Silverman: City needs ‘customer service’ focus

Marsha Silverman says she’s ready to take on Glen Cove’s biggest challenges — and she believes that her eight years on the City Council have prepared her to do just that. At 54, she has spent three decades working as a lead analytics consultant for Experian, specializing in data-driven decision-making. That skill set, she says, shapes how she approaches city government and is why she has built a reputation for working across party lines.
“I’m fortunate to have bipartisan support,” Silverman said. “I kind of cut through the politics … I will vote for something if I think it’s a good idea. I will vote against it if I think it’s not a good idea. I make fact-based decisions, not political-based decisions.”
Silverman, who has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Haverford College and an MBA in finance from NYU’s Stern School of Business, was elected to the council in 2017. Now, she says, is the right time to seek the mayor’s office. “With eight years’ experience on the City Council, I’ve learned a lot about how the city works — and how it doesn’t work well,” she said. “There are opportunities where I can help make the city a better place.”
At the top of her agenda is transforming City Hall into what she calls a “customer service-oriented” government. “The residents and business owners are our customers, and we have to serve them,” she said. Silverman wants to overhaul internal processes — such as permitting and vendor approvals — to make them faster, fairer and more consistent. She also calls for “standard operating procedures” and measurable performance metrics so residents get timely responses and city employees are held accountable.
She points to examples where inefficiency has frustrated residents, such as a part-time building director position that has led to long delays in permit approvals. “Things fall through the cracks because there’s no standardized process,” she said.

Silverman’s record on the council includes leading efforts that returned $1.6 million in overpaid taxes from Nassau County after she requested a state audit, as well as sponsoring an OSHA certification requirement to improve worker safety. She also helped rewrite the city’s procurement policy and launched a disability task force to improve accessibility. One initiative she’s especially proud of expanded medical transportation services, helping residents maintain independence.
On housing, Silverman has twice proposed raising Glen Cove’s affordable housing requirement for new developments from 10 percent to at least 15 or 20 percent. She also advocates creating “pathways to homeownership,” including subsidies for townhouses, so residents can build equity rather than remain renters.
Economic development, she argues, should focus on jobs and business growth rather than simply building more apartments. “People don’t come somewhere because of the housing opportunity — they come if there are jobs and places they want to work,” she said.
Silverman also supports stronger environmental standards in building codes and more proactive flood-mitigation planning. She notes that only two of the city’s six wells were operational when she joined the council, but now all six are functioning — progress she wants to build on.
On finances, Silverman says the city’s improved credit rating is a step forward, but much more needs to be done. “We’re like a D-plus instead of a D-minus,” she said. “We have to plan for five to 10 years from now, build reserves, and bring in new revenue streams.”
Transparency is another priority. Silverman wants more public access to information about developments and decisions before they’re finalized. “Government should be working for the people, not for itself,” she said.
As for why voters should choose her, Silverman says it comes down to fairness. “I will represent every single person — homeowner, renter, business owner — equally and fairly,” she said. “Everybody deserves equal treatment.”