Edward R. Wehrheim for Smithtown Town supervisor

It's been eight years since Edward R. Wehrheim changed the political landscape of Smithtown when he defeated Patrick Vecchio, who had held the town supervisor title for 40 years.

In his first two terms, Wehrheim, a Republican who lives in Kings Park, has focused on revitalizing the downtowns in St. James, Smithtown and Kings Park, while adding housing and new commercial development in other areas. Those efforts have worked, increasing Smithtown's housing stock by about 4%, Wehrheim said. Wehrheim can rattle off development after development in various stages of completion — some rental, some ownership, some age-restricted, some not. Business districts, he said, are seeing fewer vacancies and better foot traffic. And he argues that there's a way to balance new housing and other mixed-use development with making sure that "Smithtown will remain Smithtown."

Wehrheim's deep understanding of the town's needs and budgetary constraints spills over into his analysis of Long Island Innovation Park in Hauppauge, as he hopes to add high-tech employers that'll bring hundreds of jobs, while building housing on the southern end to give those new employees a place to live.

Wehrheim, 77, also recognizes that while development often draws the loudest voices, it's not the only issue on people's minds. He emphasizes that Smithtown's budget challenges are primarily due to state-imposed health care and pension cost increases and suggests a reworking of the tax cap to account for those expenses. He points to improved parks and youth facilities and extensive paving projects the town has completed. But he also still has a to-do list, including upgrades to three major north-south stretches — Brooksite Drive, Plymouth Boulevard and Old Willets Path — that require federal assistance. 

Rosemary Griffin, the Democrats' original choice to run for supervisor, ended her campaign for personal reasons in July. In September, Democrats announced they were supporting a write-in campaign for Robert Trotta, a Suffolk County legislator who is term-limited this year.

Trotta, a registered Republican from Fort Salonga, lost to Wehrheim in the Republican primary for supervisor in June. He said he's not spending money or knocking on doors, but will continue to criticize Wehrheim for what Trotta calls an "overabundance of apartments," with a particular focus on Kings Park. Trotta, 64, also emphasized his interest in trying to bury the town's utility lines and said the budget is being "mismanaged."

Trotta said he wants "to preserve the suburban nature of Smithtown." But Wehrheim, who grew up in Kings Park and remembers the town when it was mostly farmland, rightly said "You either grow or you die ... and you have to grow with the times."

Newsday Opinion endorses Wehrheim.