Opinion

Unlike the New York Senate, control of the Assembly is not an issue this election season. Democrats will continue to hold power by a wide margin as they have for decades.
But if Republicans finally lose the edge they have held in the Senate, that would put a spotlight on Long Island’s Assembly delegation, both Democrats and Republicans.
In the past, Long Island members of the New York City-dominated Assembly could vote for bills its city-oriented leadership wanted knowing the GOP-run Senate would block measures counter to Long Island’s interests. In a Democratic Senate, which also would have a sizable city contingent, that would no longer be guaranteed. In that event, every vote would have to be weighed carefully.
More important, Long Island’s Assembly members would have to be more aggressive in promoting and protecting the region’s interests in that chamber. This would best be done by forming a suburban caucus with like-minded peers from Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess counties and farther upstate, like the suburbs of Buffalo. Suburban Republicans, including those on Long Island, can and should be part of this coalition, too. Suburban representatives have a strong numerical presence in the chamber; it’s time to flex the commensurate muscle.
Speaker Carl Heastie is from the Bronx, but he understands Long Island. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Stony Brook University and has visited the region often since taking over nearly four years ago. He understands the potential dynamic in the Senate means his party has to recognize regional interests, and while individual blocs will disagree they must be able to compromise. It would be helpful if he had a veteran member from Long Island in his hierarchy to help him navigate this minefield.
Voters should keep this in mind when they meet their candidates, and press them on the importance of this suburban coalition. Because it will have to help mold a lot of critical issues in the upcoming legislative session.
The Long Island delegation must continue to take the lead on environmental protections, including ramping up the fight against climate change.
It must protect the region’s share of school funding and work to contain the high cost of living many candidates have cited as the main reason friends and family members have moved off the Island. A priority must be keeping the tax cap in place. Economic development grants must continue to come our way.
The legalization of recreational marijuana and putting tolls on East River bridges to pay for mass transit, including the Long Island Rail Road, are knotty issues. They must get done but must be done right; Long Island’s lawmakers should educate themselves so they can be major players. The Island’s delegation should focus on ways to contain the opioid epidemic and make it easier for families to get help. 
It’s a tall order. But a team of Long Islanders can get it done. 
— The editorial board

Editorials

VPSAINTRO

LI needs Assembly members in both parties to pull together

Editorial: Push for suburbs in New York Assembly

VPSAINTRO_WEB

Fred W. Thiele Jr. has delivered for his East End district for 23 years. Thiele, 65, of Sag Harbor, an Independence Party member allied with Democrats, teamed with GOP Sen. Ken LaValle to smartly shepherd a bill to let Stony Brook University lease land for a new Southampton Hospital. He continues to get good legislation passed on water quality, and got approved a bill granting state recognition to the Montaukett Indian nation. He also succeeded in getting more commuter trains for the South Fork. Next stop: affordable housing.
Republican Patrick M. O’Connor, 53, a software engineer and consultant from Shinnecock Hills, wants to work for residents he said are underrepresented on issues like the high cost of living, the opioid crisis and crime. But Thiele has earned another term.
Newsday endorses Thiele.

VPSA1

Fred Thiele to represent New York’s 1st Assembly District 

Newsday endorses Thiele in 1st AD

B_WEB

Anthony H. Palumbo, 48, boasts a strong record of listening to his constituents and working to take care of his district in his three terms. The New Suffolk Republican fought hard for a $175,000 grant to the North Fork to help provide youth mental health services. Ditto a deal with the state to preserve 875 acres in Shoreham. And he’s a voice for developing housing workers can afford in a district where that can be unpopular.
Democratic candidate Rona Smith, 73, of Greenport, has volunteered in the community for 20 years. She is educated, experienced in finance and has a passion for single-payer health care informed by her son’s death from cancer. But New York can’t establish single-payer alone. And Smith mostly opposes developing new housing for workers, even as she bemoans the difficulty of hiring any locally.
Newsday endorses Palumbo.

