Sunday, November 9, 2025
Democrat Joseph Scianablo, a Marine combat veteran, former NYPD officer and prosecutor, is running for Town of Hempstead supervisor on a platform of restoring transparency, lowering taxes and holding local government accountable.
Scianablo, of Garden City, said he is running because of what he views as a lack of transparency from the current Town Board. He noted that families across the town are feeling the strain of rising costs — from a 12 percent property tax hike to increases in water, power and fuel bills.
Following the Aug. 5 appointment of his Republican opponent, John Ferretti, as town supervisor, 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. On Oct. 9, State Supreme Court Justice Gary Carlton ruled that the appointment had violated the law, but the decision did not nullify Ferretti’s appointment.
The violation, Scianablo said reflected a disregard for basic laws meant to ensure accountability.
He added that he was frustrated with government waste and the misuse of taxpayer money. “This is what’s wrong with our local government,” he said. “It reeks of corruption. It reeks of waste, fraud and abuse. The people deserve better.”
Scianablo said he wants to restore integrity by getting the town’s finances in order with operational and financial audits. He also aims to make local government more accessible to working families by holding more Town Board meetings in the evening.
“We all want the same thing from our government, and that’s what you’re going to get from me,” he said. “Your voices are going to be heard and you’re going to be governed fairly, and the people are going to be put first.”
If elected, Scianablo said, he would focus in his first 100 days on converting all town streetlights to LED fixtures to save an estimated $1 million annually, implementing zero-based budgeting to ensure that every dollar is justified, and exploring shared services with neighboring towns to reduce duplicate costs.
His platform emphasizes what he calls “common-sense solutions,” including proactive infrastructure maintenance, performance-based funding and energy efficiency upgrades. He added that communities such as Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, and especially Baldwin have been calling for long-overdue development.
Improving public safety and supporting veterans, Scianablo said, would also be key priorities. Drawing on his law enforcement background, he hoped to strengthen trust between communities and public safety agencies. “I’m excited to see what we could do to make sure we bridge that divide between community and policing,” he said.
Scianablo said he also wants to support residents affected by domestic violence by partnering with nonprofits, law enforcement, and the Nassau County district attorney’s office. He has criticized the closure of the Safe Center LI, a Nassau-based facility for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors that closed in March, and pledged to expand related services through collaboration with the county and community partners.
“There is no one-stop shopping for survivors, victims and children to domestic violence,” Scianablo said. “We need to continue with that approach.”
He emphasized that he wants to serve as a supervisor who is accountable to the people of the Town of Hempstead.
“We are all seeking a government that is accountable for the people,” he said. “We are all seeking a government that’s transparent for the people. We are all on the same team here.”
