Tina Cioffi: 80 – Mayor
Darlene Mercieca: 78 – Trustee
Jacqueline Taylor: 78 – Trustee
John Richardson: 2 – Mayor
Felicia Chillak: 2 – Trustee
Susan Laskowski: 1 – Trustee
Total ballots cast: 83
Poquott village election results
Home Government
One-on-one with Jodi Giglio
State assemblywoman on Albany’s neglect of Long Island
New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) has openly criticized the state government for neglecting Long Island communities.
In an interview earlier this week, she addressed the upcoming gubernatorial primary election, her efforts to reach out to colleagues across the political aisle, the backward state of public infrastructure on the Island and more.
What is your professional background and how did you end up in the state Assembly?
I started my own construction company in 1997. I went to Stony Brook [University] at night while working full time during the day. I started to become very active in the construction industry and in land use — we owned 146 acres in East Quogue. My company is a certified Women Business Enterprise and I’m also a member of [the International Union of Operating Engineers] Local 138.
At the time, the Southampton Town Board put us in a moratorium for 2 1/2 years and raised our property taxes from $80,000 to $400,000. I was present at every hearing for the moratorium, where we couldn’t file an application and basically couldn’t do anything with our property. I felt that my property rights had been violated and became very involved in the political spectrum.
I started the Riverhead Business Alliance, where I had 50 businesses pay $300 a year so that I could hire somebody to send out emails letting businesses know about zoning changes that would be detrimental to their businesses. I set up a board of directors — and I was the president and the founder — and we just let everyone know what was happening in local government. A couple of years later, the business community asked me to run for the Town Board, which I did. I served on the Riverhead Town Board [as councilwoman] for 10 years.
There was a shift in government when [former state] Sen. [Kenneth] LaValle [R-Port Jefferson], who was a tremendous asset to the 1st Senate District, decided that he was no longer going to run. That’s when Anthony Palumbo [R-New Suffolk] decided to run for Senate. They asked me to run to fill his [state Assembly] seat, which I did, and I’m happy to serve the 2nd Assembly District in Albany.
You have spoken recently about the need to funnel tax dollars back into Long Island communities. In your opinion, are Long Islanders underserved by Albany?
Absolutely. I think all of Long Island is underserved by Albany. The largest concentration of New Yorkers is in New York City, so a lot of the money gets funneled into the five boroughs. I think that we pay a tremendous amount in tax dollars and a tremendous amount in our utility costs and that we are underserved.
However, I am very close to a lot of people on the other side of the aisle. I explain to them the problems that we have in our district and that we need help. I have been inviting them out here to come to different events, such as the Bell Town Heritage Area [in Aquebogue], where a friend of mine in the Assembly, Alicia Hyndman [D-Springfield Gardens], actually came out with her daughter and spent the day with me out here in the district, so that I could show her some of the challenges we face. On Saturday for Juneteenth, I went into Hempstead and spent the day with my dear friend, Taylor Darling [D-Hempstead] who is also in the majority, to see what her population is faced with.
I think that’s what it really takes: Not being a foreigner to other areas of the state, to realize what their needs are, and to make sure that we all work together to bring some of that money and some of those resources back to Long Island.
As local residents enter the voting booth for next week’s gubernatorial primary elections, what are some important issues that they should keep in mind?
The important issues are the high taxes that we pay in New York state and getting people back to work. I think that shutting down the economy and making people dependent on the government is problematic and it hasn’t worked in other countries.
I’ve worked with Congressman Lee Zeldin [R-NY1] since 2009 in his campaigns and have worked very closely with him over the years to make sure that our voices are heard here on Long Island. I think he’s been a pretty good advocate for us. I’ve listened to the debates and I think all of the candidates make great points. They have different areas of expertise that could help the state and I hope that whoever becomes the governor will tap into those assets, knowledge and experience that those others have.
I think that Lee Zeldin is the most experienced person running for governor in that he served in the state Senate and he also served in Congress, so he knows the mechanisms of government and can hit the ground running right away because we need a quick reversal of what is happening right now in the state.
Two Long Islanders will be on the primary ballots next week: Zeldin and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3). What does this say about the relationship between Long Island and Albany?
Long Islanders are mad. Whether it’s from the South Shore or the North Shore, the East End or the middle of Long Island, people here are mad. Our Long Island Expressway was a debacle for too many years. We needed that federal infrastructure money and I’m glad to say some of it is coming back to Long Island.
