Ford, Lebowitz face off in county’s 4th Legislative District

Denise Ford, who has served in the Nassau County Legislature for 12 years, is being challenged for another two-year term by fellow Long Beach resident Keith Lebowitz. Election Day is Nov. 3.

District 4 includes Atlantic Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Island Park, Lido Beach, Long Beach, Point Lookout and parts of Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Lawrence, Oceanside and Woodmere.

Herald: You have been in office for 12 years. What are you most proud of?

Ford: I was always involved with the Bay Park Sewage Treatment plant; I went on tours years ago. Then the plant decided to fall apart even more, we had the brown tide situation and Sludge Stoppers was formed. The Department of Public Works started making changes in the holding tanks. Then [Hurricane] Sandy came. Since then I’ve been working with the county to be sure repairs were done properly.

One of the issues was the effluent coming into Reynolds Channel and the Western Bays. About eight years ago, we started floating the idea of an outflow pipe. We formed the Western Bays group, which consisted of the Surfrider Foundation and Operation Splash. We were able to get funding for an actual scientific study of the Western Bays so we would know what we had to do to clean it up. The first report was frightening.

We were able to get the Jones Beach outflow pipe, and connect that to the Cedar Creek one.

I now represent that area, and one of the benefits to the community since they have repaired the Bay Park plant is Bay Park. Part of the park used to be under water, but they built a wall and raised it three feet, so now the park is huge, and if you have a county leisure pass it is open to you.

Herald: Why are you running for county legislator?

Lebowitz: I think I’m uniquely qualified because I’m not a lawyer, I’m not a politician, I’m a father and a husband and I have worked in business my whole life. I know how to make things happen, I know how to get things done and I know how to do it within a budget. I know how to make people want to do things, which is important. I want to find ways so my children can afford to live here. That’s the bottom line. They can’t afford to live here right now.

H: What would you do to balance the budget?