Scott Davis hopes to be a conduit for change

Scott Davis provides a wealth of knowledge on the wants and needs in both Rockville Centre and Hempstead — at least according to his supporters — which he hopes, in turn, could prove to be useful advantage as a Nassau County legislator.

“I looked at what I wanted to do, what I have done," Davis told reporters in a recent Herald Roundtable session. “I just thought that it would be such a great opportunity on a larger platform, and with more resources where I can effectuate a greater difference.”

Davis grew up in Hempstead, but has lived in Rockville Centre the past 17 years. When he found out his county legislature district was being redone, he seized the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.

In the weeks and months that followed, Davis has been busy campaigning and meeting with residents as well as representatives from both communities, gauging some of their issues and concerns. Having never run for office in the past, Davis says he was very surprised to meet so many people he wouldn’t have otherwise met had it not been for the campaign.

One of the biggest issues he’s heard a lot about? Affordability, which from his perspective, starts with the idea that government prioritize residents first.

“When you make a promise and you have a surplus, and you say that you’re going to give that surplus back to the residents, then you give it back to the residents,” Davis said. “When you get (American Rescue Plan Act) money, you use it to make the community better. And by making it better, you increase the values, and it perpetuates itself.”

It’s also important to understand that there are options available to help people offset the cost of living, Davis said — even a little bit of which can provide a great deal of help.

Davis also maintains the current property value assessment system in Nassau County is inequitable for a great many who do not have the resources to file tax grievances.

“No one wants to be assessed,” Davis said. “But at a certain point, you can’t kick the can down the road anymore, and you have to deal with it.”

Another major priority for Davis is public safety. With reports of hate crimes on the rise all across Nassau, Democrats have pushed for 100 additional police officers as part of last year’s fiscal budget. But only 20, Davis said, were hired.

“It’s a real thing, and it doesn’t confine itself to race, religion or gender,” he said. “You have to shine the light on that issue, and muster up resources to do that.”

With the fate of a potential Republican supermajority at stake, the elections could be a deciding factor for the Nassau GOP.

“If they get a supermajority, you have a fox watching the henhouse,” Davis said. “You need to have scrutiny, and it has to have consequences to it.”

The idea of having complete partisan control of the legislature creates a dangerous situation, Davis says. reducting the opposing side of the aisle to mere spectators.

“If I’m screaming from one end, I can’t expect that I am going to get results,” he said. “It’s all about consensus building, and I use that as a model for what I do for a living in terms of negotiating.”

Many people Davis spoke with say they are exhausted by the current political climate, he says, and he strives to provide people with reasonable and fact-based responses in order to get things done in the most effective way.

“I am not going to point my finger at you and tell you you’re wrong,” Davis said. “I would like to think I am somebody who is reasonable and consensus-building, and I think that people are starving for that.”