Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two East Meadow residents would like to lead the Nassau County Legislature’s District 13. Incumbent Tom McKevitt has been a legislator since 2017, but he has other government experience having served as a New York state assemblyman for 11 years prior. Challenger Eileen Napolitano does not have political experience but she is involved in the community where she serves as an East Meadow School Board trustee. Both are passionate about serving the residents in the district.
Election Day is less than a month away. We asked the candidates a few questions to help voters make their decision when they go to the polls on Nov. 2.
Herald: As the economy emerges after Covid, what type of long-term planning would you introduce that would benefit your district?
Tom McKevitt: With one in six businesses no longer operating due to Covid, it is important to revitalize our economy and our downtowns. I voted in favor of allocating millions of dollars from federal funds to assist small businesses with loans and grants to assist them with the severe consequences from the coronavirus pandemic. I have been, and will continue to follow up with businesses to make sure that their grant applications are being timely processed and the funds are promptly received.
I have been supporting development of the Nassau Coliseum property that will not only provide economic development in the area, but also housing for our next generation, which is solely neded. I am the co-chair of an infrastructure-working group for the development of the Nassau Coliseum property. I will ensure that the project has the property planning and tools to be successful.
The Nassau University Medical Center has been part of the fabric of the community for decades. It’s survival is important, because it serves an important healthcare need for underserved communities, and is also a Level One Trauma Center providing care for those critically injured. This institution also employs over 3,000 workers who shop at local businesses and utilize services. I have been and continue to fully support NUMC to continue to operate. I have been advocating for American Rescue Plan Act funds to be utilized, which will allow the hospital to improve carrying out its mission.
Eileen Napolitano: As per the Nassau County Comptroller, we have a surplus of tax revenue. I believe a portion of that should be earmarked for businesses needing assistance recovering from the pandemic. Getting business back up and working puts employees, who are usually local residents, back to work. This has a cyclical effect. As more individuals get back to full-time work, more money is used in the community.
Herald: What are the two most important issues that need addressing in the Legislature that are relevant to your district?
McKevitt: Public safety is always the most important function of a government. I will continue to ensure that our police and first responders are adequately funded so they can carry out their missions. Providing for public safety also includes addressing the opioid crises, which we were making much progress on until Covid. The county has recently received hundreds of millions of dollars from settlements with opioid manufactures and distributors. I supported and voted for a dedicated fund of these monies to be earmarked for fighting this crisis. I have also sponsored numerous successful drug take-back programs as well as Narcan trainings, which enables all citizens to combat this problem.
Providing for a full county workforce to provide services for our residents is essential. There is no regular schedule to maintain storm basins and various county properties due to staff shortages. It has recently been discovered that there is a backlog in the Department of Consumer Affairs of hundreds of applications for new licenses and thousands of license renewals. This prevents businesses from employing workers and generating badly needed income. I will continue our oversight to ensure that the backlog is resolved.
Napolitano: Better contract vetting, making sure we are not overpaying for services, repairs etc. Also, leasing out county-owned vacant buildings and land that can bring revenue and put them back on the tax roll increases revenue that can be passed down to the taxpayer.
Herald: What is the best way to address the high property taxes that are causing young people to leave Long Island?
McKevitt: We must continue to hold the line on property taxes. As a New York State Assemblyman, I was an early supporter of, and voted in favor of the tax cap, which has significantly reduced how much our property taxes would have increased. This past year I voted in favor of a “special revenue fund” that would require a portion of surplus county money to be directed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars of judgments owed to homeowners and businesses for property tax refunds. These moneys should have been paid back a long time ago and the payments should be made as soon as practical, not only to make these taxpayers whole, but also to limit the amount of interest that is accumulating at county taxpayer expense.
Napolitano: With the property assessment program unfrozen, residents are paying their fair share, which reduces the amount of grievances and refunds that historically has impacted the county’s finances. There are many applications available to homeowners for additional tax breaks, including the Enhanced Star Program for individuals 65 and over. In addition, there is a Veterans Real Tax Property Exemption program. This information is not readily available and should be targeted through the legislator’s office to inform those that live in that district.
