Who we're endorsing: For Nassau County Legislature

Again this year, we are releasing our endorsements to your inbox before they are published in print. This edition highlights our picks for districts 10 through 19 of the Nassau County Legislature.

With county finances at least temporarily under control, there is an opportunity to address other issues and move Nassau forward. Fat and unfair fees on real estate paperwork and red-light camera tickets that are already under fire from the courts should end. The phased-in fix of the assessment system that has bedeviled Nassau for decades must be wrestled back on track, then managed with consistent discipline, lest it careen off the tracks again. The county's archaic information technology systems, from its websites and consumer interfaces to the computers in Nassau's Mineola offices, must be modernized.

Nassau has new opportunities, and new challenges. Here's who we think can best help meet them. To find out the district in which you reside, click here.

The races: Nassau County Legislature

Nassau Legislature, District 10 (Kings Point, Great Neck, Lake Success, Manhasset, Searington, Herricks): Democrat Ellen W. Birnbaum vs. Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip

Nassau Legislature, District 11 (Glen Cove, Sands Point, Port Washington, Flower Hill, Sea Cliff south to Roslyn): Democrat Delia M. DeRiggi Whitton vs. Republican Meagan M. McCarty

Nassau Legislature, District 12 (Southeast corner of Oyster Bay, Massapequa north to South Farmingdale): Democrat William E. Rogers vs. Republican James D. Kennedy

Nassau Legislature, District 13 (East Meadow, North Merrick, North Wantagh, North Bellmore and Salisbury): Democrat Thomas McKevitt vs. Republican Eileen M. Napolitano

Nassau Legislature, District 14 (Garden City, Garden City South, Carle Place, Westbury, Hicksville, part of Bethpage): Democrat Robert T. McCarthy vs. Republican Laura M. Schaefer

Nassau Legislature, District 15 (Central Nassau County, Westbury, Levittown): Democrat Matthew W. Malin vs. Republican John R. Ferretti

Nassau Legislature, District 16 (Roslyn Heights, Old Westbury, Jericho, Plainview): Democrat Arnold W. Drucker vs. Republican Daniel Alter

Nassau Legislature, District 17 (Bethpage, Old Bethpage, part of Seaford, Plainedge, North Massapequa, Farmingdale): Democrat Raja K. Singh vs. Republican Rose Marie Walker

Nassau Legislature, District 18 (Oyster Bay, Cove Neck, East Hills, Glenhead, Woodbury, Brookville): Democrat Joshua Alexander Lafazan vs. Republican Paolo A. Pironi

Nassau Legislature, District 19 (Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford, parts of Freeport and Merrick): Democrat Jacob I. Schuster vs. Republican Steven D. Rhoads

Don't see your district? The rest of the Nassau County Legislature endorsements are here. Our endorsements in the Suffolk County Legislature are here,

Our picks

Nassau Legislature, District 10

Birnbaum has gone door-to-door to make sure business owners know about available COVID-19 relief funds, emphasizes the importance of encouraging residents to use public transit and understands the complexities of downtown redevelopment in a district with 10 different villages. Melesa Pilip should stay involved in district advocacy, but needs a better understanding of county finances and other issues to serve as legislator.

Newsday endorses Birnbaum and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 11

DeRiggi Whitton has been on top of the many thorny issues faced by her North Shore district. That includes testing, food delivery, and the need to get funds to businesses for the ongoing COVID-19 recovery, as well as the longer-lasting social and infrastructure needs that did not disappear during the pandemic. McCarty possesses an admirable civic spirit and focus on constituent services, but has less of the deep experience required to connect the dots for the district.

Newsday endorses DeRiggi Whitton and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 12

Despite his experience, Kennedy has remained in the background, lacking focus and leadership on specific legislation or issues. Rogers is passionate about many issues, including a plan for residential property tax relief, the expansion of services to veterans and seniors, and advocacy for small businesses, workers' rights and unionization.

Newsday endorses Rogers and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 13

McKevitt has worked on the way police respond to mental health crisis situations and helped callers get vaccine appointments. He has pushed for flooding solutions for residents close to Newbridge Creek, trying to improve drainage for people who have needed sandbags for even minor rainfall. Napolitano does not disagree with McKevitt on much and should continue raising her voice for her community.

Newsday endorses McKevitt and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 14

Schaefer is well-versed in district concerns from water quality to property tax assessment. She discusses goals and services without resorting to slogans. McCarthy, now a law student, clearly shows the right stuff for public service — hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

Newsday endorses Schaefer and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 15

Ferretti is very knowledgeable about and committed to his home community of Levittown, and the broader district. Because of that his constituent service is strong, and his pushes for infrastructure projects and repairs land with precision. Malin is not actively campaigning.

Newsday endorses Ferretti and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 16

Drucker has established himself as a pragmatic and passionate legislator willing to think outside the box. Alter is a professor of restorative dentistry at New York City College of Technology who does not have Drucker’s granular knowledge of major county issues.

Newsday endorses Drucker and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 17

Walker hasn't changed much in her six terms as the district's legislator. She touts an open-door policy for constituents and understands the county's financial concerns. But Walker has been unwilling to expand her thinking on what's possible for downtown Hicksville and unable to move the hamlet's revitalization forward. Singh wants Hicksville to become the "center of Long Island" where people want to shop and dine and he welcomes more housing, restaurants and entertainment offerings around the train station, even if it means adding a few extra stories to make the housing more affordable.

Newsday endorses Singh and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 18

Lafazan recruited volunteers to shop for seniors during the pandemic and takes pride in getting every county road in his district paved. Pironi declined to be interviewed.

Newsday endorses Lafazan and here's why.

Nassau Legislature, District 19

On issue after issue, from demanding county police and other public-facing employees be vaccinated, to supporting the construction of more and varied housing, to understanding why police reform is crucial for Nassau, Schuster gets it right. Rhoads is a master of constituent service whose knowledge of every road and park in the district is encyclopedic.

Newsday endorses Schuster and here's why.

Election reads and resources

— Enter your address here to see our choices to date for candidates running in your district.

—There are five proposed amendments to the state constitution on your November ballot. Learn more about them here.

— Past election numbers tell a complex tale, featured in The Point.

Follow @NewsdayOpinion on Twitter and on Instagram to see more from the candidates. Stay tuned for our next special edition newsletter soon.

Endorsements are determined solely by the Newsday editorial board, a team of opinion journalists focused on issues of public policy and governance. Newsday’s news division has no role in this process.