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The Editorial Board

Lake Placid has been a world-famous destination for winter sports since 1932 when the Olympic Games were first held in the area. This Adirondacks locale maintained its status especially as an important training facility after the Winter Olympics were held there again in 1980. 
Proposal 1 on the New York State ballot will, if approved, set key terms for present and future land use in and around what's formally known as the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex, which is near Lake Placid in the Town of North Elba. Tourists visit for hiking, biking, bobsledding and downhill and cross-country skiing among other attractions. 
This amendment would fix a major legal problem. The sports facilities were expanded in the years preceding the 1980 games without voter approval. Such approval should have been decided on long ago because the sports complex exists in what is supposed to be protected Forest Preserve land. Article 14, Section 1 of the New York State Constitution mandates that such land remain "forever wild," with no building permitted. 
At stake here is not just retroactive permission for the status quo, but an apparently logical land swap. Under its terms, the state Olympic Regional Development Authority will be allowed to construct new Nordic skiing and biathlon trails on 323 acres of Forest Preserve to enhance the Mount Van Hoevenberg complex. In exchange, the state will add at least 2,500 acres to the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve. 
The State Legislature voted twice as required, in 2023 and 2025, to place the proposal on the ballot. Of 213 total members of the Assembly and State Senate, only one Assembly member voted against. If the amendment is approved by voters, the new facilities would still be subject to action by the legislature. 
A smattering of opposition has been voiced by critics concerned that the amendment could serve as a precedent for future carve-outs from land protections. But such well-known nonprofit environmental groups as the Adirondack Council and the New York League of Conservation Voters are supporting the proposal. 
Also to consider: Other ski resorts in the state, including Whiteface Mountain, Belleayre Mountain and Gore Mountain, have been built on protected forest land. Those projects received voters'&nbsp;approval and also included assurances of future protections for surrounding acreage. 
Proponents are convincing when they say this amendment reflects the requirements of state law, recreational needs, and a commitment to conserving forests. Newsday Opinion recommends a "Yes"&nbsp;vote.

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Newsday Opinion urges 'Yes' vote on Proposal 1, Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex

Newsday Opinion urges 'Yes' vote on Proposal 1, Mount Van Hoevenberg

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Nassau County voters have a special reason this season to look past the partisan divide. Republican County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman's governance since 2022 has been inadequate to meet the challenges necessary to maintain services in one of the nation's premier suburbs while keeping it affordable. 
Blakeman's Democratic challenger, Seth I. Koslow of Merrick, is a freshman legislator. Koslow, 43, bases his appeal to voters on the promise of a far less performative and far more common-sense&nbsp;way of running the county government. 
The county's out-of-whack tax assessment system, for which Blakeman attacked his opponent and predecessor Laura Curran four years ago, remains essentially unchanged despite his claims to the contrary. 
Nor has Blakeman, 70, of Atlantic Beach, acted to assure fiscal stability in years ahead, as he spends down the county's reserve funds. His latest $4.2 billion budget overpromises on sales tax revenue and underestimates police overtime, while failing to prioritize needed infrastructure upgrades and cost cutting through efficiency. More than 25% of the budget is spent on law enforcement. 
Last year, the county outsourced legal work to private firms, a number of them with key political connections, to the tune of $20 million — more than triple what it spent before Blakeman arrived and faced court challenges to a number of his policies and actions.&nbsp;That's on top of the annual $10 million cost of maintaining the county attorney's office. 
A few high profile appointments backfired badly.&nbsp;Blakeman appointees to the troubled Nassau University Medical Center gave the state cause to take control of the county's only safety-net hospital, for which Nassau taxpayers are on the hook for millions in bonds and employee benefits. 
Matthew J. Bruderman, a financier and heavy-duty donor to GOP campaigns, was abruptly removed by Blakeman three years after becoming NUMC chairman. That followed Bruderman's dubious claim in April that relevant documents were stolen from his Centre Island home. Ousted CEO Meg Ryan, a Nassau GOP ally, is being sued by the current board alleging theft, fraud and misuse of hospital funds. She denies all the charges. 
Blakeman's announcements of big projects and new improvements gained him&nbsp;notice but led to scant results. Plans for a $5 billion Las Vegas Sands casino resort at the Nassau Hub collapsed in April when the company ended its plans for an ambitious bid. Blakeman has&nbsp;revealed no Plan B. Shortly before that, the county's 2023 deal with NYU Langone to invest $3 billion for a hospital on the Nassau Community College campus collapsed. 
Blakeman often refuses to offer a public accounting for his actions — to members of the legislature, other government leaders in the region, or most importantly to the public. Democrats in the legislature have had to file Freedom of Information Law requests to get the specifics on what is going on around them. 
The county is sitting on almost $100 million awarded in the state's settlements with drug companies that manufactured opioids. The money can only be spent on addiction and mental health programs. Despite so many families needing counseling and treatment for loved ones, very little funding has been released. 
Blakeman has created a unit of up to 100 armed volunteers, to serve as "provisional"&nbsp;sheriff's deputies who could make arrests and use deadly force in major emergencies or natural disasters. 
Few details followed the announcement — it took a lawsuit just to find out that $4,000 was spent on 43 shiny badges for what is commonly called Blakeman's militia. There are no details on when these deputies would be activated and how the Nassau County Police Department would interact with them. And what would be the county's financial liability if claims of wrongful behavior arise? 
To his credit, Koslow vows to head off this shaky plan. He also said he would end the county's arrangement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use 50 cells at the Nassau jail, arguing it's unnecessary, and that the federal agency's deputizing of Nassau detectives erodes community trust for everyday policing. 
Time after time, Blakeman has appeared more focused on his personal image, his brand, his publicity, his political alliances and his photo ops than on doing the job. It is hard to see, for example, how the people of the county have benefited from the overkill of signs bearing his name in county parks and at concerts. 
As personas go, Blakeman's rival is more in step with ordinary citizens. 
Koslow worked as an assistant district attorney in Queens from 2013-2016 and has practiced criminal law. Before that he sold commercial HVAC systems. 
Despite Blakeman's advantages, Republicans are sending toxic, false mailings that cite out-of-context snippets from a Touro law school journal article Koslow wrote more than a decade ago analyzing how the law should adapt to the rise of social media when evaluating a rape claim. 
Koslow is serious about auditing all departments to find excess spending, sweetheart vendor deals and unneeded patronage. He recognizes&nbsp;it will take time to fix the assessment system, and meanwhile&nbsp;will try to get more homeowners to grieve tax bills without paying fees to firms that specialize in the lucrative practice and spread political donations around. 
Koslow said he'd seek regional alliances — making his first call to Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine — to spark business and tourism. He slammed Blakeman for partisan grandstanding in telling Gov. Kathy Hochul to stay out of the county. 
Koslow praises Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. He pledges to end&nbsp;a shortage of 40 detectives. He would use the money allocated for fighting opioid abuse, particularly for fentanyl testing strips. 
Koslow deserves a chance to wrestle with a job that the incumbent appears uninterested in doing well. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Koslow.

