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TBR News Media endorsement

John Zollo

By TBR staff

TBR News Media is endorsing Paul Damato (R, C) and John Zollo (R, C) for the two judges vacancies on the 4th District Court in the Town of Smithtown.

Both men’s dedication to the Smithtown community makes them an asset to a position that oversees a variety of cases, including but not limited to civil disputes, family matters, small claims and housing issues, all of which will directly affect their neighbors.

Their combined strong suits, which run the gamut from Zollo’s empathetic approach to justice, to Damato’s extensive experience in property evaluation, tax law and even serving as the Village of Port Jefferson assessor — will make for balanced and substantiated rulings.

Paul Damato. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

Damato is a man who has chosen a field of law that requires great patience and know-how, and his knowledge of legal study is impressive. Additionally, Damato views the judiciary as requiring a “balance of technical precision, and fair application of law,” further emphasizing that his decisions will be grounded in his comprehensive study of primary and secondary legal sources. His comfortability with property-related cases sets him apart from his peers, as Damato truly derives pleasure from the practice of legal intricacies.

Zollo’s posts as assistant county attorney, Suffolk County, as well as town attorney for Smithtown, have prepared him for the procedural handling of local government issues, civil litigation and community centric cases. His understanding of legal ordinances has provided Zollo with the type of “inside” knowledge he needs to properly serve his town. He has viewed his various positions as a way to connect with his community, one person at a time, and Zollo’s strong standing within local circles allows him insight into the individualized needs of local residents. He prides himself on approaching each one of his cases with compassion and respect, feeling that his duty is that of a public servant — not an authoritarian. He shared that being a judge “is not just about knowing the law, it’s about understanding people, and what they need from the law.”

In addition to both men’s numerous attributes, it is important to note that Damato has extensive leadership experience. He served as president of an attorney appraiser and architectural engineer association. As an academic, he has taught legal education courses at the law schools of St. John’s University and Fordham University.

With Maria Scheuring’s decision not to come in, we have no choice but to exclude the Democratic nominee from our consideration. However, Scheuring does not lack in experience, and is a seasoned lawyer, with over two decades of experience. She is a trial and appellate attorney with experience in matrimonial, family and guardianship law, who started her career as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx. Additionally, Scheuring founded two law firms in which she has represented a broad range of clients, including corporations, musicians and major insurance companies. She later served as an associate attorney in NYC firms, focusing on plaintiff’s no-fault litigation, workers compensation, social security disability and high-stakes corporate defense work for municipalities and international companies. She ran a 2021 campaign for Town of Smithtown supervisor, losing to Ed Wehrheim (R),

Consequently, we feel that John Zollo and Paul Damato are the best judges choices for the 4th District. They are intelligent, personable and, most importantly, veterans in the legal field. They have what it takes to serve their district with dignity and admiration for not only judicial, but also the Smithtown community.

By TBR Staff

TBR News Media is endorsing incumbent Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) for NYS 8th District assemblyman.

As a member of the state Assembly for over 22 years, and a former member of the Smithtown Town Council for 15, Fitzpatrick is trusted by his community. He is a veteran politician, who possesses a youthful zest for his job, and clearly has no intention of slowing down. He also brings helpful seniority to his position.

Fitzpatrick has been working, and wants to continue working, to bring infrastructure such as sewers to vulnerable areas, and feels that with responsible growth, we can increase housing options on Long Island that are not only more affordable, but will keep people here, and living in the suburban environment they are accustomed to.

Fitzpatrick supports green energy initiatives, but is not as focused on environmental policy as his Democratic rival Steve Basileo. Additionally, promoting a more ecomonically sound and fiscally responsible state is one of his chief concerns. He totally opposes abortion.

He is passionate about pension reform, and investing in our SUNY system — particularly Stony Brook, our state’s flagship university — and stronger vocational training options for those who would prefer going into a trade. Basileo is a highly intelligent man, with a strong foundation in public policy, and possesses exceptional interpersonal skills. His background in labor organizing, as well as interning with Suffolk County Legislator Sam Gonzalez (D-Brentwood), shows his dedication to helping those in need of assistance and support.

Having political aspirations so young puts him in a league above many others his age, and his understanding of our state’s governmental structure and function are such that we hope he stays in the political arena.

For these reasons, we are endorsing Mike Fitzpatrick. He has an impressive track record, a history of results and is trusted by his constituents, as well as us.

Rebecca Kassay

By TBR Staff

TBR News Media is endorsing Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) for NYS District 4 assemblymember.

She is a dedicated member of the Port Jefferson community and has been engaged in local affairs for years, serving as the village’s deputy mayor,

Her personable approach has connected her with the people of her community, and she genuinely cares about the concerns of each individual resident. Kassay’s belief in “proactive public servants” will serve her well as a woman of the people, so to speak. A local business owner who said that she and her husband opened a bed and breakfast “to make ends meet,” she appears to genuinely show passion for the Island’s affordability crisis. Kassay strongly emphasizes her commitment to being present in the communities in which she would work and has indicated she will refuse to be a figurehead in Albany.

While Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) may be the incumbent, his recent disbarment as an attorney is disconcerting. In addition, he is known to have been absent from civic association meetings and the events of local groups, quite often sending representatives in his place.

Kassay’s strong connections with local officials, as well as her desire to incorporate more members of our police departments, give her the balanced and nuanced approach we think is necessary to quell citizens’ concerns on the crime and safety fronts. 

She also has great concern for the environment, being an environmental scientist. Kassay’s role as Port Jefferson’s Conservation Advisory Council, further displays her strength as a worker, and her dedication to our environmental well-being. Ultimately, she believes that her expertise can help tackle two of Port Jeff’s biggest issues: flooding, and the revitalization of our towns.

