For Nassau County Legislator Cynthia Nuñez, representing District 14 is an extension of nearly two decades spent raising her family and becoming involved in the Valley Stream community.
Before being elected to the Legislature, Nuñez, 47, served on the Valley Stream District 24 Board of Education and the village’s Board of Zoning Appeals. She previously worked at a law firm, as director of operations, and is now chief operating officer for a legal technology data platform.
But one role remains particularly important to her. “My most important thing, if I don’t say anything else, I’m a mom,” Nuñez told Herald reporters during a roundtable interview.
Her daughter graduated from Penn State University this year, and her son is a junior in high school. Nuñez said that her years as a PTA member, a class parent and a sports mom helped her build relationships with families she now represents.
Her path to elected office began on the school board, where she chaired its legislative committee and helped secure funding for sensory playgrounds and water-filtration systems. Nuñez was elected to the Legislature in 2025, and is seeking another term representing Valley Stream, Lynbrook and Elmont.
Nine months into her first term, Nuñez pointed to nearly $292,000 secured for the Lynbrook police and fire departments, including police radios and lifesaving fire equipment, and nearly $239,000 for Valley Stream public works equipment in Valley Stream.
“I spoke to Chief Paladino,” she said, referring to Lynbrook Police Chief Brian Paladino, “and that was my first couple of weeks in office. I was like, ‘What do you need? I’m here to help.’”
Beyond equipment, Nuñez said that strengthening relationships between residents and law enforcement is another priority. She pointed to the Lynbrook P.D.’s participation in a National Night Out event with Nassau County police as an example.
“One of the biggest things we can do is building those community relationships,” she said. “Being able to cross that imaginary border and be like, ‘I’m here to help no matter what.’”
Nuñez also helped obtain $500,000 for a flood-mitigation and drainage study addressing recurring flooding in District 14. She said she has watched conditions worsen during her nearly 20 years in Valley Stream, and recalled her campaign office flooding on the day it opened last year.
“Business owners, homeowners can’t keep bearing that burden every time it rains,” she said. “You can’t be scared every time it rains. That’s not a healthy way to live.”
Affordability is another focus. Nuñez introduced legislation seeking to cap the portion of the price of gasoline and diesel that would be subject to county tax at $3 per gallon, emphasizing that fuel costs affect everything from commuting to grocery prices.
She has also sought to make county government more accessible through town halls, mobile office hours and workshops on property taxes and homeownership. Nuñez opposed moving public comment ahead of legislative committee discussions, arguing that residents should first hear where their representatives stand.
Accessibility, she said, also means remaining part of the community outside government. Residents now approach her at her son’s football games to discuss their concerns. “Their pain point is my pain point,” she said. “We live right next door to each other.”
That connection shapes how she views the office she holds. “Only one person can sit in the seat, but the seat belongs to all of us,” she said. “I just happen to be the person sitting in the seat right now.”