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Seth I. Koslow for Nassau County executive

Newsday Opinion endorses Koslow for Nassau County executive

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A top-notch district attorney’s office must competently and fairly execute its vital role in the administration of justice. Decisions about prosecuting charges, from shoplifting to murder, are tremendously consequential to a community’s well-being. Prosecutors oversee investigations and decide what charges, if any, should be filed. They negotiate plea bargains or take a case to trial and recommend sentences. 
The district attorney oversees an office of hundreds of assistant district attorneys, investigators and support staff who are on the front lines daily in a complex and fraught criminal justice system. It’s essential that the public is confident its district attorney is making independent judgments in the pursuit of justice. In Suffolk County, incumbent Raymond A. Tierney is running unopposed; Newsday Opinion will make no endorsement in that race. 
In Nassau County, voters do have a choice. Nicole Aloise, a career prosecutor who has a solid crime fighting record in both Queens and Nassau counties, is the better candidate. A Democrat, Aloise, 42, of Garden City, possesses the energy and drive to fight crime that has gone missing from the office under Republican incumbent Anne T. Donnelly. 
There is no more troubling indictment of Donnelly’s tenure than the unprecedented outflow of talent since she took office. More than 90 assistant district attorneys have left for other prosecutorial jobs including ones in Suffolk. Other senior prosecutors with outstanding reputations and credentials were asked by Donnelly to leave. Losing a third of a prosecutorial staff is far beyond the usual rate of attrition. Aloise was one of them. She had moved in 2019 from the DA’s office in Queens where she prosecuted major crimes to a similar job in Nassau, but quit in 2023 after a disagreement with Donnelly. “It was the administration versus everyone,” Aloise told the editorial board. 
The dissatisfaction with Donnelly by the police is another charge against her. She got into an unnecessary tiff with Nassau police and criminal court judges over the turnover of police personnel reports that caused the Nassau PBA and detectives’ unions which endorsed Donnelly four years ago to walk away in this race. And the county’s Civil Service Employees Association, which represents the office’s non-attorney staff, is opposing Donnelly for instituting workplace changes without negotiating with the union. 
Those attorneys who left and some who are still there say Donnelly is remote, that she manages from a bunker, and that her executive staff’s lack of experience rankles judges. New prosecutors are not getting the mentoring and guidance needed. That inexperience can only undermine crime fighting efforts as charges get dismissed and bungled efforts lead to making weak plea deals; criminal convictions have been lower during Donnelly’s administration. The once highly regarded sex crimes, domestic violence and vehicular crimes units were dismantled, resulting in inconsistent and weaker prosecutions. 
All district attorneys have enormous discretion on what investigations to pursue; they show their priorities not only with the cases they bring but those they do not. The lack of public corruption cases brought during Donnelly’s first term has been telling. Her claims that she once investigated former Rep. George Santos — a probe eclipsed by a federal indictment — lacks credibility in the context that Long Island Republicans were united in denouncing Santos and trying desperately to remove the stain his candidacy put on the local party. 
Donnelly’s office says it has an “active investigation” of former Nassau University Medical Center officials regarding alleged destruction of documents and computer files, the approval of excessive termination payments, and false entertainment expenses by close friends and donors of Nassau Republicans. If so, there hasn’t been much to show for it. 
Four years ago, Newsday Opinion supported Donnelly, 61, of Garden City, who has worked for more than three decades in the office. That election was roiled by the state’s complex 2019 changes to bail and pretrial discovery laws. Donnelly’s opponent, Democrat Todd Kaminsky, then a state senator, was involved in the rushed and flawed effort to make needed changes to reduce overincarceration. 
Donnelly was never a standout and had limited trial experience but she initially presented herself as someone who might continue the excellence of the office after Madeline Singas was appointed to the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s top court. Donnelly didn’t deliver. 
Aloise has the background to restore the professionalization of the office so it can draw the top talent to ensure that all crimes are competently prosecuted. She is better suited to use the power of the district attorney’s office to embrace a broader view of public safety. Aloise says she will advocate for more resources for the diversion services offered by the county’s Veterans Treatment Court and to combat the rise in sex trafficking on Long Island that is being fueled by opioid addiction. 
Nassau residents are more likely to be victims of criminal acts on its roads than being attacked on a street. But a firm and consistent policy of enforcing drunken-driving crimes is no longer the case in Nassau. Nor has Donnelly been front and center demanding that the state deal with the explosion of drugged-driving crimes — due to legalization of the sale of cannabis — by giving prosecutors new tools to pursue those cases. 
The GOP can’t make their soft-on-crime charges stick against Aloise, who was out front in criticizing state lawmakers’ change to the bail laws and has a more impressive trial record of convicting violent criminals than Donnelly. She also has the distinction of being criticized by liberal law professors for being too tough on defendants during her time in Queens. This has reduced the GOP into the ridiculous position of photoshopping images of Aloise with Assemb. Zohran Mamdani, the leading candidate in the race for New York City mayor. Donnelly has refused to debate Aloise and she did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Aloise.