Long Island is a very unique place. There are a lot of people across the state that are spending a lot of time on Long Island, enjoying our waterfronts and our fisheries, our marinas and our farms, our commerce and our beaches. It’s important that we promote ourselves and make sure that Long Island has a strong voice in the state government.
In your opinion, is the MTA-LIRR underperforming? And what can be done to expedite services and make the railroad more responsive to Long Island communities?
I can tell you that the New York State government is a crutch for the MTA whenever the MTA fails or overspends or has issues. I think that the current governor [Kathy Hochul (D)] shutting down the government for so long, especially in New York City — and the city government that shut everything down from theaters to shopping to restaurants — it really showed New York City that Long Island can work from home and that we don’t need to go into the city.
I think that is going to cripple the MTA even more. The fact that the current governor held back and kept shutting everything down, sending the troopers and child protective services into restaurants on Long Island and throughout the state to make sure that everybody was shut down was a further step into government dependency. We were just writing unemployment checks and encouraging people to stay home and not go to work.
How can the state government be brought closer to the people of Long Island?
As I said previously, by bringing people out here. A lot of people on the other side of the aisle in the majority are planning on coming out and spending some time with me out on Long Island this summer, including Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes [D-Buffalo]. We’re going to visit the wineries and the farms, look at the beaches and spend some time together. She has assured me that she will be out here with me and I plan on taking a trip up to Buffalo to see what her hurdles and her struggles are.
I think that by bringing people out farther on Long Island and seeing what we have out here … especially our expressway. Long Island has been neglected for far too long and we need to make sure that our roads are safe, that our law enforcement is making sure that our communities are safe and that there’s always somebody at the other end of the phone to answer the call.
Our volunteer firefighters and our volunteer EMS workers, they are finding it very unaffordable to live here. We need to make sure that there are incentives for them to stay as another aspect of public safety. That is the fundamental reason why we have a government: public health, safety, welfare and prosperity.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our local readers?
I would like to say that elections have consequences. It’s very important that everyone pays attention to who is running for office. Look them up on the internet. We have easy access now to look at the platforms of the people running for office. Pay attention to who’s running and who best represents your ideals, your values and your concerns.
‘Making’ a comeback: Maker Faire LI returns to Port Jeff village
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Maker Faire Long Island returned to Port Jefferson village on Saturday, June 11, at the Village Center.
Maker Faire LI is an annual festival held by the Long Island Explorium, a science and engineering museum based in Port Jeff. Its purpose is to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education by way of innovations and crafts of people throughout the region and country.
Angeline Judex, executive director of the Explorium, discussed the surprising success of the event after its two-year pause. “We’re really happy with this event,” she said. “It has turned out really well — much better than we actually expected.”
Proceeds from the event will support the Explorium’s various educational programs. The goal of these programs is to enliven STEM through activities that are engaging and fun. Judex said the Explorium hopes to inspire young people and nourish a lifelong pursuit of STEM.
“It’s really important for children to be inspired and excited about STEM at an early age,” Judex said, adding, “We focus on enriching and inspiring children from K-6 so that they get excited about STEM because this is the future.” She added, “We want to support the next generation of leaders and scientists who are going to be inspired to solve some of the challenges in the environments we live in.”
Hundreds of makers gathered at Harborfront Park to showcase their own unique contributions to the field. Sejal Mehra, one of the presenters at the festival, displayed what she has coined “engineering art.” Her works integrate aspects of collage, engineering and sustainability studies under a common discipline.
“I create ‘engineering art,’ which is made from recycling old computer and electronic parts or plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the trash to show the beauty of STEM,” she said. “I’m on a mission to change the face of STEM through art.”
Makers such as Mehra offer the necessary guidance for young people to pursue STEM. Through their example of creativity and ingenuity, young people are challenged to change the world themselves.
“I think it’s really important to have programs like this one to help inspire young minds into a lifelong pursuit of STEM because you never know when or how something is going to spark their love for STEM,” Mehra said. “It is also great for young minds to be inspired by young adults like myself because we were just in their shoes and can help motivate them to pursue STEM. Without programs like this, the amount of exposure to the field and its vast possibilities and intersections would not be possible.”
Mehra’s artwork is currently for sale and can be purchased through her website or by contacting her via email or Instagram.
Joining Judex was a group of public officials who offered their support for the museum in its mission to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers. New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by profession, spoke of the importance of Maker Faire in encouraging young minds to tackle the impending challenges of environmental degradation.
