Herald endorsement

Go with McKevitt in the 17th A.D.

Posted

Tom McKevitt has served the 17th Assembly District honorably since his election in 2006. The East Meadow resident is not only extremely visible in the communities he serves, but he has proved that he will respond to the needs of his constituents when called on.

One example was when people who live near the Nassau University Medical Center, in East Meadow, petitioned for parking restrictions on their residential streets to relieve traffic congestion. Because it was a local problem, drafting state legislation was an uphill and risky endeavor, since it not only required the approval of the State Senate, the Assembly and Governor Cuomo, but was competing against other proposed laws that may have been of higher priority.

But McKevitt — with the help of Sen. Kemp Hannon, of Garden City — pushed the legislation through, and in July 2013 Cuomo signed a bill into law enabling the Town of Hempstead to draft its own parking restrictions.

That’s the type of hands-on representation the 17th District needs, and we believe McKevitt will continue to deliver.

He was involved with the dissolution of the Long Island Power Authority, on which he heaped criticism following its slow response to Hurricane Sandy. And each year McKevitt is successful in obtaining extra school aid from the state for local districts.

To his credit, Jonathan Clarke is a serious candidate. This is the second time he has run for elected office (he challenged Dennis Dunne last year in Nassau County’s 15th Legislative District), and he has mounted two legitimate campaigns, making it clear he is eager to make his voice heard. We encourage him to keep trying.

But McKevitt not only has the name recognition and the experience — he’s the third-ranking Republican assemblyman —he is personable, is well-liked in his district and has proved that he will go against the odds to fight for his constituents. Choose McKevitt next Tuesday.