Republican Jack Martins announces run for county executive

State senator, former Mineola mayor sole Republican in race so far

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State Senator Jack Martins joined the race for county executive on Wednesday, announcing his candidacy as a Republican at a press conference in Mineola.

Martins served as mayor of Mineola and represents North Hempstead in the state senate. He is the first Republican to declare his candidacy, with the current Republican county head, Ed Mangano, under indictment, and three Democratic candidates all promising to clean up corruption at the county level.

"For the first hundred years of its existence, Nassau County was the nation's preeminent suburb and a magnet for investment, growth and prosperity," said Martins. "Unfortunately, Nassau County's second century has been marred by high taxes, corruption and fiscal instability."

Martins stressed the importance of making Nassau County more affordable for middle class families and “returning local control” of the county's finances through fiscal responsibility and accountability

 

"One hundred and eighty-nine days ago, I called for a change in leadership in Nassau County,” he said. "Today, that change begins and we turn the page to begin a new chapter in Nassau County's history."

Martins said that during his time in the state senate, he worked to cap property taxes and state spending, roll back the MTA Payroll tax, end the unfair Gap Elimination Adjustment and passed the constitutional amendment stripping corrupt elected officials of taxpayer funded pensions. Martins also led the Senate's Workforce Development Task Force and chaired Senate committees on labor and local government.

"Jack Martins is exactly the person Nassau County needs right now," said Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss. "Jack has the integrity, and the leadership we need in our elected officials. Jack’s track record as Mayor of Mineola speaks for itself. He restructured Mineola’s finances and put the village on the right track.”

As mayor of Mineola, Martins said, he developed balanced, fiscally responsible budgets and debt management plans that substantially reduced Mineola’s debt and returned the village to a sound financial footing.

 

"Jack Martins is a leader whose integrity speaks for itself. He will represent Nassau County well. Jack is honest and has the experience to solve the fiscal challenges that Nassau County faces every day,” said Stewart Manor Mayor Michael Onorato. "I'm proud to stand here with Jack and support him for county executive because he will provide honest leadership in Nassau County."

 

Baldwin Legislator Laura Curran, who is running for the county executive seat as a Democrat, had a different take on Martins' announcement, on Tuesday, calling the state senator “a footsoldier in the corrupt Albany establishment,” who was “handpicked” by the Nassau County Republican “machine.”

“There is a culture of corruption in Nassau County and the last thing we need is another career politician like Jack Martins who stood silently by, until it was politically convenient not to, as Ed Mangano sold out taxpayers,” said Curran. “Jack Martins did nothing as crooked politicians stole taxpayer money and stifled ethics reform at every turn. We need wholesale change in Nassau County and Jack Martins is just more of the same.”

Also in the running for county executive is County Comptroller George Maragos, who left the Republican Party to become a Democrat late last year, and Democratic Assemblyman Chuck Lavine, of Glen Cove.