“The purpose of bringing us all together is to enhance this community, to imagine possibilities for all of the people who live here and visit here, and to use our imagination just a little bit,” he said. “One of the things that’s very important is the narrative and theme that are interwoven around protecting the environment. We’re situated here in beautiful Port Jefferson on the edge of the harbor, and it is a beautiful place to remember the importance of sustainability.”
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was also present for the event. She thanked the Explorium for providing these services and enriching the community.
“I am pleased to be here to support Maker Faire Long Island once again, to support the Explorium, and encourage children and our residents to explore, to innovate, to use their imagination and encourage ingenuity,” she said. “Thank you for all you do to encourage that in children right here in our own backyard.”
Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) recognized Judex for the work she put into making this annual tradition successful once again and for championing STEM and motivating young people.
“I want to thank you not only for the work you did to bring this event together, but for the work you do all year long to create a fun place for kids to do science, to teach kids, to make it accessible to everybody, to bring science to places where maybe it isn’t, and to find new places to suddenly discover science,” the councilmember said.
Kathianne Snaden, Village of Port Jefferson deputy mayor, thanked the many entities that helped make this event possible once again.
“To all of the volunteers, to all of the makers, to the attendees, to our code department, our parks department and our highway department, without all of you coming together to make an event like this happen, we just couldn’t do it,” she said. “To the Explorium for providing cutting-edge technology, programming and hands-on learning for our children, it is just unmatched in this area.”
Village trustee Rebecca Kassay and her husband volunteered as traffic guards during the event. She called it “a pleasure directing parking.”
“As my husband and I stand and direct parking, we look at the children leaving this event and I asked them, ‘What have you made today?’” the trustee said. “Their faces light up and they show me something they’ve made, whether it’s a magnet, whether it’s a whirligig, whether it’s lip balm.” She continued, “It is so important to empower these young people with the gift of demystifying what is in the world around them.”
Englebright concluded the remarks with an anecdote. When the assemblyman was just 14 years old, his science teacher at the time recommended he attend a junior curator program at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. His decision to heed that advice would reshape the course of his life.
“I became a junior curator and it changed my life,” he said. “The Explorium, this children’s museum, I believe is going to change an awful lot of young people’s lives. Now here I am — with white hair — some years later, and I can tell you of the importance of your programs and the worthiness of everything that you do.”
Back on track: Leaders celebrate grand opening of the North Shore Rail Trail
In what is typically a quiet spot in the woods of Shoreham, elected county officials and community leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 10.
The North Shore rails-to-trails project was first introduced some five decades ago when a young woman at the time wrote a letter to the editor advocating for the conversion of an old rail line into a bike path. After decades of planning, the path, which links Mount Sinai to Wading River and everything in between, is finally complete.
Photo by Raymond Janis
County Executive Steve Bellone (D) headlined the event. He spoke of the immense willpower on the part of the parties involved in making this dream a reality.
“You know any time a project is on the drawing boards for 50 years and you’re actually at the ribbon cutting, that’s a great day,” he said.
In March 2020, the county completed its updated master plan for hiking and biking, which called for 1,200 miles of new bike infrastructure, according to Bellone. At full build-out, the plan would put 84% of county residents within a half-mile radius of a biking facility. The opening of the North Shore Rail Trail, he suggested, is an important first step to executing the master plan.
“This opening today really goes a long way toward kicking off that next effort — and we don’t want all of that to take another 50 years,” the county executive said. “That’s the kind of transformative investment we need to be making to keep our region prosperous and growing and attracting and retaining young people.”
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) spearheaded much of this project through the various levels of government and into completion. During that process, Anker said her office overcame a number of obstacles before getting to the finish line.
“We understood as a community we needed this,” she said. “My number one priority in making sure this happened was, and still continues to be, public safety — making sure our residents, especially our kids, have a safe place to ride their bikes.”
For Anker, the trail offers a number of benefits to local residents, providing bikers with an open space to pursue their hobby while mitigating safety concerns about bikers sharing public roads with drivers. Additionally, the trail will encourage more residents to use their bikes to get around, limiting traffic congestion and air pollution from cars.
“I know someone that lives in Rocky Point,” Anker said. “He takes his bike on the trail now to get to his job in Mount Sinai … that’s what this trail is all about.”