VPSA2

Anthony Palumbo  to represent New York’s 2nd Assembly District 

Newsday endorses Palumbo in 2nd AD

VPSA1_WEB

This race for an open seat features two candidates who’ve been around, but one has learned a lot more about the workings of government along the way.
Republican Joseph P. De Stefano, 58, of Medford, a fire commissioner for 23 years and a dispatcher for the Suffolk sheriff’s office, says his experience has taught him to listen more and talk less. It’s a good mantra.
De Stefano understands the difficulty of getting bills passed as a member of the minority party, and says, for example, that he would work with Democrats on a package of ethics reforms. He wants law enforcement personnel stationed in every school building and supports renewable energy projects like solar and wind. 
De Stefano understands how governments function, having collaborated with county and state officials in the sheriff’s office and lobbied in Albany on firefighter matters. Combined with his deep knowledge of the district — he knows the condition of its roads, which sewer drains flood, and where overhanging trees limit drivers’ sight lines — he would excel at constituent service, which often is where minority members make their mark.
Democrat Clyde E. Parker, 71, of Bellport, a retailer whose shoe and clothing stores here and abroad employ nearly 200 people, brims with passion. He identifies issues he feels strongly about — like education, the environment, sewers and the opioid crisis — but lacks ideas to solve them. He says corruption is a major problem in Albany but admits he’s not sure how to solve it other than making criminal penalties tougher. He rightly deplores the tribal political wars he says are destroying the country and says nothing can be achieved without unity. His earnestness is compelling, but his learning curve to serve in state government is just too steep.
Newsday endorses De Stefano.

VPSA3

Joseph De Stefano to represent New York’s 3rd Assembly District 

Newsday endorses De Stefano in 3rd AD

VPSA2_WEB

A geologist by training, Democrat Steven Englebright’s environmental record is rock solid. Englebright, 72, of Setauket, has done good work on water quality, open space and coastal protection. Now he’s pushing for electrification of the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Jefferson line, redeveloping the Port Jefferson station area with a new rail yard and transit-oriented housing, and using LIRR rights of way for solar panels.
Republican Christian W. Kalinowski, 25, of Port Jefferson, a Brookhaven Town animal shelter trainer, has a meet-in-the-middle approach to problem-solving lacking today and a needed generational voice on economic issues. He should stay involved in politics.
A win would make Englebright the senior member of Long Island’s Assembly delegation, a leadership role he says he is ready to embrace on issues like education funding, jobs and infrastructure. Long Island needs such a voice.
Newsday endorses Englebright.

VPSA4

Steven Englebright to represent New York’s 4th Assembly District 

Newsday endorses Englebright in 4th AD

VPSA3_WEB

Republican Douglas M. Smith essentially inherited his state Assembly seat in April when his old boss, Al Graf, left the office after winning a District Court judgeship. Smith, 28, of Holbrook, had been working as Graf’s chief of staff since he graduated college six years earlier. 
Smith enters his second race touting the same initiatives to help the community as he did when he won a special election in April. He is focusing on an effort to clean up Lake Ronkonkoma, for instance, and working with the state Department of Transportation to address safety on a notoriously dangerous six miles of Middle Country Road between Lake Grove and Selden. These district issues are the right priorities for a newcomer assemblyman in the minority party. His knowledge of Albany and enthusiasm for the role will help him succeed. 
Democratic candidate Timothy L. Hall, 27, of Selden, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday endorses Smith.

VPSA5

Douglas Smith to represent New York’s 5th Assembly District 

Newsday endorses Smith in 5th AD

VPSA4_WEB

Veteran Democrat Philip R. Ramos, 62, has no opponent as he seeks his ninth term. There is no endorsement in this election.

VPSA6

No endorsement in New York’s 6th Assembly District 

No endorsement in 6th AD

There are many issues on which Republican incumbent Andrew R. Garbarino and Democrat Thomas E. Murray III agree. Both are passionate about extending sewers in their South Shore district and making it easier for homeowners to upgrade septic systems.
But Murray, 31, an environmental attorney from Bayport, has a clear edge when it comes to ethics. While Garbarino backs term limits on leadership positions, Murray is pushing a full package of reforms, including eliminating outside income for legislators, instituting public campaign financing and forming an independent body to monitor Albany lawmakers. Murray also backs congestion pricing, and an exemption on bonding to let school districts finance rooftop solar panels.
Garbarino, 34, of Bayport, has been a solid legislator, but Murray makes a strong case that as a member of the majority party, he’ll be able to get more done.
Newsday endorses Murray.

