Thursday, October 1, 2026
Joseph Scianablo, a Marine combat veteran, retired New York City police officer and former Queens prosecutor, announced his candidacy for Hempstead town supervisor last week, launching a rematch against the incumbent Republican supervisor, John Ferretti.
Ferretti defeated Scianablo, a Democrat, last November. Town supervisors serve for two years, but because of a new state law that shifted all municipal elections to even-numbered years starting in 2025, Ferretti will return to the ballot this year.
Scianablo argued that his campaign last fall helped bring attention to what he described as backroom deals, inflated fees and political favoritism at Town Hall. A resident of Garden City, he focused on what he views as a lack of transparency on the current Town Board.
Scianablo also campaigned on easing the strain of rising costs in the township, from a 12 percent property tax hike to increases in water, power and fuel bills. Now, he said, he’s returning “to finish the job.”
“I am running because the people of the Town of Hempstead deserve a government that works for them, not for a handful of insiders,” Scianablo stated in a press release on Feb. 4. “What we uncovered was only the beginning, and it makes it clear there is still more that needs to be brought into the open.”
The Town of Hempstead — which encompasses Wantagh, Seaford and Levittown — is the largest township in the United States, and its supervisor is responsible for overseeing nearly 800,000 residents across 22 villages and 38 hamlets.
Ferretti was appointed interim town supervisor when Don Clavin stepped down last Aug. 5, and Scianablo filed a lawsuit alleging that Ferretti and the board violated the state’s Open Meetings Law, which requires 24 hours’ public notice for resolutions scheduled at meetings. State Supreme Court Justice Gary Carlton ruled in October that the appointment had violated the law, but his decision did not nullify Ferretti’s appointment.
Scianablo’s campaign slogan is “No Community Left Behind,” a promise, he said, to provide equal service to every neighborhood in the Town of Hempstead, regardless of political influence or affluence.
“Whether you live in one of the town’s most affluent neighborhoods or one that’s been ignored for years,” Scianablo said in the statement, “you deserve the same level of service, the same respect, and the same value for your tax dollars.”
If elected, he said, he would prioritize exposing mismanagement, initiate an independent audit of town finances and reduce fees and water costs. “We are going to put your money back to work for you,” he said.
His campaign has received the endorsement of state and Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs, who praised Scianablo’s background in military service, law enforcement and the legal system.
“Joe Scianablo represents the very best of public service,” Jacobs said in a statement. “He has the courage to tell the truth, the experience to lead, and the determination to deliver real results for the people of Hempstead.”
Scianablo acknowledged that he expects a difficult campaign, but said he was prepared. “I’ve taken on tough fights my entire life,” he said. “This is no different. We know there is a lot more to fix and that needs to be brought into the open, and we are ready.”
From 2017 to last year, Ferretti represented Legislative District 15 — which includes Levittown, Salisbury and parts of East Meadow, Bethpage, Wantagh and Seaford — in the County Legislature. A Levittown resident, he previously served as chief deputy county clerk.
In response to Scianablo’s announcement, Brian Devine, the town’s communications director, wrote in a statement to the Herald: “Supervisor John Ferretti has made life more affordable for residents by cutting Town taxes by millions of dollars, and he will continue to work tirelessly to keep our community the safest in the nation.”
Joseph Cairo, the Nassau County GOP chairman, expressed his confidence in Ferretti’s re-election chances. “John Ferretti has delivered meaningful tax relief, making life more affordable for all residents,” Cairo wrote in an email to the Herald.
Scianablo accused Ferretti’s campaign of sending out political mailers and airing commercials that show a lack of real results. “John Ferretti is sending out mailers because he doesn’t have a record he can defend,” Scianablo said in his statement. “He’s taking credit for things he didn’t do and distorting the facts. That’s going to stop. We will hold him accountable to the truth every step of the way.”
