Thursday, October 1, 2026
The late Sam Rayburn, the redoubtable Texas Congressman and speaker of the House of Representatives, used to say, “If you want to get along, go along.” The Herald’s conversation a few weeks ago with incumbent 17th District County Legislator Rose Walker brought this sentiment to mind.
Walker, a Republican, has served her communities long and well: as a member of various civic clubs and organizations, as an educator, and as a five-term legislator. But 10 years is enough. It’s time for a change. It’s not enough to repeat the party line on taxes (they should be lower), the cost of living (it should be lower) and the current battle over property tax assessments (our way is better). It’s time for new ideas and new approaches.
Walker’s Democratic challenger, Allen Foley, rightly recognizes that the any plan to make Nassau County more affordable and retain young people must include a plan to create jobs. He emphasizes that those jobs must support the middle-class lifestyle on which the county was built — “long-term, good-paying jobs with benefits,” Walker told the Herald editorial board.
As well, Foley recognizes that County Executive Laura Curran’s assessment policies will help individual households and ensure that every property owner pays a fair share.
Walker follows the Republican line in the Legislature: “I do believe we had to tackle the assessment problem,” she told us, “but I think it was rushed.” In other words, we’ll fix the problem; just not now.
We have no doubt that her belief is sincere, but the majority to which she belongs has had 10 years to fix the problems that plague the county — the same decade during which she has served as a representative. The result is a broken system of property assessment that favors those at the top, and a lack of good jobs and affordable housing that is pushing out young people and seniors.
In the interest of constructive, progress-spurring change, we urge voters to support Allen Foley on Tuesday.
