Candidate Profile: Sarah Anker For New York State Senate District 1

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, and voters will choose between Sarah Anker, a Democrat, and incumbent Republican incumbent Anthony Palumbo in the race for the New York State Senate District 1 seat.

Senate District 1 covers the East End towns of East Hampton, Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Riverhead as well as some of eastern Brookhaven Town.

In anticipation of the election, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns.

Here are their answers, lightly edited for clarity.

Name

Sarah Anker

Campaign website

www.SarahAnker.com

City or town of residence

Mt. Sinai

Office sought

NYS Senate District 1

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

Bachelors of Arts, St. Leo University

Occupation

Marketing/public relations. Currently, assistant to Suffolk County BOE Commissioner

Family

3 children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

60

Previous public office, appointive or elective

2011 to 2023 Suffolk County Legislator, and 2005 to 2009 Mt. Sinai School Board Trustee.

Why are you seeking this office?

I have gained valuable skills after serving for over 12 years as a Suffolk County Legislator. I know how to connect government resources to residents that are in need. I’m proactive, productive and I get results, and I want to take my skills to Albany so Long Island has a stronger voice in state government.

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

I lead through the voices of my constituents. I’m hands-on, proactive and productive and I get real results when it comes to tackling issues and creating quality of life projects like Mt. Sinai’s Heritage Park and the North Shore Rail Trail. I support a women’s right to choose and I will be a full-time senator, unlike my opponent who is a full-time attorney and part time government rep. If elected I’ll be the first women to represent the district, and I will continue to address the high cost of living, high cancer rates, protecting our kids, and cleaning up our water.

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

Affordability, clean water, public safety, traffic issues, road repair, preserving open space and farmland, drug addiction and mental health. We have one of the largest populations of veterans and seniors in my district and as I did as a county legislator, I look forward to addressing their specific needs including making housing, electric, and health care more affordable.

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

I created the not-for-profit Community Health and Environment Coalition, to address the high cancer rates and demand that the state investigate, when no one else was doing anything to find out why the cancer rate was statistically high in my local community. Due to our advocacy, the state conducted an investigation, but more must be done.

As a county legislator, I held the line on taxes by freezing the general fund, while opposing fee hikes. I reduced government spending by streaming government and consolidating departments. When I entered public office Suffolk County had a $500 million deficit. When I left, the county had a surplus and a higher bond rating. I led workforce housing projects by partnering with communities to provide quality and affordable housing while boosting our local economy.

I fought crime and the drug epidemic by funding police and facilitating drug prevention and support programs as chair of Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel. I created safer streets by repairing roads, adding stop lights, and crossing guards near schools. I chaired the School Traffic Safety Committee addressing increased road safety measures near schools. I protected our environment by acquiring thousands of acres of open space and farmland, cleaning up Long Island Sound, and investing in clean water infrastructure. I implemented the School Active Violence Emergency (SAVE) Hotline to improve police response time to school emergencies. I created resource guides for seniors and veterans. I created resource websites for senior scams, school bullying, local businesses, and drug addiction services. I worked to reduce erosion and address flooding as part of my North Shore Erosion Taskforce. I facilitated and contributed to quality-of-life projects including the North Shore Rail Trail and the Heritage Park in Mt. Sinai.

What problems facing your district would you look to solve if you are elected?

Creating affordable workforce housing, lowering energy costs, repairing our roads, reducing government waste, and cleaning up our water.

Cancer is a prominent health issue for Long Islanders and is a leading cause of death for children. What measures would you take to help lower cancer rates and bolster research in the field?

In 2001, I founded the Community Health and Environment Coalition to address the staggering high cancer rates. The coalition advocated that our environment directly impacts our health. Working with elected officials, we brought the NYS Health Department to investigate our area. They produced a study that was flawed due to the fact that they only used data that was in their database. They didn’t take local water, soil, or air samples. If a farmer did not register a pesticide with NYS, that pesticide would not be in the database. If someone illegally dumped chemicals, that information would not be included. I will bring the state back to address the chemicals in our water and work with schools and community groups to promote the prevention of cancer through lifestyle changes and reduction in exposure to toxic chemicals.

I have been a member of Suffolk County’s Cancer Prevention Committee for over 20 years, working with agencies, health institutions, and communities. We now know we have PFOS, PFOA and 1,4 Dioxane in our drink water and it’s been there for decades along with other chemicals. We cannot wait decades to clean up our environment. Our area needs more research, funding, and proactive measures to reduce the exposure to cancer causing chemicals. We must take immediate action, and I look forward to the task.

What would you do to help small businesses struggling with inflation and the cost of goods needed to manufacture their products?

As a county legislator, I created a business website and a business hub to provide local businesses resources for funding, employment, and business growth. One of the most challenging factors in addressing business sustainability and growth is finding affordable housing for employees including trans orient development and smart growth communities.

Water quality is critical to the region. What plans do you have to help improve water quality and keep it safe for generations?

As a legislator, I preserved thousands of acres of open space and approved clean water initiatives including: Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program and Land Stewardship Initiatives (WQPRP), Healthy Lawns, Clean Water" Fertilizer Reduction Program, Stormwater Management Program, and the Integrated Pest Management Program for county properties.

