Majority or minority: 19th Assembly district will choose

Assemb. David McDonough believes he has effective proposals about how to institute a state spending cap and a property tax cap, while maintaining state aid to Long Island school districts.

But given that he's one of 42 Republicans in the 150-member Assembly controlled by Democrats and Speaker Sheldon Silver, it's difficult for the Merrick lawmaker's ideas to get much of a hearing in Albany.

"Our job is to get out there and make sure the people know why they're being taxed so high," said McDonough, 73, who won a 2002 special election and is seeking his fourth full term. "That's the only way things will change. . . . The problem in the Assembly is that the rules are so one-sided that you cannot defy the speaker if you're on the Democratic side."

Democrat John Brooks of Seaford is campaigning on the idea that the district would be better off with a Democrat with access to Silver's ear than a Republican who expresses himself through "no" votes.

Running on a shoestring

"He's in the super-minority," Brooks said. "I like him as a person, but the reality is he can't get anything done, he can't get anything introduced. We need to get someone up there from the majority to represent our area who is fiscally responsible."

Brooks, 60, the Town of Brookhaven's insurance manager, is making his run on a budget so lean that he hasn't been able to afford a campaign website. He has raised $8,037 in 2010 and has $5,036 to spend, according to the most recent campaign finance report. McDonough has raised $41,184 in 2010 and has $37,460 in his campaign war chest.

For both men, like virtually everyone running for office on Long Island this campaign season, taxes are the first issues they discuss.

McDonough decried the New York City-dominated Democratic leaders who aimed to cut Long Island's share of state school aid, which forced local school districts to slash services or increase local property taxes.

"The people are very, very tired," McDonough said. "We have a government right now in the state of New York that's run by a governor, a speaker and a (Senate) majority leader, all from New York City. The upstate suburbs and Long Island have been ignored."

Supports property tax cap

McDonough, who owns a debt collection agency specializing in student loans, was president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce and served in the Coast Guard and Air Force. He is also running on the Conservative and Independence party lines.

He said he backs the 4 percent property tax cap that was proposed by Gov. David A. Paterson and passed by the state Senate that has yet to get a hearing in the Assembly.

"I think people should be forced to say where they stand on the issue before the election," he said.

McDonough said he'll continue to vote against tax increases, state spending and shifting financial responsibilities to the suburbs. He said he's "listening" to Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and backs the state ethics reforms proposed by both Paladino and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic nominee for governor.

"I'm open to anybody who I think can do the job," he said. "I've never been a guy who walks in and closes my eyes and votes."

Before his current job in Brookhaven, Brooks, who is also running on the Working Families Party line, worked as Nassau County's risk management director, chief of the Seaford Fire Department and was an insurance executive. He left the county shortly after County Executive Thomas Suozzi lost his 2009 re-election bid.

"John is an incredibly talented and creative man," Suozzi said. "We are fortunate to have him interested in public service."

The district, which covers Freeport, Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Levittown and Seaford, has 39,539 registered Republicans, 29,114 Democrats, 2,666 members of the Independence Party, 1,162 Conservatives, 192 members of the Working Families party and 19,573 voters not registered with any party.

Despite his large disadvantage in campaign finances, name-recognition and voter registration, Brooks said he's optimistic about his prospects.

"I do have a chance now," he said. "People understand that there's a pretty decent element out there that says, 'I don't want anybody in Albany to go back.' "