Meet The Candidates: Meagan McCarty Runs For Nassau Legislature

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2. And with voting just around the corner, Patch is reaching out to candidates across Nassau County to find out why they're running for office, and what they hope to achieve for residents.

Republican Meagan McCarty is challenging Democrat Delia M. DeRiggi Whitton to represent Nassau County's 11th Legislative District.

Communities within that district include Sands Point, Port Washington, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Glen Head, Glenwood, Sea Cliff, and Glen Cove.

Meagan, 40, is married to Port Washington Police Sgt. Brian McCarty, and — at one point — was a legislative aide in both the Town of North Hempstead and the New York State Senate.

You can learn more about the Republican candidate below, or by clicking here.

Why are you seeking elective office?

It is time for a change. Things are not getting better and I think we all want a better future for our children and for future generations.

I saw so many of our residents pick up and leave our district due to the taxes and a quality of life that can be improved significantly.

As a problem solver and with my experience in government, I am excited to get started and to turn things around, and be a true representative of the people.

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

Affordability.

The reassessment is a complete and utter disaster and needs to get straightened out. It has caused a butterfly effect of skyrocketing taxes and hidden costs that are hurting families as they try to recover from the pandemic and now, with the rising food and gas prices, it's a huge slap in the face.

I trust the people of Nassau County to elect a fair and transparent assessor — someone who lives in Nassau County and will do what is best for everyone. As a legislator, I will advocate for the assessor to be an elected official.

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

Energy, a fresh set of eyes, and new ideas.

I have knocked on so many doors that the soles of my sneakers are worn off. I have loved every moment of doing so.

When there are issues and problems, I have found that the best way to solve them is to have a fresh set of eyes take a look. I am a proven problem solver and I look forward to helping the constituents of district 11 with resolving the problems that have plagued them for years.

During this campaign, I have been holding small business round tables. It was through those round tables that I was able to get creative and help the business owners. We held Meet & Greets at stores that suffered during the lockdowns and brought additional business to them. We also created a social media hashtag game to drive even more sales to the shops. It is this can-do mentality and outside-the-box thinking that I look forward to bringing to the legislature.

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

This is about what I can do and how I can serve our community.

As a legislative aide, my specialty was constituent services. I am excellent at following up and communicating with residents. When a constituent reached out and their issue fell on my lap, they knew that I was going to advocate for them and try to get their issue resolved as quickly and in the best way possible.

One thing that I was shocked about knocking on doors and speaking to small businesses, is that a lot of people did not know what a county legislator is and what they do. I am going to change that and make sure that everyone in District 11 knows who I am, what I do, and that I am there for them.

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

We all lost loved ones and it was a very difficult time.

The distribution of relief funds is where I see failure. Going door to door and holding small business round tables, I have been told by the people whose businesses were devastated by lockdowns, that getting the money is an arduous process. Some businesses were so confused that they didn't even try. Some businesses even had to hire accountants and the accountants remarked on how complicated the process was.

I look to cut red tape, establish satellite offices to guide business owners in District 11 with hours before and after the typical workday and I will not stop guiding and helping until every last cent is distributed to the people who need it most.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

There is absolutely no reason why Nassau County should not be the most business-friendly county in New York.

We need to be innovative and think outside of the box. As a mom who went back to work eight days after my youngest son was born and eventually had to put my career on hold due to the exorbitant cost of childcare for two young ones, we need a major overhaul in the system.

Incentivizing companies in the area that have amazing parental leave/work from home/childcare programs and offer flexibility for families is something that I would like to accomplish. This would act as a juggernaut to encourage businesses (large and small) to keep their valued employees, discourage turnover and in the end, save them a lot of money. We will see more young people staying in Nassau County and raising their families here and that will grow more businesses and contribute greatly to the health of our local economy.

I will also continue to hold quarterly small business round tables and seek feedback from businesses owners, as well as their workforce and unions. The information that is gathered will be brought back to the Legislature and I, in turn, will disseminate Nassau County information to them so that we all will be working together flawlessly.

I look forward to tirelessly working to not only make businesses aware of the funds that are available to them through the government, but also follow up, cut red tape, and offer assistance wherever it is needed.

I think that more informational satellite locations with extended hours before and after the typical workday are also needed.

With me as the District 11 Legislator, monies won't just "expire" because I will not stop reaching out until every last cent that Nassau County receives gets to the people and businesses that they so desperately need.

Parks, public safety, and a general high quality of life are a huge part of why District 11 is the best place to live. However, we have a lot of work to do.

If you go to some of the county parks, they seem dilapidated and worn down. Some are downright dangerous with jagged, razor-sharp, and rusted banisters at my 5-year-old son's level. Roads are filled with tire popping potholes and there is an uptick in crime. I am proposing a Quality-of-Life Taskforce that will be the eyes and ears and boots on the ground, so that we can be notified about these issues and take a more proactive approach to solve these problems. Existing Nassau County employees will be chosen for this task force and, ultimately, we will save taxpayers money through this initiative.

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

I started working in a factory sweeping floors and cleaning restrooms. After some time, I began driving forklifts and operating/fixing machines. I taught myself how to create products for the company and my work ethic got noticed. Eventually, I got moved into an office and started handling sales, bookkeeping, managing employees, and learning every facet of the company. I was ultimately voted onto the Board and ended my career there as Secretary Treasurer.

Working as a legislative aide brought me so much satisfaction. It taught me the inner workings of government and how to effectively work and advocate for the people in our community.

My business expertise combined with the experience in government is a winning combination for the people of District 11 because I will really be able to get results and bring back more funding.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My grandfather read me the poem If by Rudyard Kipling and those words stick with me in everything that I do.

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

I think that I am the positive change that District 11 needs.

There is nothing like having a fresh set of eyes on old problems. I have the experience in government together with my business background and can-do attitude to bring back more funding, revitalize businesses, advocate effectively for my constituents and give everyone some hope. I am optimistic that, with your help, we will be able to make our district even better because we all want our children and grandchildren to have better lives than we do.

Editor's note: The candidate's responses have been lightly edited for clarity.