DuWayne Gregory to represent Suffolk’s 15th Legislative District
![DuWayne Gregory, Democratic candidate for Suffolk County's 15th Legislative District,...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYmY1OTNkZmItOGU0My00%3AZmItOGU0My00YTlhMTYw%2Fvpscleg15_web.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
DuWayne Gregory, Democratic candidate for Suffolk County's 15th Legislative District, poses for a portrait on Aug. 18, 2017. Credit: James Escher
It’s not often that your opponent calls you a “really good” legislator, but such is life for Democrat DuWayne Gregory.
The legislature’s presiding officer, first elected in 2008, prefers collaboration to conflict and has gotten results — like a new mobile app to connect drug users to addiction services, treatment centers and hotlines. A new proposal would have hospitals contact drug users revived with Narcan to offer follow-up treatment. Gregory, 48, of Copiague, also advocates using software to uncover waste and fraud in the county budget, an initiative he says could save taxpayers up to $29 million a year.
Republican Christopher Madden, 46, of Lindenhurst, a warehouse owner and member of Copiague’s board of education, agrees with Gregory on many issues. But he makes a good point that the budget process should be less secretive and would benefit from more public input. Gregory would be wise to listen.
Newsday endorses Gregory.