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Nicole Aloise for Nassau County district attorney

Newsday Opinion endorses Aloise for Nassau County district attorney

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The position of county comptroller isn’t a particularly glamorous one. Yet, as fiscal watchdog, it’s one of Nassau County’s most important jobs — the office where oversight, accountability and openness begin. The person who fills the role must keep a critical, close eye on Nassau’s finances, while utilizing the office’s audit powers to evaluate the effectiveness of key county functions and departments. It’s also a bully pulpit to spotlight concerns. 
In her first term as county comptroller, Republican Elaine R. Phillips, 65, has disappointingly failed to deliver on those responsibilities. Phillips, who worked on Wall Street and previously served as mayor of Flower Hill, where she resides, and a state senator, did not sit down with us for an interview. But the comptroller’s website lists only one full audit over the last four years: of Hempstead Town’s Sanitary District No. 7. While Phillips conducted some limited “reviews,” they were incomplete and insufficient. She has not comprehensively evaluated the county’s fiscal standing or decision-making, even though there’s been plenty to question. 
Wayne H. Wink Jr. first ran for Nassau comptroller more than a decade ago, challenging former Comptroller Howard Weitzman in a primary bid. While Wink dropped out of that race before the primary, the Mineola Democrat has kept his eye on the county’s fiscal watchdog position ever since. He’s ready for the challenge. 
Wink previously served as Nassau County legislator and North Hempstead Town clerk. Now counsel for the Nassau Legislature’s minority caucus, Wink has insight into what’s working — and what’s not. 
Among Wink’s priorities are full field audits, which objectively analyze finances and operations and provide recommendations, of the county’s assessment system and the jail. He promises to assess county contracts, including the extensive and expensive use of outside counsel, and efforts like the special deputies program. Wink, 58, suggests analyzing the success or failure of Industrial Development Agency tax break recipients and looking at economic development efforts, including the Nassau Hub’s future plans and the failed proposal for NYU Langone to add a hospital on Nassau Community College land. Wink’s comptroller office would also stay atop developments at Nassau University Medical Center, including having someone at each board meeting. 
It’s a long list, one that might not be realistic in less capable hands. But Wink’s skills could make the comptroller’s office efficient and effective. In suggesting the comptroller should work with the Nassau Interim Finance Authority where possible, Wink also puts the job he’s seeking into context, saying: “If we do our jobs, the comptroller should be a natural successor to NIFA.” 
Wink rightly notes that a comptroller doesn’t always have to make a value judgment, but should provide taxpayers with valuable information and insight. He has the experience, knowledge and thoughtfulness to do just that. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Wink.

