Friday, October 23, 2026
Siela Bynoe is seeking a second term in the State Senate, pointing to legislation she helped advance during her first two-year term and issues she wants to continue addressing, including education, affordability, housing and public safety.
The Westbury resident said she also wants to revisit legislation concerning lead in school water, escrow audits, mental health first aid and safety along the Southern State Parkway.
Among her accomplishments, Bynoe, 58, highlighted a new foundation aid formula for school districts where at least 20 percent of students attend charter schools. She said the change provided additional state funding to districts including Hempstead, Albany and Lackawanna.
“We're not only looking at the headcount in each school, we're also looking at the needs of the students,” Bynoe said, explaining that the formula provides additional funding based on students’ needs.
The issue remains significant in several communities. Bynoe said Hempstead has about 40 percent of its students attending charter schools, compared with about 18 percent in Roosevelt and 13 percent in Uniondale.
Bynoe said affordability is the biggest concern she hears from constituents, citing property taxes, insurance, utility bills and other household expenses. She said increasing the housing supply could help address rising costs.
“If we're able to build housing, that allows us to stave off the increases people are seeing in the cost of renting and provide inventory that I think offsets these rising costs for purchasing and renting on Long Island,” Bynoe said.
Bynoe also cited helping to secure roughly $45 million in additional state funding for schools in her district during the latest session. She also noted her work involving utilities and auto insurance.
On infrastructure, Bynoe cited attaining $3.5 million in state funding for flood mitigation in Freeport and about $12 million in funding for roads in villages and towns. She also pointed to efforts with state programs supporting downtown revitalization and pro-housing initiatives.
Public safety is another priority. Bynoe noted concerns over e-bikes, support for police and volunteer firefighters, and legislation restricting ghost guns. She also plans to introduce legislation aimed at collecting detailed statewide data on knife-related crimes.
“I think that we need to look at data and make very measured changes if necessary,” Bynoe said when discussing bail and criminal justice reform.
Bynoe, who serves on the Senate Education Committee, said she supports the statewide restrictions on cellphones in classrooms and mental health first-aid training for students and educators.
A primary sponsor of the Living Libraries Bill, Bynoe said it would allow libraries to consider using excess land or air rights for affordable housing.
Looking ahead, she said she wants to examine the rising cost of long-term care insurance and continue working on education, housing, affordability and public safety.
“I understand the issues. I know how to work with my colleagues in government to make sure that we are delivering here in Nassau County,” Bynoe said.
She said her more than 25 years of public service, including work with the Nassau County Legislature, Westbury school board and housing authority, has prepared her to continue representing the district in Albany.
