that educate children in an effort to keep gangs out of schools. She said she will continue to prosecute high-level drug offenders and corrupt public officials, no matter the political party affiliation, while helping people get treatment to further reduce crime. When I first ran for office in 2015, I ran on my experience as a career prosecutor, not a politician. As district attorney, I’ve put my nearly 30 years of experience to work to keep our communities safe, protect victims, and to safeguard the rights of the accused,” she said.

Francis McQuade Republican Age: 65 Professional Experience: Lawyer, police officer, priest Education: St. John’s University School of Law On the issues: Francis McQuade, a lawyer, said that he district attorney is responsible for the safeguarding of civil liberties in the justice system and protection from unjustified prosecution, and believes that justice is not served when the handcuffs are put on. He pointed to his previous jobs as police officer, a post- sentencing counseling for the State of Connecticut Department of Corrections and manager of field opera-

tions for a 1,500 personnel company as experience to run the DA’s office. The single most pressing issue facing is the new legislation being handed down by New York state, McQuade said. He thinks the new judicial processes are borderline unconstitutional and dangerous to people’s safety. With cashless bail, there is an opportunity for criminals to walk away less than 24 hours after committing a crime, which can vary from petty to extreme, he said. The laws were designed to

protect those in the system from being treated unfairly, but we don’t need laws, which dismantle how we go about prosecuting criminals, McQuade said. To further reduce crime, McQuade aims to focus on the areas that have climbing rates still, expanding the use of alternative courts to help treat the root causes of crime as well administer justice. He believes in community policing. “The single most pressing issue facing our community is the new legislation being handed down by New York state,” he said. “These new judicial processes are borderline unconstitutional and dangerous to our safety. With cashless bail, there will be an opportunity for criminals to walk away less than 24 hours after committing a crime.”

election 2019

toWn oF HeMPsteAD sUPerVisor Laura Gillen Incumbent

Party: Democrat Age: 50 Lives in: Rockville Centre Family: Married, with four children Professional experience: Town supervisor since 2018; formerly an attorney practicing business litigation since 2000 Education: Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, law degree from NYU School of Law On the issues: Since taking office, Laura Gillen has emphasized her desire to weed out corruption in the town. She has also taken steps to modernize its offices by upgrading

its systems, digitizing its records and uploading all its contracts to the town’s website. She said she plans to take aim at continuing to lower taxes in her next term, if elected, and noted that she has taken fiscally conservative measures to cut taxes over the past two years. Gillen is also focused on continuing to cut the supervisor’s staffing budget and trimming payroll. One of her major goals is improving the Building Department, which, she said, has been misman-

aged since Hurricane Sandy. Gillen said she plans to continue to push for an independent monitor to audit the department in order to find inefficiencies, streamline operations and assist homeowners in need. She added that she would also continue to focus on fixing roads throughout the town after allocating $59 million toward various road repairs in her first term. “Under my tenure, staffing is at its lowest level in years,” Gillen said. “I will continue to push forward on eliminating the nepotism and cronyism that has plagued Hempstead for decades and continue to trim payroll and hire on competence, not connections, to end the corruption tax.”

Donald Clavin Challenger

Party: Republican Age: 50 Lives in: Garden City Family: Married; three children Professional experience: Town of Hempstead receiver of taxes since 2001 Education: Bachelor’s degree from Canisius College; law degree from Hofstra University School of Law On the issues: Donald Clavin said his role as receiver of taxes for nearly two decades has enabled him to meet many residents and to understand their desire for lower taxes. He said his first decision in office, if elected, would be to

slash the supervisor’s payroll in half — by $1 million. Then he would eliminate all takehome vehicles for appointed officials and initiate a performance review of all town departments. Part of Clavin’s plan to review all departments, he said, is to call for the resignation of all department heads and to conduct a full management review. Clavin described the Building Department as a priority, but said paying for an outside audit is unnecessary and that he believed the problem could be solved

in-house. He added that he intends to have the office remain open on weekends, if necessary, to eliminate the backlog of building applications, and to update building and zoning codes to expedite permitting processes. Clavin said road improvements are also imperative, and he plans to double the capital roadway budget to $70 million to fix what he described as a crumbling infrastructure. Gillen pledged not to accept campaign contributions from town employees. Clavin, meanwhile, made no such promise. “If they want to open up their wallets and show their support, then I’m proud to do it,” he said. “I don’t pressure anybody. We shouldn’t put limits, because every special interest will have influence in your government.”