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Wayne H. Wink Jr. for Nassau County comptroller

Newsday Opinion endorses Wink for Nassau County comptroller

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The role of a county clerk in New York is steeped in tradition and function and is one of the few government jobs, like that of a district attorney, that is created and protected by the state’s constitution. The clerk is the official records keeper and the repository of Nassau’s court cases, land transactions including mortgage filings, veterans’ discharge papers and more. It’s an elected office but it should not be a partisan one. 
Republican Maureen C. O'Connell, 74, was first elected clerk 20 years ago. We have long supported her candidacy but after two decades of promises to advocate against exorbitant fees and to fully modernize services to make accessing documents easier, it’s clear the job needs new leadership. O'Connell did not meet with the editorial board. 
Five years ago, the county’s $355 fee for verifying tax maps was found an “unlawful and unconstitutional tax.” It was lowered to $270. In June, a $300 fee imposed for some real estate transactions was also deemed excessive. O'Connell’s voice has been silent. Her office has never publicly provided an analysis of what would be a legitimate charge for the services provided and what was a money grab by the county. 
As far as modernization goes, a deputy county clerk testifying before the county legislature in July asked for approval of a $75,000 contract for a new vendor who could handle payments under $10. It had been that for any transaction under $10 — usually requesting a copy of a record — someone had to pay cash, contrary to the cashless trend. But the new contract adds a $2.50 fee collected by the vendor. 
Democratic challenger Joylette E. Williams, 54, of Hempstead, is a long-tenured professor at Nassau Community College. She is a quick study of how services in the clerk’s office are inefficient and its software dated. 
Williams, who is also pursuing a second doctorate, would take a leave from NCC to run the clerk’s office. It’s uncertain that her success in academia can translate into the skills needed to revive the moribund bureaucracy in need of new leadership. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement for Nassau County clerk

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement for Nassau County clerk

On Aug. 5, Nassau County Republicans secured control of the Town of Hempstead supervisor’s office for the rest of this year without any election, or primary, or prior public comment. 
That day, Donald Clavin Jr., in his third term as supervisor, announced his resignation. Clavin was already assured of being elected Nov. 4 to a long-sought judgeship, by bipartisan agreement. 
Minutes later, the Republican-run town council approved the appointment of Nassau Legis. John R. Ferretti Jr. — the choice of Nassau GOP chairman Joe Cairo — to finish Clavin’s term. 
The quick switch was enabled by a 5-1 Republican majority of the board. Now Ferretti, 42, of Levittown, appears on the ballot with an incumbent’s advantage against first-time Democratic candidate Joe Scianablo, 48, of Garden City. 
On Wednesday, the slick substitution of Ferretti for Clavin was found to have violated the Open Meetings Law. State Supreme Court Justice Gary M. Carlton declared that the town’s top officials “communicated secretly arranging for Ferretti to be appointed upon Clavin’s resignation.” The very purpose of the law, Carlton noted, is to require such matters to be debated and decided in public with proper notice. But the ruling, resulting from a lawsuit by Scianablo and his party, doesn’t nullify Ferretti’s incumbency since the town council subsequently did the transfer the legal way. 
Now, the methods used to fix Ferretti’s ascent — and reward Clavin for the timing of his departure — showcase the contention between these two candidates. 
When Clavin quit as supervisor, the town gave him a position with undefined duties at his $179,375 supervisor’s salary that was to bridge his pension and income until he was sworn in as a judge. It was a deal so exceptional that only after three weeks of requests did the town reveal a salary and title and the location of Clavin’s “workplace” — an economic development office in Roosevelt. 
But that office has been closed for years, giving the sweetheart sinecure a special odor. Clavin abruptly “retired” from the town and let go of his maybe-show job. Neither Ferretti, who quit his legislative seat to serve as supervisor, nor Clavin have endeavored to explain what if anything the future judge was supposed to be doing for the town in his post as a so-called “community services representative.” 
Another insider rotation was engineered. On Aug. 8, Doreen Ferretti, the new supervisor’s mother, was shifted to a new part-time job for $59 per hour at the county Board of Elections. She’d been an administrative assistant with the town. 
The handling of the town’s increasing annual budget, proposed for 2026 at $576 million, thus looms large. Scianablo, in a meeting with Newsday’s editorial board, pounded away at the fact that, to show an election-year tax reduction for the general fund, the new budget would draw up to $50 million from reserves. 
Scianablo attacks this as a shell game, and “100% gimmicky.” That’s a valid point. 
When first announced as Cairo’s candidate, Ferretti boasted that he “never voted for a tax increase,” and “that’s the No. 1 issue for Town of Hempstead residents.” 
He can say that because he was still a county legislator last year — when Clavin and the town council approved a budget that pierced the state’s tax cap with a 12.1% increase. 
Ferretti’s first proposed budget is expected to be adopted Thursday. Raiding the reserve may be predetermined. Doing this to claim you’re a tax cutter before the election is not fiscally conservative, Scianablo says. We agree. 
We cannot report Ferretti’s response to his opponent’s charge because he declared that he would not be interviewed by the editorial board. 
Ferretti’s power advantage comes from his status as an insider, the great-nephew of former GOP party leader Joseph Mondello. Beginning in 2017, and until he became supervisor, Ferretti represented Nassau’s 15th Legislative District. The county — like the town, and his district — is a GOP domain. Previously, he was chief deputy county clerk and practiced law as an associate trial attorney with the firm of Nicolini, Paradise, Ferretti &amp; Sabella, then based in Mineola. 
For his part, Scianablo offers impressive credentials as a Marine combat veteran, former NYPD officer and a short-stint Queens prosecutor. In law enforcement he’s had a special focus on domestic violence cases, an area in which he’s been involved in aid organizations. He retired from the police department on a medical injury sustained in such a case. 
Since he has not run a large organization, it’s reasonable to ask how much headway Scianablo can make in this thick political fiefdom while cutting costs. To that, he emphasizes the need for comprehensive auditing and advice from the right people. “We need to understand where our money is going,” he says. 
Scianablo starts his energetic pitch for fiscal responsibility by eyeing the low-hanging fruit. He said he would seek a full accounting for how town employees’ take-home cars are used and what the fuel costs are. 
Self-promoting signs and messaging could be quickly curbed. Taxpayers should be able to opt out of receiving a constant flow of unnecessary “informational” flyers, he suggests. He believes many voters ages 18-45, who are reachable electronically, simply trash the unneeded town mail. 
The lack of openness and accountability displayed by Ferretti and his colleagues give Scianablo’s candidacy its rationale. The town government needs a blast of fresh air. This challenger offers the drive and earnestness to make sensible improvements. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Scianablo.

