Candidate Profile: Jason Richberg for Suffolk County Legislature D15

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Suffolk County residents will be lining up at the polls for Election Day on Nov. 7, or early voting from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5, where they will be voting for their chosen candidates.

Incumbent Jason Richberg is running for reelection as Legislator of the 15th District against Republican challenger, Richard Felix.

The 15th Legislative District covers Wheatley Heights, Wyandanch, North Amityville, Amityville Village, Copiague, parts of North Lindenhurst, West Babylon and North Babylon, and the portion of Farmingdale which lies in Suffolk County.

Patch reached out to both candidates to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Elected in 2020, the Democrat shares why he should continue serving in this position. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Name

Jason Richberg

How old will you be as of Election Day?

40

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://jasonrichberg.com

What city or town do you live in?

West Babylon, NY

What office are you seeking?

Suffolk County Legislature, District 15

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

Suffolk County Legislative District 15

Party affiliation.

Democrat, Working Families

Education.

I hold a baccalaureate degree in Political Science from Wilberforce University; the first private historically Black university in the nation, and while attending served as National Pan-Hellenic Council Chapter President as well as president of the Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

What is your occupation?

Suffolk County Legislator, elected in March 2020.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Wife, Dorinda and two sons, Andrew and Joseph.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have served the Legislature as Chief of Staff for former Legislator DuWayne Gregory, Deputy Clerk and Clerk.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

To support my community, provide opportunities, uplift those around me, and to leave this world a little better than I found it.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are obviously many important issues, but our water quality has to be at the very top. Communities of color and low-income communities have traditionally disproportionately borne the negative effects of climate change. I have seen this play out, especially in parts of my district that have a high water table, which means that their drinking water and cesspools are very close together, which is dangerous. I have also seen higher asthma rates in my district. We need to do everything in our power to push back on climate change and protect our water quality before it's too late.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI?

The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act has my 100% support, and I have been working to get the votes for it to pass. Unfortunately, the Republican majority is not going to let that happen and the referendum will not be on the ballots this November.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc.?

Our county's roads and infrastructure are obviously in need of updates. We as elected officials need to be doing all that we can to advocate to our state officials to fund these projects. In recent years, things have been moving in the right direction, but we need to fight to keep that momentum going.

How would you plan to help local business owners, who are struggling because of high rents, inflation and labor shortages?

I regularly communicate with Chambers of Commerce in my district to see what assistance is needed and share information on county, state and federal grants available. As far as staffing shortages, we are working to make sure job training programs are available and assessable in all of our communities. My door is always open, and I am always willing to help find solutions any way I can.

What is your stance on the current migrant situation affecting New York? And migrants were to be directed to shelters on Long Island, how would you prepare/plan for that?

The migrant issue is a Federal issue, and if the county is asked to provide resources, I would expect the federal government to provide the funding. If the situation presents itself, we should do what we can to assist, but make sure it is not to the detriment of the county as a whole.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a husband, father, former Sunday School teacher, former church board president, mentor, and community advocate. I am a third-generation African American who is a graduate of an HBCU. My background is not in business, but in public service. I have spent the past 12+ years of my life around the Suffolk County Legislature and have a strong understanding of how the county runs, and what our needs are. I am running to continue the work of advocating for our communities and creating opportunities for those who need the most help.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

The 15th Legislative district is a majority district of color, but we have a large income and regional disparity. My goal is to work with community groups, constituency groups, local unions, and neighbors to build a better, more active community than that of the past. I believe my role is to ensure that we are governing in an equitable way, that will provide access for all, whether that is in housing or services, or public safety.

In terms of advocacy, while I am elected to make legislation and voice concerns of my district a majority of the work we do, is advocating for services, getting constituents to help to navigate services.

In terms of safety, I want to ensure that no matter where you live you feel safe, and we prioritize the safety of our constituents on our roadways in our communities, accessing our services, and drinking our water.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Since being elected in 2020, I have served on the Suffolk County Police Reform Task Force where I fought for a more inclusive human rights law that protects all people, for better police/community relations, and for more accountability with body cameras.

I formed the county's first Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force to study the rates in Suffolk and the impact it has, especially in communities of color. I have worked to provide job access to our youth by bringing job fairs, mentoring events, and vocational training programs to their communities.

I have served as both Deputy Clerk and Clerk of the legislature and was deeply involved in the county's budget negotiation process, and as a legislator, I served as chair of the Budget & Finance committee and as a member of the Operating Budget Working Group, which helps manage the county's $3 billion budget.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Someone close to me has always said “Embrace the change," which is something I hold close to my heart because every step of my career, that’s exactly what I’ve done, and what I’ll continue to do. Change is hard, but things can’t stay the same forever, and we need to keep progressing in order to survive.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have always been big on reaching across the aisle and finding common ground. I believe that an elected official is held accountable by the people who elected them, and the public typically does not like it when issues are bogged down with partisanship and politics.

I believe that co-governance means that we should be reaching out to the people we serve for more input and also getting new blood into positions to make changes for both the present and the future, and working across the aisle is a big part of that.