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Town candidates talk about illegal housing
Both sides agree on that point. Where they differ is on the question of how to handle illegal housing and violations against the Town's housing codes and ordinances. Incumbent Town Supervisor John Venditto is seeking his sixth, two-year term, and is running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines with council candidates Rose Marie Walker, Joe Muscarella, Anthony Macagnone, all incumbents. Also running with Venditto and his team are incumbent Town Clerk Steve Labriola and Town Receiver James Stefanich. Running on the Democratic line are Joseph Terino who is running for Town Supervisor, Jay Cherlin, Carol Gordon, and Keith Scalia for Town council; Matthew Meng for Town Clerk and Marie McCormack for Town Receiver. Scalia and McCormack are also running on the Working Families line. Democrats are calling for a stronger crackdown on violators, saying that illegal apartments place a strain on schools, infrastructure, fire districts and other taxing entities that ultimately pass those costs along to property owners who abide by the law. Their solution is to hire additional housing inspectors to bring pressure on those who are breaking the law. "The Town needs to inspect more equitably by hiring more inspectors," said McCormack who explained her party believes there is too much patronage and favoritism in the Town, resulting in having many illegal dwellings go unchallenged. Republicans disagree with the assessment by their political opponents and point out that the Venditto administration has been proactive in putting an end to the practice of illegal housing. Recently the Town code has been amended to make it harder for residents to rent illegal apartments. "If a homeowner is found to have more than one gas or electric meter, or more than one mailbox on their home, for example, they will now have to prove that they don't have an illegal apartment, according to the new code," said Walker, a teacher and lifelong Hicksville resident. Previously, the burden of proof was with the Town. Like Oyster Bay, many other towns and Villages have adopted the change. Putting the burden of proof on the homeowner gives the Town greater access into homes, which they did not have prior to the change. Democrats have had a difficult time making political inroads in the Town of Oyster Bay and this year is no different. They face well-known incumbents in a town with registration heavily in the Republican favor. Despite that they say that it is the residents who would gain the most if they elected Democrats to the town board. "We need to get Democrats in, to mix it up and get a fresh set of eyes to look at the problems," said Meng, the owner of a car repair chain. But Republicans said that what the public sees is not the whole story. "We fight like banshees behind closed doors and after we debate we present a united front," said Macagnone, who has been in office since 1999. "Party affiliations are not as important as who we are and what our backgrounds are." Macagnone was a Democrat when he ran for and won a seat on the Town Board. He later changed his party affiliation and ran under the Republican line, getting reelected. "I was elected as both a Democrat and a Republican because I am doing a great job," he said. "Not because of my party affiliation." "Don't look at my hair, my tie or my title and vote for or against me because of it," said Venditto. There's no Republican or Democrat way of picking up garbage...I just ask people to vote for me based on my record." Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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