VPSA7

Thomas Murray to represent New York’s 7th Assembly District 

Newsday endorses Murray in 7th AD

VPSA5_WEB

For 16 years, Michael J. Fitzpatrick has told an important story in Albany about high taxes in New York. The St. James Republican, 61, has fought to end automatic pay increases for public workers while contracts are negotiated, cap pay raises that come from binding arbitration at 2 percent, and create a defined-contribution option for the state pension system. But his is the same spiel and it gets no update, nor any results.
Democratic nominee David J. Morrissey, 62, is a software engineer from Smithtown. He is a political newcomer with smarts and tragic expertise. Morrissey lost a son to the opioid crisis and himself has been in recovery for more than 35 years. Much of his campaign centers around how he hopes to bolster addiction prevention, treatment and recovery, and his ideas are thoughtful and detailed. 
The Assembly has heard Fitzpatrick’s message for eight terms, to no avail. It has yet to hear Morrissey’s. 
Newsday endorses Morrissey.

VPSA8

David J. Morrissey to represent New York’s 8th Assembly District

Newsday endorses  Morrissey in 8th AD

VPSA7_WEB

Christine Pellegrino won this Nassau-Suffolk seat in a special election in 2017. Pellegrino, 49, a Democrat from West Islip, is a former teacher, and education is her top priority.
But she lacks a depth of understanding about school funding, a critical issue for financially strapped Long Islanders. Pellegrino says property tax relief is a priority and that she supports the state property tax cap, but she wants to add exemptions to the cap for things like investments in security and unexpected pension costs, exemptions that would effectively render the tax cap useless and inevitably lead to the big tax hikes of pre-cap days.
Pellegrino also says Long Island schools, which spend more per pupil than virtually anywhere in the country, are chronically underfunded and need more state aid, but that aid also comes from taxpayers. And her contention that education has never been on the front lines of the conversation in Albany is divorced from reality.
Her opponent, Republican Mike LiPetri, 28, is an attorney from South Farmingdale who is making his first run for office. He declined to talk to the editorial board.
Newsday makes no endorsement in this race.

VPSA9

No endorsement in New York’s 9th Assembly District

No endorsement in 9th AD

In 12 years in the Suffolk County Legislature, Steve Stern proved to be smart, sensible and tireless. His work after winning a special election in April suggests he’ll deliver in Albany, too.
Stern, 49, a Dix Hills Democrat, sponsored six bills that passed on issues like clean water and children’s health. He teamed with GOP Sen. Carl Marcellino to transfer state property needed for the Huntington Station redevelopment, and is working on funding to connect the project to sewers. He supports a full package of ethics and voting reforms, and already has talked to colleagues from both parties about protecting suburban interests if the State Senate turns Democratic and New York City lawmakers begin to hold sway.
Republican Jeremy G. Williams, 22, of Huntington Station, says his generation can’t afford to live on Long Island, but he opposes cheaper housing alternatives like apartments near train stations.
Newsday endorses Stern.

VPSA10

Steve Stern to represent New York’s 10th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Stern in 10th AD

slVOTE

Now running for her third term, Wheatley Heights Democrat Kimberly Jean-Pierre clearly has a road map in place about how to deliver for her district. She has succeeded in bringing funds to her communities, from Copiague to Lindenhurst to Wyandanch, and advocating for everything from superstorm Sandy relief to Farmingdale State College’s needs.
Jean-Pierre, 34, emphasized the need for the Long Island delegation to coalesce around suburban issues and to better present the region and its needs to the legislature. She works with Republicans and needs to take a lead on that effort.
Lindenhurst Republican Kevin V. Sabella has walked an impressive road, overcoming challenges as a special education student to eventually receive a master’s degree in public policy and now, to work as a paralegal. Sabella, 29, has a passionate commitment to his community and should stay involved in politics.
Newsday endorses Jean-Pierre.