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Joe Scianablo for Hempstead Town supervisor

Newsday Opinion endorses Scianablo for Hempstead Town supervisor

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In her first&nbsp;term, when she made her debut as an elected public official,&nbsp;Jennifer S. DeSena had difficulty getting her agenda implemented.&nbsp;But in her second term,&nbsp;as she learned the ropes,&nbsp;DeSena, who is a registered Democrat but runs on the Republican line, has had a smoother path, especially with a Republican majority&nbsp;at her side. 
DeSena, who lives in Manhasset, has used that time to make some progress on some of the more significant issues facing the town, particularly the long-maligned building department. She is working to digitize town building department records, quicken the permitting and appeals processes and improve communication, and has brought in some new leadership. Those are solid initial steps —&nbsp;but more needs to be done. 
DeSena also has begun to upgrade town parks and she revamped the town-owned Harbor Links Golf Course, establishing a new partnership there that increases the rent and revenue the town receives. And last year, she finally jump-started the expansion of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Port Washington rail yard for the Long Island Rail Road —&nbsp;an effort that was stalled for more than 15 years. 
But DeSena unfortunately continues to allow politics to seep into town obligations,&nbsp;most recently by allocating paving projects in ways that seemed to disfavor known Democratic areas, while providing politically purple districts more attention. And some residents have complained DeSena isn't responsive&nbsp;to constituent concerns.&nbsp; 
DeSena, 56, did not sit down with Newsday Opinion for an interview, and therefore did not respond to those questions and others. 
Port Washington Democrat Dave Kerpen is a marketing entrepreneur who enthusiastically trumpets big ideas, such as improving North Hempstead Beach Park by adding restaurants, a youth sports facility or a minor league stadium for an independent or Banana Ball baseball team. Kerpen says eliminating waste and cronyism and better utilizing technology can reduce town spending to the point where he eventually could eliminate town taxes altogether.&nbsp;He pledges not to raise taxes, to respond to all resident emails and to pave roads equally. 
Kerpen, 49, criticizes the building department but lacks a detailed reform plan, saying he'd start self-certification for permitting&nbsp;and would look to move employees&nbsp;out of the department if they're not aligned with his desired culture shift. On some key issues, including roads, infrastructure and economic development, Kerpen mostly focuses on the parts of town he knows best, like Port Washington and Great Neck. On other issues,&nbsp;such as LIRR scheduling and the needed rail yard expansion, he's not familiar enough with the challenges.&nbsp;Kerpen makes big promises, but lacks the knowledge, depth and understanding of how to execute them. 
Newsday Opinion endorses DeSena.

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Jennifer S. DeSena for North Hempstead Town supervisor