Joining Anker was her colleague in the county Legislature, Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket). Hahn said trails like these can help to band neighboring communities together, establishing a sense of cohesion throughout the area.
“Between this one and the Port Jeff Station-East Setauket Greenway Trail, we can get from 25A in Setauket all the way to Shoreham-Wading River safely,” she said. “Suffolk County’s roads have consistently fallen on a national list of the most dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians. This is the kind of vision we need to turn that around.”
State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) suggested that at a time when tax dollars are leaving Long Island communities, the opening of this bike path is also a symbolic victory for the community members and their representatives.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend taxpayer money than to invest it in something that is a free, recreational and healthy activity for not only the residents of Suffolk County, but for all of New York,” she said.
Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro (R) detailed the many logistical hurdles that the Highway Department had to overcome to make this project possible.
“There are over 30 road crossings and all of them are town roads,” he said. “We had to work very closely on making sure that the design of that provided for safe passage for our bikers and walkers.” He added, “I live about a third of a mile away and rode my bike here [today]. I ride here with my kids all the time and it is a fantastic addition to our community.”
Anker ended with one final reflection before the official ribbon cutting, placing the trail in historical context. “The original idea came about 50 years ago at a Sound Beach Civic [Association] meeting and also a young girl in 1974, who wrote a letter to the editor,” the county legislator said. “It did take a while, but we did it.”
Port Jeff trustee candidates on the election issues
As the June 21 election day nears, village trustee candidates had an opportunity to state their positions on a number of pressing issues. Candidates elaborated on their positions on issues ranging from the East Beach Bluff to the school district’s declining student enrollment to public engagement.
Would you vote to appropriate any funding to any upland project to protect the Port Jeff Country Club without a voter referendum?
Gerard Gang: It really depends upon what type of project is needed. I think if it involves the safety of the people and the village, the trustees were put in place by the people to make certain decisions, especially if it’s a safety issue. If it’s something of a large percentage and it’s within the code and regulations then, yes, it should be brought up for a referendum.
Ana Hozyainova: Absolutely not.
Rebecca Kassay: No, I would not vote to appropriate funding for an upland project at the country club without a voter referendum. At last Monday’s board meeting, I challenged my fellow board of trustee members and the mayor to consider passing a resolution at the coming June 20 board meeting to reduce the amount of the bond from $10 million to $5 million because that $5 million has already been spent on the lower wall. My challenge to them is to reduce the current bond amount and, in that, whichever step that the village would like to look at next — whether it’s an upper wall or upland improvements — the village board would need to involve the residents with a public hearing and my hope would be a public referendum for the work that comes next. The residents would need to be on board in order to approve the funds for the next project.
Bruce Miller: No.
Lauren Sheprow: That has already been done. There has been a vote to appropriate funding for the upland projects. They had a vote. I think that what the board of trustees did back at the end of 2021 when they unanimously agreed to fund the preservation of the East Beach bluff was exactly their responsibility. It was not an easy decision. I think it was a very difficult decision, but it was the decision that they were charged to make when they took their oath as trustee.
Aside from redistricting, how would you help boost student enrollment at Port Jefferson School District?
Gang: You could boost student enrollment in the school district outside of redistricting by bringing in new programs that may encourage other school districts to send their students to our schools for a special need, a special program, a special talent or craft or trade. Truly, the more programs we can create, the more parents will try to move into this village. I would love to bring back the sailing team. The elementary school through the high school had an incredible sailing team. If we can set ourselves apart from another school, they will come.
Kassay: It’s a very difficult challenge for districts nationwide and even worldwide in developed countries. For me, I would like to look into what has worked and what is working for districts that are also facing this challenge, and look for the proven solutions before guessing at what might actually help our school district.
Hozyainova: I am certainly open to exploring different ways in collaboration with the schools, which would require a number of studies to understand what is causing the decline in enrollment. We, as a government agency, are not able to mandate people to have children, and for us to attract more student populations requires an in-depth understanding of the factors that drive the decline in student enrollment. Only after we have understood those factors can we develop appropriate policies to encourage greater student populations.
Miller: I have 40 years of experience looking at this stuff. More condominiums mean more permanent residents and, therefore, a potential for more students. We’re having a lot of apartments instead. There are a lot of studios and one-bedrooms coming in — not typically the profile for families to stay and raise their kids long term.
