Politics & Government

Voters Meet the Candidates

Porter Trejo network hosts Town Board hopefuls.

Pam Robinson

Candidates for Town Board came to Huntington Station Monday night to answer questions on subjects ranging from parks to jobs, voting rights, town finances and party politics.

Sponsored by the Porter-Trejo Action Network, the forum at Light of Salvation Church drew Gene Cook, running for supervisor, and Council candidates Josh Price and incumbent Mark Mayoka on the Republican side. Supervisor Frank Petrone and Council candidates Tracey Edwards and incumbent Mark Cuthbertson rounded out the lineup on the Democratic side.

Other political figures who attended but were not part of the forum were Suffolk legislative hopefuls Rob Conte and Jim Martin and incumbent 18th District legislator Dr. William Spencer, and highway superintendent Bill Naughton.

Though mostly polite, the candidates occasionally took or gave heat over the accuracy or thrust of other candidates' comments. 

The two supervisor candidates tangled a few times, with Cook, who identified himself as an independent, but is running as the Republican nominee, and Petrone portraying their reasons for running in very different terms. 

Cook, elected to the Town Board in 2011, said, "I don't think much of politicians but I was forced to come into the political game to do more for our community. I want to have term limits." 

And Petrone said, "I came in 20 years and inherited a town in great shambles. ...I'd like to finish the job I started, to see the revitalization started and i see this town continuing in great fiscal shape."

They also argued over whether town employees or outside workers were more qualified and less expensive to use on certain projects. Cook insisted Petrone didn't understand how to get things done while Petrone countered that Cook didn't have his facts right on costs.

There was consensus on some topics; candidates voiced support for Huntington Station revitalization plans, and cited the reopening of Jack Abrams school as a positive development. Responding to a question about the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year on the Voting Rights Act,

 Edwards, Petrone and Cuthbertson cited differences between Democrats and Republicans on the topic.  While Mayoka and Cook said they disagreed with the Supreme Court, they said they didn't see it in political party terms, while Price explained the decision as a matter of fairness among states. 


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