Daniel West, Suffolk Legislator, 18th Legislative District

CONSERVATIVE

West, 56, is running on the Conservative line for his first two-year term on the Legislature.

ISSUES:

• Lowering taxes is a top priority. West said the county needs to look at cutting spending in places where it is not needed, such as entitlement programs and places where money is wasted.
• Affordable health care is a top concern, he said, and high premiums should be controlled. Before the Affordable Care Act was implemented, he said, health care was more affordable for a lot of business owners, and now they have sky-high premiums.
• West said Second Amendment rights are another major issue. He said he believes more gun laws are going to make people less safe, and if guns are banned, only "bad guys" will have guns.

By Joie Tyrrell

joie.tyrrell@newsday.com@JoieTyrrell

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.