ELECTION 2019

COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 Christopher Carini Challenger

Party: Republican Age: 44 Professional experience: Retired Port Authority police officer Education: Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from C.W. Post University On the issues: Christopher Carini is committed to restoring the Town of Hempstead’s fund balance as a way of improving the town’s credit rating, he said. He is eager to join the council members in crafting budgets that will earn the respect of credit rating agencies on Wall Street and the trust of neighbors on Main Street. Reduc-

ing taxes and restoring crumbling roadways are at the top of his priority list. His commitment is to provide the best possible municipal service at the lowest possible cost to his neighbors in the council district that he hopes to serve, he said. As a member of his local homeowners’ association, he addressed qualityof-life issues, such as graffiti, litter and pothole eradication, as well the issues of vandalism in the community. He said that he would work with governmental leaders at

all levels to revitalize downtowns and protect his district’s neighborhoods from future storm damage. He would work to rein in spending, cutting the supervisor’s discretionary budget by half and eliminating what he calls the supervisor’s “slush fund.” Carini said his campaign credo has been “putting people ahead of politics.” He is enthusiastic about working with people, regardless of political affiliation. Finally, increasing openness and transparency in government is an area where he would devote sincere attention, he said. He became a candidate for the Town Board only months ago after Councilwoman Erin King-Sweeney, a Republican from Wantagh, announced she would be moving to North Carolina.

Lora Webster Challenger

Party: Democrat Age: 32 Professional experience: Paralympian, mom Education: SUNY Stony Brook On the issues: Truly putting taxpayers first means running a balanced and efficient budget, Webster said. By the end of 2020, the town is expected to return to the fund balance legally required by both town and state municipal law. This could result in a credit rating upgrades, which would make the town’s bonds less expensive. Having a good credit rating would give local government more flexibility to deliver services to its people as efficiently as possible.

The town will only be able to continue this trend if all sides begin to work with each other, rather than fighting for quick political victories, she said. Although Webster is running on the Democratic ticket, she herself has avoided any personal affiliation with any political party. This is because of the deep divisions that she sees in town government. No one talks, and nothing gets done. It is the job of lawmakers to produce results for their constituents, regardless of party,

she said. Good government happens when everyone has a share in the outcome. The more that government raises taxes, the less livable the town becomes. The current high taxes are the product of the out-of-control spending of previous Republican administrations, she said. She said she believes cutting out-of-control spending, improving transparency and reducing administrative waste shouldn’t be partisan issues.

The 5th District takes in parts of Baldwin, Bellmore, Freeport, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh.

ELECTION 2019

LEGISLATURE DISTRICT 17 Rose Marie Walker Incumbent

Party: Republican Age: 68 Professional experience: Nassau County Legislator and educator Education: Bachelor of Arts from Belmont Abbey/Sacred Heart College On the issues: Walker believes the assessment problem had to be confronted, but that it was rushed. She suggests the process would be easier to resolve if assessments were done at the town and village levels, where it would be simpler and less expensive. Walker’s chief concern is the cost of living in Nassau County. As a mother and

grandmother, she said she thinks every day about the hardships faced by the families like hers and believes it is imperative that to find ways to hold the line on spending. She is proud of the Republicans’ record of accomplishments in this regard, she said, but more is needed. All levels of government must work together to consolidate services when applicable, transfer roads to the municipalities with greater service areas, use county employees to do projects

that are being outsourced, and above all else use best practices that other municipalities have found to be a great success. She is proud of the men and women of the Police Department with record-setting crime reduction and civil service employees, who are providing critical and essential services, she said. She wants to use employees even more, having them do the work that is currently being done by others.

