Roger Corbin, the Democratic incumbent in the Nassau County Legislature's 2nd District, is being challenged by Republican candidate Darrol Lopez, a newcomer to the political scene.
There is no doubt that either candidate would provide solid leadership in the diverse district, which encompasses Lakeview, West Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Uniondale, Hempstead, Hicksville, Old Westbury, New Cassel, Westbury, East Meadow and parts of East Garden City.
Lopez, 42, exhibits the kind of character that would help to further unite the district. He is a real people person, with the ability to handle difficult situations tactfully. He also exudes patience and compassion when helping others.
The challenger, a lifelong Lakeview resident, Lopez has been the deputy commissioner of the Town of Hempstead's Highway Department for the past 10 years, and he has used his authority to open up the lines of communication between lawmakers and residents of his district. In fact, residents have told the Herald on numerous occasions that they have approached Lopez for help on both the local and county levels, and they have seen immediate results.
We believe, however, that Corbin, a six-term legislator, has the experience and resources to continue to create the needed changes in the district, and we see no reason to replace him. The Herald strongly encourages voters to re-elect Corbin on Tuesday.
The 61-year-old incumbent not only shows compassion for his constituents, but also pursues legislation to improve the lives of all Nassau County residents. He helped pass a bill that will provide a partial tax exemption for qualified first-time home buyers in Nassau County. The bill will provide a break on property taxes for the first five years.
In order to keep cigarettes off high school campuses, Corbin, a longtime resident of Westbury, supported the passage of the county's Tobacco 19 law, which raised the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 19.
Corbin has devoted many years to public service. He served as deputy town leader of North Hempstead in 1991, he has been a zone leader in Westbury, and he was a member of the original Charter Revision Committee in 1994. The committee was instrumental in establishing the foundation for the Nassau County Legislature.
If he is elected to another term, Corbin told the Herald Editorial Board, he wants to focus on improving health care by upgrading county hospitals, so more residents can receive immediate medial attention. He also plans to help bring more viable businesses into areas such as Hempstead to encourage economic revitalization, which, he said, will help the county grow. We hope to see Corbin act decisively on these ideas over the next two years.
As a member of the NAACP's Lakeview branch, a successful coach at Malverne High School and a youth mentor, Lopez's positive influence on the lives of others is undeniable. He is a well-informed, community-minded man, and we hope this is not the last we hear from him.