Sheprow: This goes back to the affordability of living in Port Jefferson and trying to keep taxes down. The school district is out of the purview of the board of trustees, although there is a strong relationship there and a collegial relationship right now, which is good. There are a couple of steps that would have to be taken in order to help make living in Port Jefferson more affordable and attractive for young families. One of the things I have talked about is taking a look at the efficiency of operations. Are we being as efficient and as effective as we can operationally to keep our budgets under control? Are we being creative enough to help keep our finances in check and reduce our expenditures so that we aren’t reliant on taxpayer revenue to operate efficiently?
How can the village government be brought closer to the people?
Gang: Through communications. Communication is key. We’re talking about the possibility of changing the website once I’m in the office. Any way we can involve the residents and entice them to show up to meetings will also help the relationship between the village and the residents.
Hozyainova: The village government needs to go and speak to the people. Setting up various events that are dedicated specifically to the discussion of Port Jefferson’s issues — that are outside of business hours and that include younger children, older children, teenagers, and various levels of the population would be useful in making sure people have ample opportunities to engage the government.
Kassay: I think that having residents feel more confident that the village is seeking a dialogue — as opposed to the village moving forward on agendas that the public hasn’t been consulted about or given feedback about — is a really important first step. I think that the government — the board of trustees members and the mayor — are perhaps looking into ways to engage residents, similar to the new “residents night” that they will host usually once a year, where it’s a more informal way for residents to just discuss what’s going on in the village, any questions they may have, and feel that their voices are truly being heard.
Miller: One of my suggestions — and I’ve been insisting on this for quite a long time — is to have public meetings at Village Hall, but also to have them on Zoom where people can actually participate. I think the trustees on the board today are open. If you call them, it’s not like you will get put off. There’s another question of openness, which is a transparency issue, but that’s tangential. That was my position regarding the bluff, which is that you needed a public hearing on that.
Sheprow: If you have public forums at the Village Center or at the country club, you have ready-made facilities that you can benefit from. Even bringing in a representative to the board of education meetings once a month or so would be a good idea, whether it’s the mayor or a liaison from the board of trustees. I think that would be something that would also help to create more exposure and engagement from the community. Again, the community has to be interested and take that responsibility on, too.
If elected, you will be serving alongside one other candidate in this race. What is your message to your fellow candidates and do you have any concluding comments on this election?
Gang: My message to all the other candidates is to continue to be honest and to put your best foot forward for the good of this village. Everything in my campaign is based around increasing revenue and being there for the residents — a reach-out program, fuel assistance, health screenings, durable medical equipment that can be loaned, health insurance issues just to help our seniors have clarity, swimming programs, a calendar of events. I would love to see a program implemented that would help with tax abatement for our seniors, where they can work within the village for a minimum wage. Just imagine what this village could offer, if I became a trustee, to all of the age groups for additional amenities in this village.
Hozyainova: During my canvassing, the two biggest issues that came to the fore were government transparency and government accountability. My hope would be that whoever gets elected would engage with the people and their needs and that all of the policies put forward would reflect the wishes of the people of Port Jefferson to the greatest benefit of everyone involved. I believe that I have the skills to do so, but even if I am not elected I will continue pressing and advocating on behalf of my fellow neighbors and residents.
Kassay: I hope that if I am elected, whichever other candidate is elected will join me in asking questions, having deeper conversations about village actions, about the future of the village regarding large infrastructural planning, and generally engage in more dialogues between board members. I think that one of the most important takeaways from my first two years as a trustee is that we need a culture — both on and beyond the board of trustees — of conversation. That includes listening and sharing perspectives.
Miller: My message to whoever wins is that I hope we can cooperate, get together and just work for the betterment of Port Jefferson. There’s much to do in the village and we all need to try to get on the same page on many of the issues. We’re going to have differences on some of them, and that gets handled by a vote. We need to cooperate with one another. I think we’ve always been civil toward one another, and I hope we will continue with that as well.
Sheprow: I have a lot of respect for everyone who’s vying for this position. I learned a lot about them through the candidates forum. I feel like it would be a pleasure to serve with any one of them. I would just reiterate that it would be an honor and a pleasure to serve at the behest of the residents of our community. I would do all that I am able to do to make sure that my door is always open. I really look forward to serving my community and will be a responsible steward of the people of Port Jefferson, the infrastructure of Port Jefferson — and the whole environment of Port Jefferson.
Voting information
Voting will be held at the Village Center on Tuesday, June 21, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Port Jeff planning board approves environmental review of Mather expansions
The Port Jefferson Village Planning Boar gave the green light to the four-phased expansion of Mather Hospital on Thursday, June 9, moving the project into the final stage before authorization.