I support proposition 2, Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, that will provide funding to implement advanced septic systems, fund sewer districts, create jobs, and restore our local bays and harbors. Keeping in mind that Long Island’s $7 billion tourism industry relies on having both clean drinking and surface water, I look forward to investing in clean water initiatives as your NYS Senator. We live on a sole source aquifer and must better protect our drinking water from nitrogen and chemical contamination, and I will continue to prioritize cleaning up and keeping our water clean and safe by bringing additional funding to our district to preserve open space and sewer infrastructure, and working with law enforcement to crack down on illegal dumping.

How can the immigration crisis be addressed at the federal and local level? Can federal and local officials work together?

The immigration process is broken and must be overhauled to maintain and sustain legal immigration in this country. I will work bipartisan with all levels of government to address the immigration crisis. We must first address the needs and issues of legal citizens and then look to provide help to those who enter this country legally. At the federal level there must be accountability and action to address the current immigration crisis.

The median cost of renting on Long Island falls between $2,000 and $3,100. How can more affordable housing options be created?

I support the creation of a New York First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account Program that would allow residents to receive a state tax deduction when saving money for their first home in New York. In addition, I initiated the Planned Young Adult Community concept which involves building affordable housing on or near college campuses. I support trans orient development, building housing near transportation hubs, and requiring builders to include affordable housing when building large developments. Finally, businesses and corporations can invest in workforce housing to provide their workforce with affordable housing options.

What is your stance on SALT (State and Local Tax Relief)?

I support the state and local tax payments that provide relief for property owners when filing their taxes. I do not support the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that imposed a $10,000 cap on SALT deductions. Long Island has some of the highest property taxes in the country and to place a limit on deductions is unfair. In 2025, the SALT cap will expire, and I support not renewing the cap.

What needs to be done to keep Long Island streets safe from crime?

Public safety and ensuring that our communities are secure has always been a priority for me. I’m proud of the various initiatives I’ve taken through the years to address public safety and tackle it head on. I have partnered with law enforcement to institute tough laws focusing on the opioid epidemic. I’ve worked with the District Attorney’s Office to crack down on illegal dumping (Operation Pay Dirt). I facilitated numerous neighborhood watches to provide localized oversight for police. In Albany, I’ll continue my work and efforts to keep Long Island safe and provide a strong voice to change bail reform to allow judges to have more discretion when determining bail.

The DWI/DWAI rate is escalating island wide. What measures can you fight for, to address the escalating addiction crisis?

Over 100,000 Americans died last year of opioid overdose. That’s unacceptable. I look forward to bringing more funding on a state level for prevention, rehabilitation, and law enforcement efforts, to address our War on Addiction. As the chair of Suffolk County’s Addiction Preventation and Support Advisory Panel I worked with law enforcement, the court system, and not-for-profit organizations to provide more services and support. I facilitated many programs and initiatives to address the epidemic including Narcan trainings, school educational programs, the acquisition of research technology, and legislative panel discussions that led to proactive measures.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

"Take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves", from my dad. "Treat people the way you want to be treated," from my mom.

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

As a mother of three kids, community advocate and a former Suffolk County Legislator, I will fight for your family by prioritizing affordability, workforce housing, public safety, economic development, open space acquisition and farmland preservation, protecting our water and environment, seniors and veterans, mental health, and the addiction crisis.

Prior to being elected, I was the director for the Office of Energy and Sustainability at the Town of Brookhaven, where I not only created the department but facilitated the department’s Green Homes and Go Solar programs. We pay some of the highest electric rates in our country and I plan to tackle that head on. We need to hold PSEG and LIPA accountable.

I have been and will continue to be a fulltime, proactive public servant. And I’ll put people over politics and find common ground for the common good. I will continue to support our unions, as well as a woman’s right to choose.

Accomplishments

Knowing the problems and having both foresight and experience, I have accomplished a lot, but there’s still so much more to do. The most important role of being elected is providing not only a voice for your constituents, but more importantly to address their issues, from fixing potholes to addressing the opioid crisis. As a legislator I:

- Partnered with law enforcement to create the SAVE School Active Violence Emergency Hotline to provide a direct link in the case of a school emergency.

- Chaired Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel addressing the opioid epidemic, mental health and suicide prevention.

- Created a veterans’ and seniors’ resource guide.

- Expedited the health permit process to help business build and expand. And create a business hub and website.

- Worked to address the dangers of social media to protect our kids, and technology scams to protect our senior citizens.

- Spearheaded the clean-up of marine debris pollution in Long Island Sound.

- Supported the acquisition of open space to protect our drinking water and farmland preservation that has a direct impact on Long Island’s tourist economy.

In Albany, I will fight to deliver for Suffolk County as part of the Senate majority, including:

- Continuing to partner with law enforcement and work on common-sense measures to keep New Yorkers safe.

- Being a leader on policy to support clean water and open space funding, including ensuring that we receive our fair share of New York State Environmental Bond Act funds.

- Supporting fair school aid so school districts have reliable and stable funding.

- Holding the Department of Transportation accountable in repairing our roads and addressing traffic safety issues.

- Working with NYS Department of Health to address the high cancer rates.

- Working with the Department of Conservation to acquire open space and crack down of illegal dumping.

- Working with the Attorney General’s Office to crack down on scammers targeting our senior citizens.

- Supporting New York women’s right to choose and access for all to health care.

- And most importantly, be a loud and strong voice for the residents of NYS Senate district 1 in Albany.