Previously Published in The Messenger
So many people are tuned out to politics entirely because of just how divisive and nasty the arena has been for about fifteen to twenty years now, with tensions having arguably reached their fever pitch in 2020. Such tension is still clearly palpable.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, especially in what might be the last local election year we’ll see in Suffolk County – as long as the Court of Appeals upholds the decision that New York State’s even-year election law is constitutional and does not violate the home rule of charter counties, such as Suffolk.
So this year, we urge you to hear out your local elected officials and candidates for office. You’ll find a much less heated debate, in most cases, on local, kitchen table issues than you will contentious arguments on hot-buttons issues that have become so nationalized that it’s hard to find where the average voter fits in.
This week, we covered a debate for Suffolk County Legislature’s Thirteenth District that pits Sal Formica (R-Commack) against Shala Pascucci (D-Kings Park). While the candidates differed on certain issues, it was a respectful, calm, and organized debate. The candidates also agreed on some principles, a breath of fresh air from what we’ve seen on the national stage as of late.
Both candidates also made sure to not sugar-coat reality and over-promise to prospective voters. Neither admitted to having a “magic wand” that can automatically lower taxes and make the roadways less congested, but both committed to views that can help taxpayers get the biggest bang for their buck.
We’ve said many times before that your local elected officials are responsible for the vast majority of decisions that affect your immediate life. These are also people who have lived in the communities they represent for all or most of their lives. We find it unlikely that they’d be willing to sell their hometowns down the river.
These are also officials you can have a conversation with or visit at their office. While high-ranking elected officials are often difficult to reach or not constantly visible, your local elected officials often are – at least, they should be.
If there’s any concern you feel should be known, call the offices of your Town Council representative, your Suffolk County Legislator, your Town Supervisor, or the County Executive. The quality-of-life issues that dominate local discourse can be brought to them in earnest and you’ll probably receive a substantive response.
It’s also refreshing to see that the most spirited debates aren’t about the hot-button campaign issues of the presidential election, but relate to development, sewers, roadways, and local ordinances – all topics that affect an average person’s daily life more than what unfolds on Capitol Hill.
We encourage our readers to cherish this local election year, as it might be our last one devoid of presidential and midterm national environments. The oxygen in the room is rich for them this year, so be sure to pack out meet-the-candidates nights and debates. You’ll find a less hostile environment and one in which immediately pressing issues are addressed.
Politics doesn’t have to be cutthroat. We find that the fast-paced environment of today almost necessitates a fantasy sports-like feel to the political arena that only encourages the bomb-throwers and dissuades the layman.
Local elections are the oasis in the desert of political consternation. Cash in on it while you can before the State is given the green light to do away with them for good.