Election Day 2023: Arnold Drucker Seeks Another Term In Legislature

PLAINVIEW, NY — Before voters get ready to go to the polls, Patch is helping residents learn about the candidates on this year's ballot.

Name Arnold W. Drucker

How old will you be as of Election Day? 66

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here. https://www.facebook.com/Arnie...

What city or town do you live in? Plainview

What office are you seeking? Re-election to Nassau County Legislature

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here. Legislative District 16

Party affiliation. Democrat

Education. Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Buffalo, Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law

What is your occupation? Attorney at Law

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them. I am married to a retired High School Special Education Teacher; I have two children both of whom are attorneys and I have two grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective? Prior to being elected to the Legislature in 2016, I was appointed by former Governor Cuomo to the Nassau Community College Board of Trustees where I served for 4 years

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 want to continue doing the important work I started 7 years ago dedicated to ensuring the delivery of the services and benefits my constituents are entitled to, and to also filing important legislation to protect and improve the quality of life of my constituents and all Nassau County residents.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it. Fight for the funding to improve the infrastructure of our community, its roads, sidewalks, parks, and to help our water providers provide safe and healthy drinking water. We have the resources to do that and I will continue to fight for that each and every day.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI? We need to get our Federal, State and County governments to provide funding for our Water providers to help them improve their infrastructure and equipment needed to eliminate the emerging contaminants that exist in our drinking water.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc? We need to widen our highways where possible but we also have to improve our mass transit system so that more people will rely on mass transportation rather than clogging our roadways.

How would you plan to help local business owners, who are struggling because of high rents, inflation and labor shortages? We need to provide more grant funding and low interest loans to small business owners to help them survive during these turbulent times. By investing in local business we are investing in our local economy and downtowns which will be repaid tenfold.

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? Anyone who comes to our country to escape persecution or danger in their home country deserves food and shelter, but there has to be an effective plan in place to manage and expedite their asylum cases and by granting them work permits immediately before I would accept them into shelters on Long Island. Our Immigration System is horribly broken and until our Congress enacts effective immigration laws we are doing a disservice to our residents and to the migrants who want to come here and be productive citizens.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? The difference between Democrats like myself and Republicans is as stark as night and day. I believe in protecting and preserving our fundamental rights and freedoms, and Republicans believe they have the right to interfere with those rights and freedoms by dictating how we make personal decisions about our health, reproduction, education, environment, gender identity. There are many social issues that cannot be left to the arbitrary and intrusive decisions of government.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? I am the incumbent. What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? Providing additional funding for mental health treatment, drug and opioid treatment and recovery, and reduce/eliminate carbon emissions and fossil fuels in our government and communities

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I have passed more bi-partisan legislation over the past 7 years than any other legislator, from banning tobacco and vape products, to enacting mandatory sexual harassment training to County leaders, providing civil and criminal penalties for the unlawful dissemination of intimate images, and repaving 10 miles of roads in my district

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? To always be honest because that breeds integrity, and that is the truest measurement of one's character. And if you believe in something, pursue it as far as you can. Never quit.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? My lifelong residence in the community I represent, together with owning my own law practice for 40 years, together with my experience in higher education, have given me a unique skill set that serves me well on the Legislature. I have established a very fruitful relationship with my colleagues on the Legislature on both sides of the aisle which has enabled me to be most productive for the benefit of my constituents.