VPSA11

Kimberly Jean-Pierre to represent New York’s 11th Assembly District

Newsday endorses  Jean-Pierre in 11th AD

VPSA10_WEB

Ask Long Island’s Assembly Democrats which Republican really hustles to get things done, and the name you’ll often hear is Andrew P. Raia. The East Northport Republican is always working the angles, whether in Albany or in his district, and eight terms in, he’s established some seniority as the ranking minority member on the Health Committee and some valuable relationships. Whether it’s getting $1 million for Northport sewers or pointing out the pitfalls of single-state single-payer health care, Raia, 50, is effective.
Challenger Avrum J. Rosen, 64, lives in Centerport and was placed on the ballot after Democratic Party choice Michael Marcantonio was disqualified. An attorney who is an expert in hospital bankruptcies, Rosen is knowledgeable and thoughtful. But Raia’s good work has earned him another term. 
Newsday endorses Raia.

VPSA12

Andrew Raia to represent New York’s 12th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Raia in 12th AD

VPSA21_WEB

Charles D. Lavine has been a strong, consistent voice for Long Island throughout his 14 years in the Assembly. Now, the Glen Cove Democrat is poised to take on a leadership role, and he will be a key to organizing suburban legislators of both parties behind common goals and concerns for our region.
Lavine, 71, supports school district consolidation and is a loud proponent of ethics reforms, advocating for a full-time legislature and for returning investigative power on contracts to the state comptroller. He backs early voting, easier voter registration and an end to the abuse of minor parties selling ballot lines to help cronies.
Andrew A. Monteleone, 45, a criminal defense attorney, seems to agree with Lavine more than he disagrees. The Syosset Republican is a smart, appealing first-time candidate who should find another spot in politics. 
Newsday endorses Lavine.

VPSA13

Charles Lavine to represent New York’s 13th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Lavine in 13th AD

VPSA12_WEB

Democrat Michael F. Reid and GOP incumbent David G. McDonough, friends and past presidents of the same Kiwanis Club chapter, meet for the second straight time.
McDonough, 81, of North Merrick, has been an effective minority-party member for 17 years. With Democrats, he passed a bill he originated requiring all schools, not just public schools, to report incidents of violence. He supports term limits on leadership positions and wants to limit legislators’ outside income to fight Albany corruption.
Reid, 56, of Merrick, a retired paramedic and chief of staff for State Sen. John Brooks, wants insurance companies to cover more treatment to help fight the opioid crisis, backs several strong ethics reforms and says boosting voter turnout is a key issue. He’s right. But McDonough has delivered for his district.
Newsday endorses McDonough.

VPSA14

David McDonough to represent New York’s 14th Assembly District

Newsday endorses McDonough in 14th AD

VPSA13_WEB

After more than eight years in the Assembly, Glen Head Republican Michael A. Montesano can tick off the issues that matter to his constituents, from school safety and property taxes to roadwork. On broader issues, he supports ethics reforms, including term limits for leadership and committee chairs, and he favors economic development programs that allow funds to be more targeted to specific projects, such as downtown revitalization in Hicksville, Westbury and Farmingdale.
If elected to a fifth full term, Montesano, 64, should focus on the issues to which he can bring an expertise, including criminal justice reform, particularly bail and discovery. 
Democrat Allen F. Foley, 29, is a Hicksville union organizer who worries about the region’s affordability and the tax burden, but lacks new ideas.
Newsday endorses Montesano.

VPSA15

Michael Montesano to represent New York’s 15th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Montesano in 15th AD

VPSA14_WEB

Anthony D’Urso learned a lot in his first term in Albany. And he showed he has good instincts in representing his district and Long Island.
D’Urso, 79, a Port Washington Democrat, co-sponsored a bill to ban 1,4-dioxane from household cleaning products, wants to reduce fertilizer use, and chairs the Assembly’s Long Island Sound Task Force. He supports strong ethics and voting reforms, saying that money must be removed from politics, and voting must be as easy as possible.
A big issue for Republican Byron A. Divins Jr., 47, a Navy veteran and Roslyn attorney, is school safety. He wants armed personnel on every campus and voting taken out of schools. But his agenda is too limited and seems better suited to a school board, which would be a more appropriate place to continue his interest in public service.
Newsday endorses D’Urso.

