Editorial: David Gugerty in Nassau legislature's 18th District
David Gugerty, candidate for Nassau County legislator, 18th District. (Aug. 15, 2013) Credit: Johnny Milano
Republicans have a significant voter registration advantage in this remapped district, and the candidates' anti-tax rhetoric acknowledges that gap.
Republican Donald MacKenzie, 43, is an Oyster Bay attorney and part-time water district commissioner running against Democrat David Gugerty, 51, who is also an attorney and a two-term Bayville Village trustee.
Gugerty likes to remind voters that the water district raised taxes during MacKenzie's tenure. MacKenzie, meanwhile, has tied Gugerty to the unpopular Suozzi-era energy tax by highlighting his Democratic establishment credentials: Gugerty is chief of staff to the Democratic minority on the legislature, a former member of Nassau's Civil Service Commission and an Oyster Bay Democratic leader.
Nassau's affordability is a central theme this election year. MacKenzie's solution is to encourage economic growth, to bring in new property and sales tax revenue. He likes the Mangano administration's plan to renovate the Coliseum and wants to see it expanded, with parking and a biotech or research center. But MacKenzie doesn't have any concrete plans and decries "further urbanization" of Nassau. In a year in which almost every Nassau candidate -- Democrat and Republican -- acknowledges the need for denser development in select locations, MacKenzie's urbanization demon is weak.
As a Bayville trustee, Gugerty has promoted development around the village commons while favoring preservation of surrounding open space -- a worthwhile model for Nassau. His management experience in county government has generated ideas for merging departments and functions to save money. For example, he would consolidate the comptroller and treasurer offices. He also favors "sin" taxes -- or fines on bad behavior -- like the county's recent push for red-light cameras.
Gugerty is highly critical of the way the Mangano administration has managed its legal work: issuing contracts to politically connected law firms that run up fees instead of assigning the county attorney's office to most cases. With his strong management and legal background, Gugerty would be an important restraint on such nonsense. Newsday endorses Gugerty.
