Herald Endorsement

Choose Denise Ford over Jeffrey Saxon in 4th Legislative District

Posted

Since 2003, Denise Ford has worked hard for her constituents in the 4th Legislative District and so deserves another term. Though her opponent, Jeffrey Saxon, showed commendable passion for the position, Ford is the more well-rounded candidate.

Ford said she feels a personal connection with her constituents. She understands the issues that residents face, and has overseen many projects, such as repair of the Bay Park Water Reclamation Facility after it was heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy. She also advocated for use of an outfall pipe to divert treated effluent from the Bay Park plant to the Cedar Creek Pollution Control Plant in Wantagh in order to restore the Western Bays, and has fought alongside residents against air pollution from Bay Park when it runs on diesel fuel instead of natural gas.

Ford said she wanted to see an Austin Boulevard road repair project through to fruition — a key motivator for her seeking another term. She said the delays in starting the work have been frustrating, but she was assured that the project would begin by the spring of 2020.

Addressing the Nassau County reassessment system, Ford said elected officials need to get on the same page so that they can communicate more effectively to seek solutions. Ford said she is also passionate about storm protection in South Shore coastal communities. To help with that, she has pushed for completion of the Army Corps of Engineers Back Bays Study, and said she would like to learn if flood gates would be feasible at Jones and East Rockaway inlets.

Saxon said he was motivated to run to counter a culture of corruption in Nassau County and because, as a father of two young children, he was concerned about the next generation. His platform focused on constructing more affordable, transit-oriented housing, addressing the climate crisis and studying flooding issues.

Though his passion and willingness to get involved should be commended, he lacked concrete ideas to bring about the major changes that he was pushing for. He also has no previous government experience.

We urge voters to support Ford on Tuesday.