The political trend on Long Island has been favoring Republicans, who contributed to the national party’s majority in the House two years ago, and President Donald Trump’s popular vote last November.
Mirroring his national policies, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman adopted them on the local level, with the county police cooperating with federal authorities on illegal immigration, athletic facilities recognizing only the birth gender in youth sports competitions, opposition to masking mandates during the pandemic, and participating in a lawsuit against congestion pricing. Last week, Blakeman announced his reelection run, and the Democrat challenging him is Seth Koslow, 43, a County Legislator representing Merrick, Freeport, and North Bellmore.
“Nassau County taxpayers deserve better,” Koslow said at his campaign kickoff in January. “I’m running to restore trust, eliminate waste, and make our county more affordable for everyone. Every decision I make will reflect the priorities of the people, not the politically connected.”
Without knowing Koslow’s party affiliation, the priority list shared at his campaign launch in January is not so different from the ruling party: lowering property taxes, eliminating government expenses, strengthening law enforcement, and improvements to education and quality of life.
“Being a suburban Democrat means we are fighting for issues that affect us in daily life. Blakeman promised tax relief but then raised fees on red light cameras. I proposed legislation to create a fund to return those fees. I’m prepared to fight to get the money back, he said in describing his party. “We propose a fund in anticipation for the refund. Those fees really affect people.”
A lifelong resident of Long Island, Koslow graduated from Touro Law School and worked as an assistant district attorney in Queens before founding his own firm. To better understand how local government works and serves the public, he ran last year for the County Legislature.
He spoke of his Jewish heritage as an understanding of “resilience, responsibility, and doing what is right.” Concerning anti-Semitism, Koslow said that his public service is informed by his experiences with it, which translates into security and resources, with a relationship between the community and law enforcement.
With Nassau County ranked as the safest in the country last year by US News, Koslow questioned Blakeman’s creation of an armed citizen militia and is challenging it in court. “He’s trying to get headlines, creating solutions for problems that don’t exist. This militia doesn’t benefit anybody. The county would be on the hook if a problem arises.”
He added that alongside the Nassau County Police Department, their work is bolstered by the village police departments, state troopers, and the National Guard. Concerning Blakeman’s policy of having the NCPD cooperate with immigration agents in identifying illegal immigrants facing criminal charges, Koslow said that when there is a warrant, the police will work with federal agencies, but the real law enforcement issue is the shortage of detectives. “They solve most of the crimes. They are overworked.”
Returning to matters impacting quality of life, Koslow criticized Blakeman’s approval of a casino on the Nassau Coliseum site as hasty, failing to account for its impact on traffic, public safety, and the environment. A mile to the east, the state is considering closing the Nassau University Medical Center as it faces massive financial woes. “He controls the board members,” he said of Blakeman. “Now we’re seeing what long term patronage jobs are getting us. It is failing.”
He said that there are examples of patronage and favoritism in Blakeman’s administration that are costing taxpayers. “Favoritism is outside counsel fees for law firms that donate heavily to his campaigns. There has to be transparency. We have attorneys who work for the county, approved by the legislature. Can we handle that case in-house?”
Recognizing the incumbent’s name recognition and sizable war chest, Koslow’s pitch focuses on the high cost of living. “Bruce Blakeman sounds great in a speech but he doesn’t follow through on his promises. If your property taxes don’t go up, other taxes and fees go up. Assessments are a tremendous mess. He’s blocking a bill to refund drivers who had red light camera tickets, and the culture wars are a distraction to our wallets, safety, and quality of life.”
By Sergey Kadinsky