VPSA16

Anthony D’Urso to represent New York’s 16th Assembly District

Newsday endorses D’Urso in 16th AD

VPSA15_WEB

It’s been a year full of campaigning for Republican John K. Mikulin, 30, of Bethpage, who is running for the third time in 2018. He first faced a special election in April to fill the seat vacated by Thomas McKevitt, who joined the Nassau legislature, then faced a primary for this seat in September. Until April, he was a deputy attorney for the Town of Hempstead, and before that, an Island Trees library trustee. Democratic nominee Kimberly L. Snow, 51 of Bethpage, is the principal court attorney for the acting justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court and is not allowed to campaign. 
Mikulin has shown the right instincts. His priorities are constituent services and quality-of-life issues. He should focus on learning about and becoming more decisive on pivotal state issues, such as ethics reforms, transportation and voting laws.
Newsday endorses Mikulin.

VPSA17

John Mikulin to represent New York’s 17th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Milkulin in 17th AD

VPSA16_WEB

Taylor R. Raynor introduced a new dynamic into this district: presence in the community and an ear open to the voters. It’s worked well for this political newcomer from Hempstead. She stunningly toppled the 30-year imperial rule of Democratic incumbent Earlene Hooper in September’s primary. 
Raynor, 34, promises to open three district offices to help constituents better navigate local government. An industrial psychologist, she is well prepared to heal this district of its many divisions.
One of Raynor’s first tasks will be deliver on her pledge to transfer the vacant state armory on Babylon Turnpike to the Village of Freeport. In the new session, she also should get money for streetscape and beautification projects. 
Raynor will be a player in negotiating a community benefits package for Uniondale from the developers of the Nassau Hub, and her idea for a recreation center is a good one. In return, she must help deliver state funds for the Hub.
James Lamarre, 42, of Lakeview, owns a commercial cleaning firm and is running to promote Republican values of small government. He lost a 2017 race for the county legislature. His skills are sharp, and his motivation to “help as many people as possible” is admirable. The GOP should nominate him in contests in which he has a chance of winning. 
Newsday endorses Raynor.

VPSA18

Taylor Raynor to represent New York’s 18th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Raynor in 18th AD

VPSA18_WEB

Seeking his fifth term, Republican Edward P. Ra, 37, of Garden City South, has moved up fast in the minority conference. He now holds the No. 3 post in the leadership, and before he took that on, he was the ranking minority member on the education committee. 
In both roles, Ra has been a responsive voice for district residents, from raising their concerns about education standards and state testing to fighting for more studies and community input on airport noise.
Working for the district and haggling with Democrats to make their bills better is most of a minority member’s job. But Ra also is promoting a great idea that needs more attention: a nonpartisan state office modeled on the federal Congressional Budget Office that would score the financial impacts of pending legislation.
Democratic challenger Billy Carr, 43, lives in Williston Park. A union electrician and village trustee for six years, Carr is active in the community, coaches youth sports and wants to fight for more state school aid for Long Island. He also wants the state to take action on the skyrocketing rates of the New York American Water Co. But his support for new exemptions to the property-tax cap is unwise, and his knowledge of the state’s governance challenges is limited.
Newsday endorses Ra.

VPSA19

Edward Ra to represent New York’s 19th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Ra in 19th AD

VPSA18_CDN_WEB

In an election full of political newcomers and frustration with conventional politics, this race embodies the moment. Democrat Juan C. Vides, 41, of Oceanside, is a small-business owner who “couldn’t sit on the sidelines” any longer. He’s an immigrant from El Salvador offended by the president’s rhetoric around immigration, and he is interested in improving gun-safety laws as well as the state’s use of technology, from better messaging to streamlined voter registration. 
GOP incumbent Melissa L. Miller, 54, of Atlantic Beach, first ran in 2016. Her background as a stay-at-home mom to a special-needs child has driven much of her work on the mental health committee, where she sponsored several bills advocating for those with disabilities, including securing funds for a study of adult changing stations in public buildings for those who are disabled. 
She also has supported ethics reforms like term limits and stripping pensions from corrupt officials, and she has been a voice on environmental issues unique to her district, like extending deadlines and improving communication for the New York Rising program.
While Vides brings a fresh perspective, Miller has been a responsive legislator. In a new term, we hope she expands her advocacy beyond her passion for disability rights and continues to use her voice for issues like ethics reforms.
Newsday endorses Miller.

