By Long Island Life & Politics
Suffolk County’s 14th Legislative District will soon be vacated by Legislative Majority Leader Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), so two newcomers will vie for his seat in November: Shawn Cullinane and Richard J (RJ) Renna.
Both candidates have connections to the Village of Lindenhurst; Cullinane served as the village’s clerk/treasurer under then-Mayor Fred Kienle. He was also elected three times as a library board trustee. In addition, he served as a Justice Court prosecutor with the Village of Brightwaters.
Among Cullinane’s priorities are supporting law enforcement, first responders and volunteer firefighters, protecting the county’s water system and quality of life, preventing taxes from going up and stopping illegal and dangerous driving on the roadways and neighborhood streets.
Renna was appointed deputy mayor in 2023. Before that, he was elected village trustee in 2017 and again in 2020. If elected, he would establish private-public partnerships when funding and implementing infrastructure projects and make sure local governments oversee these projects.
On the issues of public safety and crime, Renna said he would allocate resources for law enforcement, promote community policing initiatives to build trust between law enforcement and residents and reform the judicial system to ensure swift and fair trials.
“I’ve worked hard throughout my career to protect our neighborhoods and families, support our police, first responders, fire and rescue volunteers, and to promote sound fiscal and good government policies,” Cullinane said.
Renna has been endorsed by McCaffrey, Babylon Town GOP Committee Chairman Joseph Barone, Suffolk County legislative candidate and Young Republican Man of the Year Jarod Morris, Suffolk County GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia, state Senator Alexis Weik (R-Sayville) and Suffolk County Majority Leader Nick Caracappa (R-Centereach). He also received endorsements from the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association and Steamfitters Local 638.
“These endorsements reflect the trust and support I’ve earned from law enforcement, organized labor, and leaders at every level,” Renna said.
However, Cullinane pointed out that, as Lindenhurst’s clerk-treasurer, he prevented taxes from going up in seven of his eight years. “It’s tough to make hard decisions but someone must stand up to protect the taxpayer! I know you agree with me, the last thing we need is someone on the Suffolk County Legislature who will RAISE YOUR TAXES!” Cullinane said in a statement.
Cullinane claimed the Renna voted to raise taxes every year; this year, according to Cullinane, Renna voted to increase taxes by 12.5% — the largest single-year tax hike. LILP reached out to Renna to respond.
“While I do not state that I will ‘cut taxes,’ I believe that responsible budgeting and smart planning are the best ways to protect taxpayers and strengthen our communities,” Renna said. Although village taxes went up 33% during his seven-year tenure, they went up 47% while Cullinane was also there for seven years.
In addition, “we’ve revitalized the downtown, attracted over 20 new businesses, and invested in improving quality of life,” he said, adding that U.S. News & World Report named Lindenhurst one of the top 10 places to live in New York State.
Primary day will be on June 24. For those who wish to vote early, click here for more information.