Pugliese: In front of St. Christopher’s school, they put in a crosswalk. They wanted to put the stop light five feet away from the crosswalk. That didn’t work for me, because my child had to cross that street. I wanted it 15 feet away. I started calling county and town offices and jumping through hoops, and I got it done. I was also out there supporting the 1st Precinct. I walked the streets to get the petition signed to not dead-end Harrison Avenue. I’ve always taken an active role in helping to get things done. 

What would your priorities be if you’re elected?

Curran: I see this as a two-pronged job. The first part is dealing with the constituents. There are so many levels of government in Nassau County. In Freeport you have the village, the village board, and the town and the town board, and then the County Legislature … There’s a lot of local government. One thing I want to do is help my constituents with their nuts-and-bolts problems. If they have a question about a street sign or a pothole, I would like to help them navigate the government and find the best way to solve the problem. 

The other side is helping to guide the county into the 21st
century. Taxes are the No. 1 issue on everyone’s mind. And though the county portion of the tax bill is really quite small, the county is in a good position to help create an easier financial climate for residents. Fostering things like smart growth; creating accessible, walkable downtowns; bringing in business. I think that officials on every level must work together to get these initiatives done. Young people are leaving. They can’t afford to stay here. If we make it attractive and fun, they will stay. Then more people will be paying into the tax base, and jobs and businesses will follow. 

Pugliese: I need to be out there in the community, finding out what people’s needs are and figuring out how to get those things done. We need to deal with basic complaints. I was just talking to a gentleman who was having a problem with an unregistered car on his block. I want to help people solve their problems. I need to know what’s going on in the community.