Candidates Debate The Rest Is Up To You

Smithtown’s League of Women Voters (LWV) hosted a candidates debate for local and county legislative offices last night. With the exception of the Democratic candidate in the 13th LD, all invited candidates participated in the forum. Robert Trotta, Republican candidate and the incumbent legislator in the 13th LD was in attendance but unable to participate because the LWV rules preclude candidates from participating without an opponent. Town clerk candidates were first to speak followed by town council, legislature, town supervisor candidates. 

For Town Clerk: L-R Conrad Chayes, Justin W. Smiloff, Vincent A. Puleo,Candidates were asked questions by LWV moderator Lisa Scott. Audience members were invited to participate by submitting their questions on cards. Opening and closing statements provided the candidates the opportunity to address issues of their choice. Town clerk candidate Conrad Chayes used his closing statement to explain that he is the only Republican running for town clerk although he does not have the Republican line which is being filled by Vincent Puleo, a Conservative. 

Town Council candidate Thomas McCarthyTown Council candidate Lynne NowickTown Council candidate Patricia StoddardOf the fourteen candidates participating in the debate only Kristen Slevin, candidate for town supervisor, is a not affiliated with a political party. There are no females running for the town clerk position. Lynne Nowick is the only female running for any town office on the Republican ticket. Democrats have two women Amy Fortunato and Patricia Stoddard running for town council seats both first time candidates. Two members of Ed Wehrheim’s Dream Team, Robert Doyle and Thomas Lohmann, are retired police officers who lost in the Republican primary contest and are running on the Conservative line. Doyle and Lohmann are also first time candidates. 

Town Council candidate Robert DoyleTown Council candidate Amy FortunatoTown Council candidate Thomas LohmannRepublican town council candidates (both incumbents) Thomas McCarthy and Lynne Nowick, despite being dissed by the Republican leader William Ellis and Ed Wehrheim, linked themselves with nominee Ed Wehrheim. 

Transparency was the word of the night with candidates united in their goal for providing more transparency. Democratic candidates for town council Fortunato and Stoddard spoke about how difficult it is to follow Town Board and work session agendas that are made public with inadequate information and released too close to meeting date for the public to use effectively. 

Supervisor candidate Edward WehrheimSupervisor candidate Kristen SlevinSupervisor candidate William HolstDemocrat William Holst emphasized the need to put residents before business interests.  Council and supervisor candidates praised civic associations for taking the lead in planning improvements for the business districts in their hamlets. Kristen Slevin emphasized her desire to ensure that Smithtown maintains a small hometown feel and not become another Patchogue. Ed Wehrheim called attention to his plan to bring all interested parties to the table before decisions are made.

All candidates support the two per cent tax cap enacted by Governor Cuomo. Supervisor Vecchio’s legacy of fiscal conservatism may be in it’s waning days as candidates spoke of leveraging the town’s triple A bond rating and using reserves to fund projects.

Legislature candidate Leslie KennedyLegislature candidate Kevin HymsIn the legislative portion of the debate only candidates in the 12th LD spoke. Democrat Kevin Hyms is challenging Leslie Kennedy. A question about reducing the size of Suffolk County Government from current eighteen legislative districts to thirteen engendered a discussion about staffing in the legislature with Kennedy speaking forcefully against overstaffing, Hyms concurred. Kennedy is known for her constituent service and the personal attention she gives to the problems in her district. Kevin Hyms is a scientist who has a history in community service gave voice to public concerns about water and making living on Long Island affordable for young people.

The public has an opportunity to meet candidates this evening, October 18th, at the St. James Elementary school at 7pm. The event is sponsored by the Community Association of Greater St. James.