Patch Candidate Profile: Jarod Morris For Babylon Town Council

TOWN OF BABYLON, 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 candidates vying for open seats.

Wyandanch School Board President, Jarod Morris, will challenge incumbent councilmen DuWayne Gregory and Terrence McSweeney for a spot on the Town of Babylon Council.

Voters must elect two out of the three candidates for Babylon Town Council. If elected, Morris would be the youngest council member in town history.

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

The Republican candidate told Patch why he should be elected to the town council. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Name

Jarod Barry Morris

How old will you be as of Election Day?

25

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

https://morrisforbabylon.com

What city or town do you live in?

Wyandanch

What office are you seeking?

Councilman

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

Town of Babylon

Party affiliation.

Republican

Education.

2016 Graduate of North Babylon High School; attended Livingstone College, now attends Grand Canyon University.

What is your occupation?

Teaching Assistant

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

Single; Mother was a Sgt in the U.S. Army; Father was a Corporal in the U.S. Army.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

Wyandanch UFSD Board of Education, Trustee 2020- Present

Board President 2022 - Present

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?

I am running for Town Council because I have a proven track record of success.

It is time that we have a balance on the town board. As the town becomes less affordable and unsafe, we must ensure that we are serving in the best interest of all residents and providing the necessary service for our constituents.

Unfortunately, the current leadership has failed in upholding their elected duties.

Today, Babylon, is unsafe and unaffordable. That is why I am running for councilman.

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

Affordability. I will review our budget to find where we can save money, which will ultimately cut our spending and reduce taxes.

I will work with entities that offer career-driven opportunities while staying away from tax deals. In doing so, this will provide opportunities for residents to live here comfortably, work here, and stay here.

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

We must work together with elected officials on all levels of government to secure money to alleviate the potential tax burden and offer the most advance septic tanks which are able to filter out nitrogen.

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

It is no secret that our infrastructure and highways are in desperate need of repair. This town board has failed ALL town residents by allowing our roads and infrastructure to fall into such disarray. We must secure funding that will stop botched repairs and patch work and will provide roads that are safe and sustainable.

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

As your next councilman, I will meet with business owners in each hamlet to hear from the on what issues are affecting them and how I can help them. I will work with them to ensure that they are able to thrive here in Babylon. In the Town of Babylon, we need real affordable housing that is income based and will allow residents to rent at a true affordable rate.

The Town must also make way for agencies and businesses with career opportunities to come into Babylon. In doing so, this will introduce jobs to Babylon that will give residents a decent working wage they can live off of and provide for their families.

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 federal government must do their part and we must also do ours. The Town of Babylon is not a sanctuary township. If migrants are placed in the Town of Babylon, funding must follow them as well. The town board must be proactive with this issue and not reactive. We must call on the federal government to take action.

As a town board, we must take a stand by adopting a resolution blocking the housing of migrants in the Town of Babylon and only allowing them to come if funding is secured for our schools and shelters to house them.

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

What makes me different from my opponents is that I am one who listens to my constituents and their concerns and fights for what's best for them. I am running so that there are checks and balance brought back to our town board.

Also, I am running on concerns of our residents. Unlike my opponents, who are running as Supervisor Schaffer and his agenda rather than the people in the Town of Babylon.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

Councilmen Gregory and McSweeney have failed Town of Babylon residents by allowing our taxes to increase 33 percent over the past five years. They have failed town residents by not addressing the many zombie homes in the township.

They have failed town residents by allowing developers to be granted tax abatements for 40 years, having a direct financial impact on our communities.

They have failed our residents by allowing hamlets to fall into disarray and fail to advocate and vote for much-needed infrastructure improvements.

They have failed and need to go!

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

Safety is a top priority of mine, as residents feel unsafe here.

We must address the drug crisis in Babylon, as we continue to see heroin overdoses on the rise here.

Fiscal responsibility is another issue as we continue to see tax hikes yet fewer services.

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

Since being elected to public office in 2020, I have been able to do the following:

1. Turn around Wyandanch School District's deficit. Upon my election, we were in the midst of a $3.8 million dollar surplus. We were able to recover from it and have over $25 million in cash reserves.

2. Made significant school safety upgrades. These much-needed upgrades have allowed the Wyandanch UFSD to have the most advanced technology that will keep our students and staff safe.

3. Undertake a $1.2 million sewer project that connected our elementary campuses to the Southwest Sewer District. We were able to come in under budget, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars.

4. Worked to improve the school tax burden on seniors, low income residents, and differently abled persons.

5. Helped to create over 150 jobs in the Wyandanch Union Free School District.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Never give up, keep going because people are depending on you!

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

I have dedicated my life to serving people. In my church, I serve as an associate minister and also a member of the church's board of stewards (finance committee). I am concerned about our future, and I am running for a better Town of Babylon for all, because I care for Babylon!