Montesano, Hart look to make impact in Assembly

To Michael Montesano, a Republican incumbent who is running for his first full term in the State Assembly, making progress means being open to differing opinions, even if it means consorting with the other party.

“I pride myself on the fact that I listen to everyone’s side,” said Montesano, who won a special election in February to replace Rob Walker. “You have to have credibility with the other members. I don’t get up on the floor to argue just for the sake of face time.

So far, Montesano’s approach has translated into legislation for his district, despite being severely outnumbered by the Assembly’s Democratic majority. Three of the bills he has proposed have been signed into law. One of them established a library district in Old Brookville, while the two others authorized the villages of Muttontown and Matinicock to use trust funds to repair roadways in private parks. 

To Leon Hart, who seeks public office for the first time, efficiency starts with making government more transparent. A brighter spotlight on lawmakers and agencies, Hart said, will translate into better results. “That will cause people to act with a little bit more efficiency,” he said, “and more honesty and consideration to the public.” 

Hart explained that agencies like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority should be forensically examined, and materials should be more accessible to the public, in keeping with state sunshine laws. 

During his short stint in office, Montesano joined with Assembly colleague Dean Murray to call on the state to perform a forensic audit of the MTA. The comptroller’s office began releasing preliminary results of that audit. 

It is measures like these that Montesano hopes become a trend among the numerous authorities that operate as if on their own. “We really have to take control over this,” he said. “The problem is, when you create these quasi-public authorities, you lose control over them. They refuse to show you their books.”