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Battle for the majority in Mineola: Dave Mejias vs. Joe Belesi in 14th LD
Belesi, a 32-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department, became the department's youngest sergeant at age 26 and was tapped by the GOP to try and unseat Mejias a year after the incumbent lost a congressional race to Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford). Mejias is running for his third term, which he initially won in 2003 in a close win over Republican challenger Gregory Carman. The seat became available after Republican incumbent Salvatore Pontillo decided not to seek reelection. Mejias' wins since then have helped the Democrats maintain their 10-9 majority, which was in jeopardy following the loss of incumbent Leg. Michael Zapson in the 4th district to challenger Denise Ford.
Belesi, a Vietnam War veteran who was raised in Queens, has run a consulting business and a private investigation firm since retirement in 2007, but had the hunger to enter public office because of a disappointment in the direction he has seen Nassau County enter in recent years. The Republican candidate points to high taxes, saying they are forcing young workers and seniors to move, and the lack of state school aid from Albany. Abandoned storefronts and downtown revitalization are some of the key issues he would like to address if elected. He also blasts the Democratic leadership for sup- porting property assessment increases and increased fees for county services like using parks. "With any more successes for the Democratic party, we're going to go bankrupt in this county," said Belesi. Belesi is critical of what he called the Democratic majority's lack of leadership and its inability to quell the annual tax assessment increases that have driven up taxes on many residential properties. "Taxes are driving people off Long Island," said Belesi, who pointed out that there are 742 listed houses for sale in the 14th district and that 84 percent of tax grievances come from Nassau County. To address those issues, Belesi said he would lobby to reform the assessment system to put less of the burden on homeowners and get more aid from Albany. "There is no vision, and there is no leadership," said Belesi of the yearly assessment increases that have occurred under the administration of Democratic County Executive Tom Suozzi. Mejias counters that since arriving in Mineola four years ago, he has never voted for a tax increase, and that rather than fight the assessment system, the best way to address the issue is to focus on runaway school taxes by lobbying state lawmakers to allocate more aid for school districts within the 14th district and to create a more equitable system of school aid distribution. "We send $3 billion to Albany and it is not coming back to us," he said. "Long Island has become the state's cash cow and it has to stop or we won't be able to live here any more." His opponent agrees and says that his relationship with state lawmakers such as Senator Kemp Hannon and Assemblyman Chuck Fuschillo will help the district when it comes time to lobbying for a fair system of state aid to schools. But Belesi also points out that the issue must be addressed on the spending side as well. With Long Island schools receiving significant increases in state aid over the past ten years, he said that cutting costs has to be a priority as well. "Long Islanders love their schools and do not want consolidation, even if it means saving money," he said. "But we can consolidate purchasing, giving all of the the schools in the county greater purchasing power." And, he added, he would urge districts to look at zero-based budgeting as a way to maintain greater control over spending. Mejias said state and federal mandates make it difficult, if not impossible, for school districts to control spending, but he agreed that consolidation of non-academic services is one thing that can be done. "As Nassau County legislators, we don't control either school districts or what is done in Albany, but we can look at ways to reduce costs to the taxpayer," he said. If reelected, he said he would look at ways to reduce the number of taxing districts throughout the county including those that provide library services, highway maintenance, sanitation services and others. Public safety is also a chief concern of Belesi and he said his experience, as a Nassau County Police Officer, will help his district. He'd like to work to bring more federal aid the county's way for police programs to educate the public and prevent crime. His relationship with Congressman King, the former Homeland Security Committee chairman, is another way he could help bolster public safety in the 14th district, he said. In addition, with experience as a member of the Securities Officers Association, he'd be helpful at the county level, offering guidance to negotiating future police contracts. Mejias agrees that public safety is a major issue and continuing to strengthen Megan's Law against sexual predators remains a major goal of the Democratic incumbent, who sponsored the toughest Megan's Notification Law in New York State in the current term. Protecting the environment has also been a priority for Mejias particularly the Massapequa Preserve, on which the county will spend $7 million in the next two years to improve. A wrinkle in the 2007 14th legislative district election is the late candidacy of Shadd Hoffman who is challenging Belesi for the Conservative party line on the November ballot in a party primary on Sept. 18. The Nassau County Conservative party chairman Roger Boxhead and Belesi say that Hoffman has liberal leanings and has entered the race as a spoiler against Republicans. "He is a shill for the Nassau County Democratic party," said Belesi. Mejias countered that he has never spoken to Hoffman and has no intention of helping him in his campaign. Hoffman could not be reached for comment. Another wrinkle is that there is no Independence party candidate in the 14th LD this year. Initially, the party selected its own candidate and then sub- worst-run counties under the Republican machine, is now one of the best run-counties," he said. Belesi disagreed. "It's time," he said. "for the Democrats to move on" from scaring voters about what the Republican majority did a decade ago toward the next decade in the county. "I'm focused on the future, not the past," said Belesi. The 14th District includes North Massapequa, Farmingdale, South Farmingdale, Old Bethpage and parts of East Massapequa, Levittown and North Wantagh. The district has approximately 5,000 more Republicans, but has become more Democratic in recent years due to gerrymandering with the neighboring 17th district covered by Leg. Edward Mangano (R-Bethpage). Elections are November 6. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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