Newsday Endorses John

"Republican Peter Schmitt, 57, of Massapequa, has taken to his role as minority leader of the legislature with vigor. Perhaps too much vigor. While the job is to lead the loyal opposition, Schmitt has too often been an obstructionist, reflexively rejecting anything the Democratic majority proposed. He stands for everything that we found disappointing about the old, sclerotic Republican Party.

Democrat John Rennhack, 37, of North Massapequa, is a television broadcast satellite manager who wants to use technology to open up legislative operations to the public. And he would push Nassau to go green. Both are worthy ideas. But his anti-Republican rhetoric as an outsider and Web site operator has, unfortunately, sometimes been over the top. He needs to reject the hyper-partisanship that has characterized his opponent. With that caveat, Newsday endorses Rennhack."

Schmitt and the County Car

League of Womens' Voters Guide 2007

For the full Voters Guide, Click Here.

Here is How I answered the two questions...

1) Suffolk County is considering a proposal in which schools, towns
and other entities voluntarily pool their cash and long-term
investments into one fund to be controlled by the state comptroller,
thereby saving funds to all agencies in administrative costs. Do
you support such a plan for Nassau County? If not, explain.

The proposal in Suffolk is a good way to consolidate and save money but there are many variables that need to be checked. Will the Comptroller be able to deny “withdrawal” of funds? What controls will there be that a contributor does not “withdraw” more than it has contributed? The idea of consolidation is a smart one but I believe that local control would be preferable. Albany is too far removed from local interests.

2) When selling County property, how do you feel about a
portion of the property being used for affordable/
workforce/next generation housing as a condition of sale?

Affordable housing whether for senior or young people just starting
out is a necessity in Nassau County. I believe a binding, loophole- free condition of sale would be a wise move for the County. Developers must show a commitment to the future of Nassau and the County can and should control who it sells property to.


And here are Schmitt's Answers....

1) Yes.

2) Only where it fits, i.e., selling a piece of commercial or industrial
property – No.

John Endorsed By The Community Alliance

I'm proud to receive the endorsement of The Community Alliance, a grass-roots civic group that works for the betterment of Nassau residents.

Click here to visit The Community Alliance.

Another Video

The Republican Scam.... er Plan.

More Issues

My first step is to open the process of the Legislature to the public. Unless you have the time to attend a meeting or hearing on a weekday during the day, which most people do not, you have to rely on a short newspaper account or a biased self-congratulatory mailing from your legislator. I want all meetings and hearings recorded and broadcast on cable and on the County website. I want transcripts available so that taxpayers know what is being said and done in their name. It has been said that if voters actually saw what went on in the legislature, they would want to disband it. Only true openness will help bring civility of discourse and honesty to County government.

We face the daunting task of keeping Nassau County finances in the black while avoiding increasing taxes and providing needed services. County mandated costs are spending that is required such as payroll, pensions, and medical insurance. Discretionary spending for the County is very low compared to the mandated spending. The rising cost of medical insurance will continue to be a problem for the County unless we address it now. I believe that it is necessary for public employees of the County to contribute to their medical coverage the same way that private sector workers do. At some point, a decision will have to be made on medical insurance coverage and its affordability for the County. I do not want County employees to lose any coverage and a way to do that is for them to contribute to their existing coverage. Otherwise, the County will have to either find some way to get more money to pay for the coverage (read: cut other services or raise taxes) or move to a less expensive insurance. Unfortunately, with rising medical insurance costs, we need to act NOW.

I have always stood fore-square against patronage and will do so in the legislature. Of course, positions in government are filled by friends of the powerful. But are those jobs needed? We have less patronage from the executive office than we had in previous administrations. Those costs are actually down. We need to look at qualifications and necessity when hiring. We also need to keep those salaries realistic. My opponent has a part-time spokesperson who was a defeated legislator, making more than the Presiding Officer of the Legislature and slightly less than the County Executive. It is a bi-partisan problem and as a true independent, I will make an issue of it.

Featured Video from 10/10/07

Schmitt explains how using a county car is "more efficient."