68.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Nassau welcomes its newest legislators
The Nassau County Legislature’s ninth induction ceremony was held on Jan. 2, at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola, for the inauguration of newly elected and re-elected representatives of the county’s 19 districts. Two new legislators were inducted into the County Legislature: Democrats Carrié Solages and Delia DeRiggi-Whitton.
“We gather here today to swear in 19 distinguished community leaders, all of whom have earned the public’s faith and trust,” County Executive Ed Mangano said at the event. “It is this faith and trust that we, as elected officials, must remember each and every day, as we work to improve Nassau County.”
Mangano went on to say that bipartisan cooperation would allow the county to clean-up decades of debt created by the county’s broken assessment system, as well as fix Nassau’s infrastructure by providing a new, capital plan.
“The time is now for government to reinvent itself and create private-sector jobs by reigning in spending, holding the line on property taxes and putting people’s interests above the special interests,” Mangano said, adding, “Let us continue to work together to build a bigger and better Nassau County. … I hope to work with each and every one of you, to advance the needs of our residents.”
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) also spoke at the event, sharing some of Mangano’s sentiments. “I too would hope that we could come together in Nassau County,” Schumer said.
He went on to say that bolstering the economy and creating jobs are Nassau’s most important issue. “Nassau County has been the bosom of middle-class American for a long time,” he said. “This is the first decade where middle-class incomes have declined, since World War II, where an average middle-class family makes less today than they did in 2001.”
Schumer also said that he hopes the county’s newly elected officials will work together to revitalize downtown areas, with the aim of keeping younger residents in the county, and to develop a comprehensive plan for the Nassau Coliseum, or Hub site, which has been deteriorating for the past several years.
“One great goal this year would be to have a bipartisan agreement to revitalize that Hub, so that it can be a job-creator and a beacon,” he said. “I know that my colleagues on both sides agree with that, and I hope that we can come together.”
Following his introduction speech, Schumer conducted the installation of the county’s Democratic officials, beginning with Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport).
While Republicans continue to hold a majority in the Legislature, Democrats gained a seat this past election, with Solages defeating 16-year incumbent John Ciotti in the race for the 3rd Legislative District seat, which encompasses Elmont, Franklin Square, North Valley Stream, South Floral Park and part of West Hempstead. Republicans now have 10 seats in the Legislature; Democrats’ have nine.
On Election Day, Nov. 8, races in the 14th and 18th districts remained too close too call, and had to be recounted to include absentee ballots, affidavits and contested ballots.
Nearly a month later, DeRiggi-Whitton was certified by the Nassau County Board of Elections as the winner against Republican opponent Robert Germino Jr. in the 18th District by a mere 36 votes. The 18th District comprises Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Bayville, Locust Valley, Brookville, Glen Head, Greenvale and Jericho. DeRiggi-Whitton will replace Diane Yatauro, the previous Democratic minority leader, who chose not to run for reelection this past November. “I’ve always respected and looked up to Diane,” said DeRiggi-Whitton. “I don’t feel that I’m replacing her, but I’m hoping to be able to make her proud as far as carrying on what she started out.”
Republican incumbent Joe Belisi was certified the winner in the 14th District, defeating Democratic challenger Ava Pearson by 108 votes. The 14th District encompasses parts of Massapequa, Seaford, Wantagh, Levittown, Old Bethpage, Bethpage, Plainedge and Farmingdale. “It’s very important to keep trying to get out of the mess we found ourselves in two years ago,” said Belisi. “So we’re working hard for the people of Nassau County, and it’s a victory for them.”
“We are lucky on the Democratic side to have two new legislators,” Schumer said. “Carrié Solages is a great example of the greatness of America. He comes from immigrant families, and we all come from immigrants in this country. He is one of four children, the second of four born to Philippe and Micheline Solages — an immigrant couple and, like many immigrants, they came to America to seek their fortune and find a better life for their children.”
Schumer then commended newcomer DeRiggi-Whitton. “She works for a company that helps clients avoid taxes on real estate transactions, legally,” he said, “and her priorities include developing the Glen Cove waterfront to increase revenue, cutting spending and growing jobs in the area.”
Although Solages and DeRiggi-Whitton are newcomers to the Legislature, they come to their posts with a great deal of professional and government experience. Solages was an assistant district attorney in the Bronx before entering his family’s law practice in Elmont, Solages & Solages.
“I really know a lot of people, and that is going to benefit me because I will hit the ground running,” Solages said in December, adding that he would bring with him a new set of ideas that will benefit not only the district, but also the county.
“Just like we have a fresh set of eyes with our safety and our law enforcement, we have a fresh set of eyes with our Legislature,” he said, “and I’m very glad that my perspective will benefit the district and also the county because we need to have a different approach when it comes to solving the same issues that have been plaguing us.”
Solages also said that the biggest issue for the county is property taxes, which will be his top legislative priority. “I want to bring about a new atmosphere and a new agenda as to what will be the action plan to giving a fair look at the burden of taxes that the average person has to pay living here in Nassau,” he added. “I’m in favor of a lot of transparency legislation, which will give people more confidence in their local government."
DeRiggi-Whitton previously served as a Glen Cove City councilwoman, specializing in budget and finance. “I’m looking forward to working with the budget on this larger scale,” she said. “I really think that if you go line by line, and see what’s there, you can hopefully make some decisions that will help our residents.”
She said that she hopes to trim the county’s budget without cutting programs. “That’s where my heart is, trying to be as economically and fiscally responsible as possible, but still keeping as many programs and maintaining quality of life as high as we can for all of our residents,” she said.