Newsday Opinion endorses DeSena for North Hempstead Town supervisor

The Town of Oyster Bay is a well-run day-to-day operation under incumbent Joseph S. Saladino. 
The Massapequa Republican manages a town with pristine parks, a full calendar of events for residents, timely garbage collection/snow removal and livestreamed board meetings. Saladino has moved the town forward with the Building Division Portal, an online system that offers same-day building permits for many common projects like fences, generators, swimming pools and solar panels. 
Saladino also has effectively managed flood mitigation projects in his water-bordered town. This includes installing drainage upgrades and building bio-retention areas to naturally treat and filter stormwater runoff. The town established a shellfish hatchery that serves the dual purpose of bolstering the local shellfish population and improving water quality, since one mollusk can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. 
But casting a serious shadow on this progress is Saladino’s handling of a mosque expansion in Bethpage, since doing the popular as opposed to the hard thing requires a different calculus. 
After the town denied Masjid Al-Baqi’s application to expand, the religious group that owns the mosque filed a federal lawsuit, and in August the town agreed to a settlement, which included approving the application and paying $3.95 million to cover attorneys’ fees and other expenses. Saladino announced that this would allow all parties to “move forward in good faith as one community.” 
Then less than two weeks later, all that changed. The town backed out of the agreement, citing unproven traffic concerns. The town’s rejection of the settlement came amid a wave of anti-Muslim commentary from town residents, but instead of condemning it, Saladino and other officials pushed the lawsuit forward. What’s more, the town hired a traffic expert with a history of Muslim bigotry — only to fire him once that became public. 
Ultimately, as the likelihood of defeat in federal trial neared, and legal fees escalated, the town agreed to a slightly reduced expansion with a few traffic mitigation measures. 
The troubling timeline of events in the mosque’s application to renovate their facilities, including a surprise rezoning as the case was set for trial, can’t be ignored. 
Saladino, 64, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Democrat Sam C. Sochet, of Syosset, is a retired school principal. He’s running as an underdog who wants better representation of all hamlets within the town, specifically focusing on more equitable road paving. 
Sochet, 65, advocates that all town meetings should be scheduled in the evenings to accommodate more residents to attend. 
Sochet doesn’t understand the complexities of running the Town of Oyster Bay. Yet Saladino failed a key leadership test. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

VPOYSTERBAY251029

No endorsement for Oyster Bay Town supervisor

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement for Oyster Bay Town supervisor

The Nassau County Legislature has only been in existence for 29 years. That’s pretty young as governments go, especially for a county about 100 years older. 
In its short history, the legislature had functioned as a separate branch of government, providing oversight over how taxpayer dollars are collected and spent in a shared spirit of governance for all of the county’s residents. Former presiding officers such as the late Judy Jacobs, a Democrat, or Peter Schmitt, a Republican, were widely respected leaders, forceful in protecting and exercising their oversight powers regardless of who&nbsp;was county executive. 
Now governing in Mineola is more of an exercise of executive control than a shared effort to meet the considerable challenges of affordability, economic growth, safe roads and infrastructure upgrades. There are aging drainage and sewage pipes that need attention; heavy rains are closing beaches more frequently. The assessment system remains so flawed that more than half of residents challenge their tax bills annually. 
Ironically, the legislature’s first presiding officer, Bruce A. Blakeman, who served four years before losing his seat in 1999, is responsible for this new dynamic. One of Blakeman’s significant moves as county executive, in 2024, was to end the fixed two-year term of the presiding officer, who is elected by a majority of lawmakers. Now, the presiding officer can be removed at will by the majority, which essentially allows party leaders to stifle the legislative independence that fosters a bipartisan approach. 
The latest example of the legislature’s diminished role was apparent at its recent meeting to review the county executive’s proposed $4.2 billion budget: Not one question was asked by any member of the Republican majority. 
The servile actions of the GOP majority were clearly demonstrated recently when dozens of female county employees — spurred on by an email from an employee in the county&nbsp;attorney’s office — showed up for a legislative hearing dressed in red to denounce Democratic Legis. Seth I. Koslow, who is challenging Blakeman. The chamber is for governing, not rallies and the presiding officer should have ended the nonsense. 
Another consequence of this unprecedented ceding of control to the county executive is how Community Revitalization Program grants — county money that is funneled to local programs — are handled. Since January 2024, Republican legislators received 59 grants for $7.57 million, while Democrats only got two awards totaling $589,000. 
Earlier this year, the imbalance in funding capital infrastructure projects was also glaring even though Democrats had some leverage. After nine months of bitter wrangling, Blakeman was forced to fund two proposals in Democratic districts because the county charter requires a supermajority to bond capital projects. The Republicans controlled 12 of 19 votes but needed one more. Of the $429.5 million bonded, Democrats will get $1.3 million for the seven districts they represent. More than 40% of county residents are represented by Democrats. 
<h3>This year's candidates</h3> 
A considerable number of Nassau voters again will be looking at unfamiliar candidates on their ballots this year. Maps the GOP majority approved in 2023 for elections that year were later found discriminatory by a federal judge for packing minority neighborhoods in just a few districts. The voting rights lawsuit was eventually settled and a map with new boundaries will be in place until 2032. 
And a recent change in state law moving most local races to even years means Nassau’s 19 seats will be up again in 2026. 
Newsday Opinion’s endorsements in the legislative races are based on issues as we assess whether candidates, regardless of party, have the skills and experience to provide independent, constructive oversight of Nassau.

