Candidate Profile: Stephen Becker For Suffolk Legislature

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Suffolk County residents are gearing up to head to the polls for Election Day on Nov. 2, where they will be voting on the Suffolk County Legislature. Incumbent Legislator Tom Donnelly is running in the 17th Legislative District against challenger Stephen Becker.

The 17th Legislative District is composed of Cold Spring Hills, Deer Park, Dix Hills, Huntington, Huntington Station, South Huntington, Melville, North Babylon, West Babylon and West Hills.

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

Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Stephen Becker

Age (as of Election Day)

40

Position Sought

Suffolk County Legislator for District 17

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

Wife: Khatera; Son in middle school: John; Daughter in elementary school: Sophia (on the autism spectrum & non-verbal)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

Occupation

HVAC industry - 10 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

www.StephenBecker.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

"Our taxes are amongst the highest in the nation, and when the county is not raising our taxes they try to sneak it past us, such as adding a $300 mortgage recording fee and increasing the tax map verification fee from $60 to $200. This is why Long Island is experiencing a mass exodus of young people who are moving to places where they can afford to have and raise a family. Our elderly on fixed incomes are experiencing financial stresses like never before. There was a time that Long Island was an incredible place to live, a place where you could raise a family, buy a home, and retire comfortably on a blue-collar salary. It is no longer that way. I believe we can take that dream back with responsible governance and 'Let's Make Long Island Livable for All.'"

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

"The financial crisis we're currently in, and the direction we're going. Every year the New York State Comptroller ranks every one of the 62 counties in New York in terms of fiscal stress. Suffolk has ranked 62nd out of 62 for three years in a row. The ratings agencies such as Fitch's and Moody's keeping dropping our bond status, and they tell us it's because the county borrows too much. I believe the county has a role in helping its residents, especially those with need. However, we cannot as a county help those in need unless we're in a financial position to do so."

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

"What happens when you've been in politics too long is that your income and identity become entangled in the political world. As such, these people become reluctant to do the right thing at times, because they want to stay in the political world whether they win or lose. I've never run for politics before and have no such entanglements. I can always go back to what I've been doing. Running for office is not some next step in my career, I'm actually stepping away from my career and doing this for my children and the future of Long Island."

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

"I mentioned earlier that we rank last in all of New York State in terms of counties in fiscal stress. If Suffolk County was a business it would be out of business. It's time to bring in people who have experience in the private sector and can make decisions that make financial sense."

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

"Local officials didn't respond at all to the coronavirus. They allowed [former Gov. Andrew] Cuomo to mandate everything from Albany and when asked, our local politicians take no ownership but instead brag about how they distributed PPE supplies. Charities and businesses all over Suffolk did the same and don't ask for accolades. Our county received hundreds of millions of dollars in covid relief funds, and the current legislators' use of the funds still wound up in 1 in 6 small businesses in Long Island closing. The County Legislature needs to dedicate more of the federal relief funds to help small businesses recover from the effects of the lockdowns. This will help them bounce back, which will bring back the thousands of jobs that were lost. These are our family, friends, and neighbors who lost their jobs. Suffolk County deserves responsible leadership, like Rensselaer County had upstate, to stand up and do what is right for the residents."

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

"The most pressing issue is our financial situation. Once that is addressed we'll have the resources to address items such as the incredibly large potholes I've seen that take a long time to fix, we will be able to address the job situation on Long Island and be able to incentivize companies to bring back the lucrative jobs Long Island used to have."

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

"I have been successful in the private sector, where success is measured not by who talks the best and is most charismatic, but rather by actual hard numbers and achieving results. Throughout my career, I have worked with several Fortune 500, and even Fortune 100 companies and received accolades and awards for my performance in achieving results."

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"'If it's worth doing, then it's worth giving it 100%' - my father."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

"I want to know what's important to the people of Suffolk as well. I've met so many of my neighbors and other concerned Long Islanders since I started my campaign, and they've all expressed to me what matters to them and the changes they'd like to see. I believe in what our founding father's promised us, this is a government 'of the people, by the people, and for the people.' It's time we had our voices heard."