Muscarella’s hand should stay on 8th District’s wheel

Vincent Muscarella is a well-known and respected attorney who has served the 8th District since 1995. Over the past 14 years he has established himself as a man with an eye on the community and a finger on the pulse of voters there. He has earned the endorsement of the Herald.

The 8th District includes many disparate elements, from the larger commercial areas in Garden City to the sleepiest residential street in Franklin Square. It’s often difficult to encapsulate the values of a large area, but it’s something that Muscarella has spent more than a decade working to accomplish.

He is connected to the gears of his community. His face is familiar to business owners and residents, not just because he’s in the community, but because he’s of the community. Being able to reach out and touch your local legislator isn’t difficult for residents of the 8th, and that’s a valuable thing. When your constituents see you as a neighbor and not as a face on the bus bench, you know you’re doing the job the way it was meant to be done.

Perhaps Muscarella’s best quality is his legislative acumen. He is a man who knows the ins and outs of county and state government as well as anyone, and prides himself on his ability to write a piece of legislation that both sides of the aisle can get behind. That’s a valuable skill in a local legislature, and Muscarella has it in spades.

Property and school taxes are the hottest issues residents are facing, and the Herald found that Muscarella has a solid grasp on this issue. His belief that government has to tighten its belt is a shrewd one, and his constituents have shown they agree with it.

His challenger, Gaspare Tumminello, is a hard-working young man with the mentality of a successful politician. He wants to stick his neck out to help people, whether it means responding to a Franklin Square resident with a downed tree or providing jobs through the Lighthouse project. Tumminello’s strengths are obvious: He has a passion for his community, and he is clearly dedicated to responding to issues large and small.

His idea to create more frequent town halls and forums — both live and online — where residents can discuss and work out the issues of the day is a great one. No matter who wins on Nov. 3, we hope to see that practice implemented. As well, Tumminello’s desire to not just make government more efficient, but to generate profits for the district, is an principal more legislators — local, state and federal — should aspire to.

Ultimately, our endorsement comes down to what is best for the community. While Tumminello is an exciting candidate, his hard work can’t trump Muscarella’s proven ability to meet constituents’ needs. Residents should return him to office on Election Day.