Allen Foley Challenger

Party: Democrat Age: 30 Professional experience: Union glazier and organizer for District 9 Education: Bachelor’s degree On the issues: Allen Foley supports Nassau County Executive Laura Curran’s assessment plan. The system has been broken for too long, he said, and it is time for all to pay their fair share. The five-year phase-in is the fairest proposal so far. The Republicans have yet to offer a real alternative to the Curran plan, he said. Fixing the broken property tax system has to be the top priority. Then, the Legislature can identify spending cuts that

can be made without affecting people’s quality of life. Job creation is also a key component to making Nassau County affordable for the middle class again, he said. The county doesn’t need just any jobs; to keep young people from moving out, the county needs to attract long-term, good-paying jobs with benefits. As a union member, he was able to purchase his home at the age of 25 and wants to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity, he said. Nassau County needs to

be affordable for middle class families. This means enforcing and expanding prevailing wage laws, implementing local hiring requirements and promoting apprenticeships for young people as an alternative to college, he noted. He said he believes the county’s gerrymandered legislative map is outrageous, and that an independent, nonpartisan commission must be appointed to create districts that are more representative.

The 17th Legislative District takes in parts of Bethpage, Farmingdale, Plainedge, North Massapequa, Old Bethpage, Seaford and Wantagh.

ELEcTIon 2019

LEGISLATURE DISTRIcT 19 Steve Rhoads Incumbent

Party: Republican Age: 50 Lives in: Bellmore Professional experience: Nassau County legislator,; practicing litigation attorney; volunteer firefighter Education: Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York at Albany, law degree from Hofstra University School of Law Family: Married On the issues: Over the past year, Steve Rhoads has fought for reform in the county’s assessment system to mandate transparency, promote accuracy and fairness, and ensure that those in charge

uphold taxpayer protections, he said. “I voted to start the reassessment process when I was elected in 2015, and to extend contracts to finish the reassessment requested by the county executive last year,” he said. “Unfortunately, the accurate and transparent process we were promised is not what Laura Curran delivered. There’s no confidence that the values are accurate, and Curran’s last-minute decision to manipulate the level of assessment bypassed state

law protections for 95 percent of homeowners.” As the District 19 legislator, he secured road repaving and restoration projects, as well as a $5 million renovation effort for Wantagh Park. During his tenure, he said he has strived to make government more effective and responsive, and less costly for taxpayers. He also sponsored legislation creating ethics reforms, instituting Nassau’s first inspector general and banning convicted felons from running for or holding county office. If reelected, he said he would continue his work with community organizations to combat the opioid and vaping crises.

Jill Levine Challenger

Party: Democrat Age: 49 Lives in: Merrick Professional experience: Social worker; founder and director of Forever 9 The Robbie Levine Foundation Education: Bachelor of Arts University of Michigan, dual master’s degree in public health and social work from Boston University Family: Married, with three children On the issues: As a first-time candidate, Jill Levine said she is relying on her experience running Forever 9 The Robbie Levine Foundation, founded in memory of her son, and her

work as a social worker. While she is running on the Democratic ticket, Levine is unaffiliated with either political party. She spoke of her ability to bridge the gap between differing ideologies and come to a workable consensus on any issue at hand. Unlike her opponent, she said she supports the reassessment. If elected, Levine has pledged to fight for honest governing in the Legislature, spur small business growth to encourage economic mobility and be an

advocate for the people who are struggling to afford to live in Nassau County. “Like many of my friends and neighbors, I am saddened to think that none of my children are likely to be able to afford to buy their first home, raise their families or build their careers here,” Levine said. “I am equally disturbed about our seniors and veterans who are struggling to find affordable housing. We need more housing that is truly affordable for young working families, our returning veterans and our older residents who often live on set incomes. We need more job opportunities, reliable public transportation and vibrant downtowns that will attract young people.”

The 19th District encompasses parts Bellmore, Freeport, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh.

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