Under its four-phased proposal, the hospital intends to expand its northern parking lot, relocate and expand its emergency room, among several other improvements. The expansion of the parking lot would displace a wooded area currently used as walking trails.
Under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, local municipal planning boards are required to conduct an environmental assessment of proposed projects. After months of deliberations between the board, the hospital and the public, the board moved to designate the project as having minor impact and satisfying the necessary conditions for SEQRA approval.
“What we did as a board was try to, as much as we could, take into consideration the comments the residents brought to the Planning Board and incorporate them into the SEQRA document,” board member Gil Anderson said. “Based on the actual verbiage in the SEQRA law, it explains to what extent something’s a major impact or a minor impact. We gave the project a negative declaration, which means there’s no significant impact on the project to the community.”
Through negotiations with the hospital, Anderson said Mather will invest in several projects to give back to the community for any potential losses incurred during the expansion.
“They’ve made a number of efforts to improve conditions,” he said. “They’re going to be upgrading North Country Road, putting in a traffic signal and realigning the road a bit. They’ve made a commitment to improve the storm drainage from the flooding that occurred last year. They’ve also made a commitment to provide $25,000 in fees that will allow the village to plant natural vegetation in other areas.”
Ray DiBiase, chairman of the Planning Board, said, “There’s a substantial amount of tree planting — hundreds of trees that they’re planting on the site and $25,000 that they’re going to give to the village to decide where the trees should go.” He added, “That’s a pot of money the village can use to buy and install trees wherever it is that they want them.”
The Mather project has garnered significant public scrutiny throughout the approval process. DiBiase said he saw more public feedback on this than on any other project in his nearly two decades on the board.
“We had the most turnout of a public hearing — and it was virtual — and at least 50 comments to resolve,” he said. “I’ve been on the board for 16 years and it’s the most people I’ve ever seen at a public meeting.”
There will be one final meeting of the Planning Board during which the hospital will receive its site plan along with its conditions for approval. DiBiase said the site plan will likely have several comments and instructions that the hospital will be required to follow throughout the building process.
“The project is headed for approval because the environmental requirements are satisfied,” he said. “But we get to set conditions. There’s a whole series of standard conditions for any site plan, but on top of that, we need to talk about an additional payment in lieu of paying taxes — and there are other things, too.”
Despite the project moving forward through the board, some local residents still believe there is an opportunity to scale it down. Ana Hozyainova, village resident and candidate for trustee, said she and a group of concerned residents intend to challenge the board’s environmental determination in court.
“I am one of the people that has retained attorneys to challenge the decision, and we are preparing to file a formal suit to ensure that we can protect the forest from being cleared,” she said.
Meet the candidates for Port Jeff village trustee
Incumbent trustees Bruce Miller and Rebecca Kassay, who are both up for reelection, will be challenged by Gerard Gang, Ana Hozyainova and Lauren Sheprow in the village election on Tuesday, June 21.
During a “Meet the Candidates” event held Wednesday, June 8, the five declared candidates presented their visions before an audience of dozens of residents in the Wayfarer Room of the Village Center.
Candidates each delivered two-minute opening remarks, answered questions on various subjects regarding the major issues currently facing the village, and finally made concluding remarks.
The event was sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Barbara Ransome, director of operations at the chamber, asked the questions. Seating arrangements and response orders were both determined at random by pulling the candidates’ names out of a bag.
Questions were selected by a panel of moderators that comprised of Suzanne Velazquez, former chamber president; Stu Vincent, director of public relations at Mather Hospital; and Thomas Donlon, director of Port Jefferson Free Library.
Chamber president Mary Joy Pipe was the official timer for the event, signaling to the candidates their remaining allotted time with colored cards. After opening remarks, the candidates debated a range of topics such as term limits, bluff stabilization, Upper Port revitalization, potential redistricting schemes for the school district, among several other subjects.
The entire candidate forum clocked in at nearly two-and-a-half hours. For more information, click here.
Financial Focus: Does anybody know what’s going on?
By Michael E. Russell
The state of our economy reminds me of the skit performed by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the 1950s. Who’s on first, what’s on second, I don’t know who is on third! What a mess!