VPSA20

Melissa Miller to represent New York’s 20th Assembly District

Newsday endorses Miller in 20th AD

VPSA19_WEB

Republican Brian F. Curran, 49, of Lynbrook, is seeking his fifth term in the Assembly, and before that he served as village mayor. He’s affable, knowledgeable and a strong voice for constituents in his district, fighting to maintain traditional suburban development and ways of life. But in bemoaning how much more community grant money his counterparts in the majority can bring to the district, he makes a pretty decent case that he should be replaced by a Democrat.
Judy A. Griffin, 55, of Rockville Centre, is the Democrat looking to make that happen. She’s the director of community outreach for State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a job that has given her a strong sense of what the district needs and how Albany must change.
Griffin would ban legislators from earning outside income and make the job full time. She argues that income from a second job can easily muddy the decisions of legislators. She’s right. 
Curran, a litigator who defends the clients of a large insurance company regulated by the state, doesn’t see much danger in allowing outside income for lawmakers. He thinks banning it would make legislators more susceptible to corruption, because they’d need their seats too much to cast unpopular votes. But he also supports term limits, a better fix to that danger than second jobs.
Griffin wants to revitalize the downtowns of the district. She sees the need for housing young people starting out and seniors downsizing can afford. Curran always has balked at such development.
Griffin supports a pricing plan that would alleviate vehicle congestion in midtown and lower Manhattan in return for improved funding for mass transit, including the Long Island Rail Road. But she also wants to make sure the process of creating such a system is responsive to the public, including those with disabilities who might need to ride in cars in peak times and shouldn’t be penalized. Curran says he might support it for for-hire vehicles only, which wouldn’t solve as many problems.
Griffin would support a variety of voting reforms, including early voting, to increase ease of participation. Curran thinks changing the law to allow anyone an absentee ballot with no reason needed would alleviate the need for early voting, but it wouldn’t. The absentee balloting process would still be a cumbersome ordeal that wouldn’t do nearly as much as adding a weekend day of balloting to make voting easier for busy residents.
Griffin is thoughtful, knowledgeable and inclusive. She wants to listen, and sees the complexities of issues. She embodies the spirit of the current political movement that has women stepping up to say it’s time for a fresh approach to solving our many problems. And in the majority party, she’d have a chance to fight for her vision.
Newsday endorses Griffin.

VPSA21

Judy Griffin to represent New York’s 21st Assembly District

Newsday endorses Griffin in 21st AD

VPSA20_WEB

Michaelle C. Solages has come a long way in her three terms in Albany. The Elmont Democrat pointed to her work as the chairwoman of the Task Force on New Americans, where she has been a voice for immigrants, particularly in pushing back against abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And her passion for children led her to push for legislation that forces insurance to cover donor breast milk — language that ended up in this year’s budget. She also has fought for her district, getting money for music programs in schools and public safety and pushing for Kennedy Airport’s redevelopment to include a local hiring component.
Solages, 33, has become more nuanced in her thinking, especially regarding development at Belmont Park. She also is focused on the future of the racetrack itself. She should continue to balance her desire for expanded Long Island Rail Road service and community benefits with the need for new economic development. 
Republican Gonald Moncion also ran against Solages four years ago. The Valley Stream resident is a school guidance counselor who said he’d like more money to come into the district for after-school programs. He opposes the Belmont development, saying he’d rather see a swimming pool or soccer field. Solages presents a broader view of development.
Newsday endorses Solages.

VPSA22

Michaelle Solages to represent New York’s 22nd Assembly District

Newsday endorses Solages in 22nd AD

VPSA21_OSA_WEB

Newsday's 2018 endorsements for New York State Assembly

Newsday's 2018 picks for NY State Assembly

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