It’s hard to argue with a track record like that of Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, a Democrat from Glen Cove. Over the past eight years, he took a fiscally mismanaged, virtually insolvent county and turned it around, consistently balancing a budget that seemingly could not be balanced. Suozzi saved money by cutting the county work force by 1,000 employees and instituting tried-and-true management practices that were previously nonexistent. At the same time, he has put in place a host of programs to improve residents’ quality of life, from smoking-cessation regimens to energy-efficiency incentives. more

While it might be easy to overlook the office of county clerk, the office plays an important role in keeping Nassau County’s court cases and real estate humming. They hum now, at least, and that’s in large part the work of County Clerk Maureen O’Connell, who has earned the Herald’s endorsement. more

Francis X. Becker Jr., who is seeking a seventh term as the representative of Nassau County’s 6th Legislative District, says that his ability to help his constituents on a personal level, along with his desire to make bipartisan decisions in the coming years, makes him the ideal candidate for re-election. more

Democrat Jeff Toback, the 7th District’s legislator since 2000, was part of the team that brought Nassau County back from the brink of bankruptcy, which is just one of the reasons we believe he should continue his tenure in the Legislature. more

In the race for Town of Hempstead clerk, the choice is clear: Republican incumbent Mark Bonilla of Bellmore. more

I’d like to devote my 750 words this week to shamelessly promoting two books by a former colleague and good friend, Michael Otterman. They are “American Torture” (Melbourne University Publishing, 2007) and “Erasing Iraq: The Human Cost of Carnage,” to be published in 2010. more

Shall we begin with the Nobel Peace Prize? I was as surprised as any American when the Nobel Committee announced its decision two weeks ago, and I was delighted. more

The two candidates running for the 3rd District seat in the Nassau County Legislature both know the challenges residents are facing. more

Much to the surprise of most Americans, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. Their decision was based on Obama’s “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” They also noted his “vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.” more

While Nassau County residents are paying some of the highest taxes in the nation, Comptroller Howard Weitzman has done his part to ease the burden somewhat. During the past eight years Weitzman has shown that he is a competent financial watchdog, and has looked for savings in places no one before him ever tried. more