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Nassau County Legislature elections overview

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Newsday Opinion's 2025 picks for Nassau County Legislature

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Just last week, the state's highest court upheld a 2023&nbsp;law mandating even-year elections for county and town offices. The premise is that&nbsp;turnout in local races will increase when bigger races for the presidency, Congress and governorship are at the top of the ticket. 
One downside is the transition phase, as the law&nbsp;forces a bizarre outcome for this year's Suffolk County legislative&nbsp;races — the last&nbsp;to be held in an odd year. 
This year's winners would normally have two-year terms, but instead they&nbsp;face reelection next year as the even-year law takes effect. Their seats would open up again in 2028. 
Thus, voters and candidates face an unheard-of three elections in four years for the 18 members of Suffolk's legislature. Who needs that? 
Suffolk residents can avert this mess by voting "yes"&nbsp;on Proposal Two. 
This county charter amendment would change the terms of legislators from two to four years. If it&nbsp;is approved, those elected next month would get to serve a three-year term beginning in January. Their seats would next come open in 2028 to begin the cycle of four-year terms. 
Let's acknowledge&nbsp;that four-year terms for legislators were rejected&nbsp;at the polls in 2020 in Suffolk County by a lopsided margin of 70%-30%. The chief argument against longer terms&nbsp;has always been that they&nbsp;would loosen control of a district's voters over their representatives. Five years ago, we wrote that a two-year term gives the public a way to more frequently register disapproval if dissatisfied with county government. 
Circumstances have changed and the context is different, with even-years voting about to take effect. 
Elected officials are now showing unprecedented consensus in favor of four-year terms. The county’s Democratic and Republican legislators voted —&nbsp;unanimously —&nbsp;in June to put this proposal on the ballot and GOP County Executive Edward&nbsp;P. Romaine signed it onto the fall ballot. 
The&nbsp;chief argument in favor of longer tenure has always been that it takes time for lawmakers to grapple with issues and projects requiring granular knowledge, such as infrastructure funding. That's worth considering too. 
More immediately, ballots&nbsp;in even-numbered years will be jam-packed with federal, state and local races, in a daunting array of choices for voters in which local elections may well be eclipsed. 
The prospect of relieving those ballots of frequent legislative races now becomes a positive. More often than not, legislative incumbents are reelected. 
Suffolk's 12-year limit on lawmakers would remain intact under this charter amendment. How the system may be adjusted for an official&nbsp;who serves the next 11 years' worth of three elected terms may&nbsp;need to be better clarified after the proposal&nbsp;becomes law. Either way, however, it's not a deal-breaker. 
Newsday Opinion urges a "Yes"&nbsp;vote.

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Newsday Opinion urges 'Yes' vote on Suffolk County ballot initiative

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Huntington Town is grappling with how to manage its budget while encouraging economic growth, fostering housing revitalization, and providing services for residents. It’s a difficult task faced by numerous Long Island municipalities that will likely be made more difficult in the coming years as governments deal with rising costs for health care, construction and other essentials. 
The candidates for town supervisor — Republican incumbent Edmund J. Smyth and his Democratic Party challenger Cooper Macco — are both well-versed in these topics. 
Smyth, who previously served as the town’s deputy supervisor, was elected to his first term as supervisor in 2021. He says Huntington businesses and housing will benefit from smaller advanced sewage treatment plants and new hookups in Huntington Station. Macco, a bankruptcy attorney, says the town needs a comprehensive master redevelopment plan rather than piecemeal approvals of projects without knowing the overall impact to infrastructure, including sewers and roads. Both candidates want to see underutilized East Jericho Turnpike properties redeveloped. Macco calls for more transparency in how town government functions while Smyth said residents already have access to information. 
Smyth successfully navigated tricky political waters over the last several years as he advocated for the Melville Town Center overlay district in the Huntington Quadrangle area — which could ultimately produce up to 1,500 housing units. His leadership on the issue, combined with a willingness to compromise and address legitimate concerns, such as those from first responders, deserves applause. 
Macco, 39, of Halesite, said he favors building a parking garage in downtown Huntington to raise revenue as well as increased collection of fines for unpaid meters. He suggests an annual parking pass for town residents. Smyth, 54, of Halesite, said construction costs make a garage prohibitive. 
Macco does raise an interesting point about transit-oriented housing when he says that hybrid work schedules lead to increased demand for affordable units farther from the city but close to train stations since workers don’t need to commute as much. Smyth says housing near Long Island train stations doesn’t necessarily lead to increased railroad usage, but he rightly recognizes the need to continue Huntington Station’s revitalization efforts. Residents need to hear more ideas from Smyth about how to turn underused properties into housing working-class Long Island families can afford. 
Smyth said the reason Huntington, under his leadership, has kept under the tax cap is simple: he says no to unnecessary expenditures requested by the town’s departments. 
Long Island needs governmental leaders who can resist splurging from within, but are also willing to expand economic development opportunities. While Smyth says “no” to his own department heads, voters should say “yes” to his fiscally sound priorities. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Smyth.

