Mario R. Mattera

Republican

BACKGROUND

• Mattera, 63, of St. James, is a registered Republican and is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines in the general election.
• He is seeking a fourth term.
• Mattera is a graduate of Smithtown High School East and served for 23 years as business agent for Plumbers Local Union 200, where he has been a member for 45 years. 

ISSUES

• Mattera has been an advocate for repowering local power plants and constructing new ones, helped by the state approval of a natural-gas pipeline upgrade called the Northeast Supply Enhancement project, which he endorsed. He said he supports carbon-capture technology to help reduce climate impacts. 
• He said he wants to work on programs that increase the amount of affordable and workforce housing to help keep new generations of workers on Long Island, where many have been priced out of the market. “We need to build in the right areas and make sure we have workforce housing, affordable housing for our children,” he said. 
• Mattera said the state needs to do a better job helping those who are caring for elderly parents, given skyrocketing costs of elder care. "Why can't family members get some kind of relief from the state or federal government to care for our parents?"