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admits to a series of mistakes by her department and by the Federal Reserve. President Biden is now going to Saudi Arabia to ask them to pump more oil while shutting down our own pipelines. I find it difficult to believe that inflation is only up 8.6% year over year, a statistic issued by the Fed. Gas at the pump is up 60%, meat up 62%, vegetables up 55%, air travel up 34%; I just don’t get it.
I feel like a grandparent who tries to help the kids with their math homework. It is somewhat confusing to me that 2 + 2 no longer adds up to 4, etc., etc. I guess our kids are all going to become economists and work for the Federal Reserve.
I do not want to be the bearer of bad news, but I think a reality check would be in order. I will use the Federal Reserve number even though they exclude food and housing. Really! On inflation, there can be no dispute. Friday’s report that consumer prices shot up by the highest number in 40 years cannot be considered a surprise. Reports issued by the University of Michigan’s consumer confidence survey showed the most downbeat sentiment on record, mainly due to historically low unemployment and soaring prices.
It appears that notes from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) indicate that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell intends to raise rates one-half percent this month and again in July. Futures also indicate another half percent increase in September.
The change in attitude at the FOMC since March is extremely troubling. The inflation numbers caught them completely by surprise. Why didn’t they just ask people who were filling their gas tanks and shopping for food? They sure knew that inflation was running rampant. Just a few more statistics, because Washington D.C. makes me crazy.
Larry Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary from 1999-2001, issued an economic research paper this past week. To quote, “In order to bring down core CPI to the 2% range would require the same extreme monetary restraint exerted by former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker which resulted in back-to-back 1980s recessions.” Once again there are plenty of smart people out there who have been stating that the Fed is way behind the eight ball. Example: former Alliance Bernstein chief economist Joseph Carson has been screaming for more than a year, “The Federal Reserve is missing the boat.”
Let’s talk about stocks. The Standard and Poor’s P/E has dropped from 21 to 16. This number, 16, is normally considered to be a reasonable P/E to purchase stocks. However, if interest rates are still too low and earnings forecasts drop, don’t be surprised if there is more damage done to the stock market. The market is down 10 out of the last 11 weeks. I blame the Fed’s ineptitude in dealing with inflation, plus the war in the Ukraine and the lasting effects of the pandemic.
What do we buy? Drugs! Not street drugs, but great drug companies. The pandemic and the need to stay home and eat and eat and eat have caused a lot of us to get fat. So, let’s look at companies that make insulin. Why? It manages blood sugar levels which help weight control. Eli Lilly (LLY) just received FDA approval for Tirzepatide for diabetes apparently with good results. Novo Nordick (NVO), a Danish company is the world’s top maker of insulin. Novo’s drug sales for obesity doubled year over year to $480 million. They are projecting a nine-fold increase in sales.
Some news that hit the wire this past week:
1. Twitter agreed to share data on false accounts with Elon Musk, thus putting the $44 billion takeover back on track.
2. Jet Blue airlines increased its offer to purchase Spirit Airlines.
3. Kohls is in talks to be purchased by Franchise Group for $8 billion.
As our parents told us, “if you don’t have anything good to say, stop talking.” On that note, please enjoy our wonderful weather. If any of our readers know how to keep the geese off the front lawn and the deer out the garden, please let me know.
Michael E. Russell retired after 40 years working for various Wall Street firms. All recommendations being made here are not guaranteed and may incur a loss of principal. The opinions and investment recommendations expressed in the column are the author’s own. TBR News Media does not endorse any specific investment advice and urges investors to consult with their financial advisor.
Legislators take bite out of rising food prices
With the cost of food spiraling out of control, public officials are scrambling for answers.
A May report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates food prices have climbed 10.8% since April 2021, the highest 12-month increase in over four decades. The surge in food prices nationwide is being driven by a number of factors occurring both domestically and abroad.
Both Ukraine and Russia are major international exporters of grain, including corn, wheat and soy, among other staples. The price of these products has surged exponentially due to the war, affecting markets globally.
“Food prices in the United States are going up because the oil to deliver the food, the cost of fertilizer, and the cost of planting and harvesting are all going up,” Martin Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy, said in a phone interview. “All of that has to do with inflation, it has to do with oil and gas, and it has to do with the war in Ukraine.”
New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) addressed growing concerns over food prices. He said that the state Legislature has recently passed legislation that eliminates the fuel tax. This, coupled with actions at the county level, may help offset increases in food prices.