All in all, we feel Rebecca Kassay is the person for Assembly District 4. She said that while “this job is partly about being in Albany and passing legislation and looking at the budget, it takes being here at home and personally being out here to continue building relationships. The people deserve a representative who is going to be in this position [full time].” We couldn’t agree more.

We thank Ed Flood for his service, but ultimately feel Rebecca Kassay will serve our Island more effectively.

John Avlon is running for 1st Congressional District

By TBR staff

TBR News Media is endorsing John Avlon (D-Sag Harbor) to represent us in the 1st Congressional District. Mr. Lalota left us no choice since, despite multiple invitations, he did not come in for an interview.

We feel Mr. Avlon has the passion and background to excel in the position.

As a lover of history, he deeply believes in the promises of the American Dream. He urges strong education policy among students to have our next generation understand the importance of becoming civically responsible and politically informed.

One notable moment of our interview with Avlon at the TBR office was that while he feels MAGA Republicans lean dangerously right, he acknowledges left-leaning moments in our country’s history have not been productive. He believes that the only way to make progress is when both sides meet to reach a compromise so that consensus is reached, and that the people are presented with policies that will make their lives better — not more complicated. As stated on Avlon’s website, “We need to build a broad patriotic coalition to defeat Donald Trump, defend our democracy and restore the middle class with commonsense solutions.”

We thank U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) for his service in the Navy and Congress. It shows great character, and qualities of leadership, but his passion in Washington appears to have steered him away from community participation. And to reiterate, he declined to join Avlon in our office. We especially thank him for his work with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on getting funds for our hospitals, a bipartisan bill still to voted on.

The 1st Congressional District historically has been known as a swing district for decades, although it was held by Republican Lee Zeldin from 2015 to 2023. And, while Avlon would be new to government, LaLota has only been a congressman for one term, thus making both choices relatively new to the world of national politics.

LaLota is not a rookie, though. He served as chief of staff to Suffolk County presiding officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), and additionally served on the Suffolk Board of Elections. He was also a trustee for the Village of Amityville, New York.

Despite Nick LaLota’s deeply-seated convictions and prior work for Long Island, for the reasons listed above we believe that John Avlon’s conviction for the truth — and willingness to give up his successful career in journalism to make the differences he wants to see in our district — will make him a valuable representative in Congress.

Correction: In our print editions, Senator Gillibrand is referred to as a congresswoman.

New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo

Palumbo represents the interests of his constituents

TBR News Media is endorsing incumbent Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) for reelection to the 1st New York Senate District seat. 

Despite being a member of the legislative minority, Palumbo has been nothing short of a productive legislator. His platform is largely defined by pro-taxpayer policies, a strict fiscal conservatism in opposition to perceived governmental wastefulness, and strong advocacy for law enforcement. Moreover, Palumbo is strictly opposed to controversial bail-reform laws passed under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) administration. 

TBR News Media reached this endorsement largely due to Palumbo’s experience in the position and relative effectiveness in government — he is a seasoned legislator and punches above his weight in a state Senate which is defined by a Democratic supermajority. Palumbo has done well to represent the interests of his constituents, and TBR believes that he will continue to do so. 

Moreover, Palumbo represents a degree of political moderation which is palatable at the state level and has allowed him to better represent Long Island families. Even as a freshman assemblyman, Palumbo passed influential tax legislation to save Long Island families money and has continually fought to ensure that Long Island receives its fair share of school aid and infrastructure funding. 

That being said, his opponent, Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), is an absolutely qualified candidate with a remarkable record of public service. TBR would like to express hopes that Anker remains a public servant and visible to the community — her devotion has not gone unnoticed. Despite her track record on the local level, Anker simply does not provide the degree of seniority presented by Palumbo that provides the basis of this endorsement. Our community will continue to benefit immensely from her past and present service. 

In the meantime, we will stand behind the incumbent.

TBR News Media is endorsing Sen. Mario Mattera for this year's election. File photo by Raymond Janis

By TBR Staff

This election cycle, TBR News Media is endorsing incumbent Mario Mattera (R-St. James) for New York’s 2nd Senate District. Mattera has served in this position for two terms  and has been proven true to his word.

His track record displays his commitment to his constituents. From assisting with Smithtown-area sewer projects to helping restore Foundation Aid for schools across the state, Mattera is respected for his ability to get his boots on the ground and fight against the issues that plague our communities.

Mattera’s strong approval for both Proposition 2 on this year’s ballot, as well as his position as ranking member on the state’s Energy and Telecommunications Committee, shows a concern for environmental issues. He is a proponent of carbon capture technology and green hydrogen development, which serve to mitigate emissions in power plants and waste facilities.

His efforts to keep our communities employed is quite impressive. Mattera’s championing of legislation that requires project labor agreements for projects worth over $10 million has been extremely beneficial in increasing employment rates, as the agreement stipulates that these public works only employ local laborers.

Craig Herskowitz (D) is a very intelligent man and seems to genuinely care about the community in which he lives, as well. His thoughtful and curious demeanor is refreshing, and his clear respect for the incumbent was palpable. While his policy ideas are well-intentioned, he simply lacks the seasoned experience of the incumbent. Giving up his post as a judge to commit himself totally to this campaign is admirable, and if his spirit and willingness to learn is any indicator of his future, this is not the last time we will hear of him.

Correction: In our paper editions, it was stated that Sen. Mattera supports Proposition 1. That is incorrect; he supports Proposition 2.