By Brian Zanzonico and Dana Williams
Muscarella set to defend 8th District seat
Longtime incumbent is challenged by Uhl, former water commissioner
By Brian Zanzonico and Dana Williams
Michael Uhl is no stranger to being a long shot. As a huge underdog in the Hempstead Water District commissioner's race in 2000, Uhl upset 30-year incumbent Anthony Dignoti.
Now Uhl, the Democratic candidate in the Nassau County Legislature's 8th District, hopes to do the same against popular incumbent Vincent Muscarella, a Republican from West Hempstead and an original member of the Legislature. Uhl faces no small task: Muscarella earned 75 percent of the vote 2005.
The 8th Legislative District covers West Hempstead, Franklin Square, portions of Elmont and Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Garden City and Garden City South.
Born and raised in West Hempstead, Uhl is a member of the West Hempstead Civic Association's Board of Directors. He counts among his accomplishments organizing a group of volunteers to plant trees, maintain flower beds and pick up litter in Hall's Pond Park in West Hempstead.
As the water district commissioner from 2001 to 2003, Uhl said he spearheaded the effort to replace the water tower on 7th Street in Garden City South. He also said that under his watch, the district hired an upstate firm that tracks toxic spills. In addition to sitting on the water district board, Uhl also served as the Nassau and Suffolk Water Commission's secretary from 2000 to 2002.
Muscarella is also a West Hempstead resident. Prior to becoming a legislator, he was a state Assemblyman for four years, representing the 22nd Assembly District.
At the League of Women Votes Candidates Forum at Elmont Public Library on Oct. 11, Muscarella said that he has worked diligently to promote legislation to help young people in Nassau County, and mentioned the county's tattoo and piercing law. The law requires anyone under 18 to get parental consent before getting a tattoo or piercing.
Muscarella, who grew up in Elmont, said that as a legislator, he has worked to address the most serious health issues county residents are facing. He said he helped get the first smoking-prohibition ordinance passed. Environmental issues are also a top priority for him, he said, and he continues to address them as a member of the Legislature's Health and Social Services Committee.
Uhl said that if he were elected, he would target people who damage or remove political signs during campaign season. A victim himself, he said, he would introduce legislation that would make it a crime if a town employee, special district supervisor or commissioner steals political signs, and would recommend their removal from office and take away their pension and health insurance.
Uhl said he would meet with Nassau County Police Department officials and propose the creation of a task force to put an end to such practices. He suggested that one the reasons so many local elections lack viable challengers is because people are intimidating into not running -- especially people like him, who are endorsed by political parties but are given limited financial backing to promote their candidacies.
"It's a matter of money, and it's a matter of freedom of speech," Uhl said. "We're talking democracy here."
If he is re-elected, Muscarella said, he will lobby for additional funding for the county's youth board. He loves democracy, he said at the forum, and he pledged to make sure residents in the district will always have a voice in the decisions that are being made in their communities.
