Jeff Benjamin, North Hempstead Town Council District 5

JEFFREY M. BENJAMIN

REPUBLICAN

BACKGROUND: Benjamin, 44, of Great Neck, is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. He received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1991 from Gettysburg College and a law degree in 1997 from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He has been a consumer-fraud lawyer for 17 years, the past 11 as a solo practitioner. He is married and has three daughters.

ISSUES: Benjamin said he would like to improve communication between the town councilperson's office and residents, starting by hiring an aide adept at customer service. He said he also would bring an independent voice to the town board, and would vote down items that he feels are not beneficial to his district. Benjamin said he wants to cut spending in areas such as outside counsel and outside consultants to the building department, and wants to rein in the town's debt.