Fred W. Thiele Jr., Assembly, 1st District

Fred Thiele

Independent

BACKGROUND: Thiele, 65, of Sag Harbor, is running on the Independence Party line, and is cross-endorsed by the Democratic, Working Families, Women’s Equailty and Reform party lines. Thiele, first elected in 1995, is seeking his 13th term in the Assembly.  Thiele graduated in 1979 with a law degree from Albany Law School. Thiele is married with three children.

ISSUES: Thiele said water quality, affordable housing, improving public transit options on the South Fork and working on initiatives to help the local commercial fishing industry — such as challenging state quotas on certain species of fish like fluke — are among his top priorities if reelected . On affordable housing, Thiele said he was working on legislation involving builders, towns, villages and others to create a fund similar to the Community Preservation Fund — which takes 2 percent of real estate transactions to fund the acquisition and management of open-space properties and historical sites — geared toward affordable housing and assisting first-time homebuyers looking to buy houses on the East End. “There needs to be a continuing and reliable source of funding for affordable housing,” Thiele said. “Affordable housing on Long Island is an issue, and that’s certainly the case on the East End, where the demand for second homes makes it even more difficult for local residents to be able to buy a first home.”