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Edmund J. Smyth for Huntington Town supervisor

Newsday Opinion endorses Smyth for Huntington Town supervisor

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Riverhead Town needs revitalization coupled with infrastructure investment but it’s easier said than done. After decades of stalled initiatives, Riverhead now seems poised to experience actual revitalization. 
Supervisor Timothy C. Hubbard, 65, a Republican, is running for reelection against challenger Jerome Halpin, who is unaffiliated but running on the Democratic line. Both live in Riverhead. 
Halpin, 53, pointed to Riverhead’s 2026 budget, which, if approved, would raise the tax levy 7.7%, as a main reason he should be elected. He said working families are being taxed out of their homes, and residents are upset about the town piercing the tax cap. While he is right that cost-of-living issues remain forefront, town government is largely at the mercy of state and federal forces. 
Hubbard said the town removed some budget requests to keep taxes from rising more. Halpin said piercing the tax cap isn’t the solution; bringing in more revenue is. He preaches a ground-up approach to building the tax base but didn’t clearly explain a plan to stay under the cap while maintaining services. 
Enterprise Park at Calverton, known as EPCAL, needs to be prioritized, Hubbard said, although right now, the contract for the 1,644-acre property remains in litigation. Once it is resolved, the supervisor said, the town should consider leasing some of the land to defense industry suppliers waiting to jump in. Halpin called it a Groundhog Day scenario that wasn’t benefiting residents. Hubbard had more defined ideas on how to reset the process once the lawsuit ends. 
Hubbard said the expected Town Square development and parking garage will lure businesses and shoppers to downtown, thereby increasing the tax base. He likened it to the revitalization of other villages to the west and said all of Riverhead would benefit from increased foot traffic. Halpin said town government isn’t listening to residents who don’t want five-story structures downtown. 
Hubbard was clear that he wants a community benefits package for Riverhead from the Suffolk County Water Authority for tearing up roads to install an 8.5-mile pipe to Southold Town. It’s a zoning dispute that may require further litigation, though Hubbard expects it will end up in Riverhead’s favor. 
While Halpin brings leadership experience and deep community connections, his background isn’t suited to running a large municipal government. He wants to boost the local economy to reduce taxes in a way that doesn’t negatively impact quality of life, but he didn’t offer specifics. 
Hubbard told the editorial board the lack of consistent leadership has been detrimental to the town’s revitalization and preservation efforts. We agree. Hubbard deserves another term. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Hubbard.

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Timothy C. Hubbard for Riverhead Town supervisor

Newsday Opinion endorses Hubbard for Riverhead Town supervisor

It's been eight years since Edward R. Wehrheim changed the political landscape of Smithtown when he defeated&nbsp;Patrick Vecchio, who had held the town supervisor&nbsp;title for 40 years. 
In his first two terms, Wehrheim, a Republican who lives in Kings Park,&nbsp;has focused on revitalizing the downtowns in St. James, Smithtown and Kings Park, while adding housing and new commercial development&nbsp;in other areas. Those efforts&nbsp;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&nbsp;balance new&nbsp;housing and other mixed-use development&nbsp;with making sure that "Smithtown will remain Smithtown." 
Wehrheim's deep understanding&nbsp;of the town's needs and budgetary constraints spills over into his analysis of Long Island Innovation Park in Hauppauge, as he hopes&nbsp;to add high-tech employers that'll bring hundreds of jobs, while building housing on the southern end to give&nbsp;those new employees a place to live. 
Wehrheim, 77, also recognizes that while&nbsp;development often draws the loudest voices,&nbsp;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&nbsp;and suggests a reworking of the tax cap to account for those expenses. He&nbsp;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 —&nbsp;Brooksite Drive, Plymouth Boulevard and Old Willets Path —&nbsp;that require&nbsp;federal assistance.&nbsp; 
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,&nbsp;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&nbsp;his interest in trying to bury the town's utility lines&nbsp;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.

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Edward R. Wehrheim for Smithtown Town supervisor

Newsday endorses Wehrheim for Smithtown Town supervisor

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A host of generational issues confront Suffolk County voters as they make their choices for all 18 members of the legislature. 
Suffolk is seeking to preserve its commercial waterfront, confront rising sea levels, convince homeowners to use grants to convert aging septic systems to more advanced ones, and support building more housing while protecting its open spaces. All while holding tax increases as costs for payroll, health care and pensions steadily rise. 
Suffolk also confronts the challenge of developing a regional approach to disposing of solid waste and recycling as it's become clearer that a patchwork of town-by-town efforts is not sufficient. And while county candidates acknowledge the demands for housing and speak of county loans for first-time homebuyers and installing sewage systems and roadwork to facilitate development, the reality is that development is primarily a town and village responsibility. Meantime, county involvement with improvements to the Hub area around Long Island MacArthur Airport to make it a better economic driver always remains on the table. 
There is also a child sex trafficking problem that law enforcement says must be confronted head-on. That will require county lawmakers to find innovate ways to attack the problem. 
Suffolk’s more than 1,000 miles of vital coastline continue to generate significant income for the county through recreational and commercial uses. The county took a big step forward and voters should ask those running how they will follow through on the creation of a waterfront preservation panel, who will be the members and finding new revenue streams that will be needed beyond the $9.5 million already allotted in the capital plan. 
Although Republicans have a supermajority in the legislature, County Executive Edward P. Romaine’s nonpartisan governing style and efforts to partner with all legislators undergird a consensus on moving the county forward. 
Newsday Opinion’s endorsements in the legislative races are based on issues as we assess whether candidates, regardless of party, have the skills and experience to provide independent, constructive oversight of Suffolk County.

All of Newsday Opinion's 2025 election endorsements

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