Michael J. Fitzpatrick, Assembly District 8

MICHAEL J. FITZPATRICK

Republican

BACKGROUND: Michael J. Fitzpatrick, 61, of St. James, is seeking his ninth term in office. He also is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Reform party lines. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Michael’s College, and was an investment associate with Morgan Stanley in Port Jefferson until 2016. Fitzpatrick served on the Smithtown Board from 1988 to 2002. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and secretary for the New York chapter of the American-Irish Legislators Society. He is married with two adult children.

ISSUES: Fitzpatrick said taxes are the top issue for just about everyone so he supports a mandate relief bill as a way to slow increases. “We are losing young people after college and losing retirees and their disposable income. We are an island of small businesses because large businesses have left due to the tax burdens,” he said. The pension system is unsustainable and the economy isn’t growing enough — the state has to slow the rate of tax growth so the tax base can catch up. He wants a 2 percent hard cap on binding arbitration awards and would put new hires who are not police and fire workers in a defined contribution platform, then tweak the state’s Triborough Amendment that maintains salary and benefits when there isn’t a contract to suspend automatic step increases during the time when there is no contract. “It’s OK to say no to the unions,” Fitzpatrick said. “You need a better balance between what they want and what taxpayers can afford.”