“The main thing that we’ve been able to do in this recently passed state budget is to remove — at least temporarily for the rest of this year — the 16-cent state tax on fuel,” he said. “When you live around here, for most people, you need a car to get your food, so these escalating costs are related.” He added, “We’ve also authorized in the state budget the commissioner of agriculture to sharpen his pencils to see what he can do to bring more food to market.”
The Suffolk County Legislature has also suspended its tax on fuel, effective June 1. State and county measures combined, Englebright said residents are now seeing a 26-cent reduction per gallon of gasoline.
‘It’s very important that we focus now on funneling the money that we have in the state budget into these communities, not only to help the business owners, but to help the residents survive through this process and through this inflation.’ — Jodi Giglio
Despite the elimination of these fuel taxes, prices nationwide continue to swell. State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) said local residents are being hit particularly hard due to the already high cost of living on Long Island.
“We pay the highest taxes and the highest utility rates here on Long Island,” she said. “It’s very important that we focus now on funneling the money that we have in the state budget into these communities, not only to help the business owners, but to help the residents survive through this process and through this inflation.”
The recently enacted state budget will offer residents some relief in the form of direct cash payments through the New York School Tax Relief Program (STAR). Giglio said she and her colleagues in Albany appropriated an additional $2.2 billion in the state budget and expedited the delivery of these checks to help residents deal with inflation and rising costs.
“The $2.2 billion is for homeowner tax rebate checks,” she said, adding. “It’s a one-time check for STAR-eligible homeowners, and it’s for individuals and for families. New Yorkers are going to start getting these checks right away and they should be hitting within the next couple of weeks.”
This is tough. We’re in a really tough place with food prices, and families at the poverty level are suffering the most. — Kara Hahn
Elevated food costs will detrimentally impact food pantries as well. Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) expressed concerns that rising food costs will only compound the existing problem of food insecurity, making it even harder to feed those in need.
“Food insecurity has been a growing problem on Long Island,” she said. “We support a number of food pantries across Suffolk County. I’ve been part of supporting Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, trying to make sure that there is not food waste.” She added, “This is tough. We’re in a really tough place with food prices, and families at the poverty level are suffering the most.”
‘People will inevitably try to make their anguish heard and understood, and one way to do that is at the ballot box.’ — Steve Englebright
Midterm elections loom large as Long Islanders consider ways to get food on the table. At the current rate, food expenses will be at the top of the priority list for a sizable voting bloc. Englebright acknowledges that if food prices are not alleviated soon, there may be significant electoral consequences at all levels of government this November.
“People will inevitably try to make their anguish heard and understood, and one way to do that is at the ballot box,” he said. “That is a possibility but I hope that the sense of urgency does not require that people use that as the only way to have a sense of empowerment, and optimism in the hope that we’re able to use the instruments of government, limited as they may be, to help offset some of these costs and give people a chance to put food on the table.”
Cantor reiterated these sentiments. He suggests voters are much more likely to vote for the opposition during times of great tribulation. “The reality is that when people are angry, hungry and can’t work, they usually vote the incumbents out,” he said. “When everything you touch costs more than you make, that gets you very angry and very upset. The poor and the middle class are going to get hurt the most.”
Town of Huntington to host Anne Frank Memorial Garden ceremony June 22
Ceremony to Feature Second Generation Survivor, Holocaust Education Advocate Gail Sheryn Kastenholz
Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth will host the Town of Huntington’s 11th Annual Anne Frank Memorial Garden Ceremony on Wednesday, June 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the Anne Frank Memorial Garden at Arboretum Park on Wilmington Drive (between Threepence Drive and Roundtree Drive) in Melville.
The Anne Frank Memorial Garden symbolically captures the journey of Anne Frank’s life. It features a circular pathway that surrounds a garden, which leads to the sculpture of a young girl’s dress. The Memorial Garden serves as tribute to Anne’s legacy of wisdom and genuine belief in the goodness of mankind and human nature, despite the ugliness of war and discrimination.
Program participants include Rabbi Beth Klafter of Temple Beth David in Commack, Rabbi Yakov Saacks of The Chai Center in Dix Hills, musical selections by Hazzan (Cantor) Steven Walvick of the East Northport Jewish Center; and remarks from guest speaker Gail Sheryn Kastenholz, a Huntington Station resident, Second Generation Survivor and Holocaust education advocate.
Attendees of the Anne Frank Memorial Garden anniversary celebration may take a walk through the garden following the program and will be offered light refreshments, donated by Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban.
For more information, 631-351-3000.
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