And the Candidates Are…
By Erica Jackson
On Tuesday, November 2 voters are being asked to vote for candidates running in various elections. To help our readers to make an informed decision, we have compiled biographical information for each candidate. We have also asked each candidate three questions to respond to in their own words.
State Senate - 2nd District
In the race for State Senate are Republican incumbent John Flanagan and Democratic challenger Ira Bernstein.
John Flanagan was raised in Huntington, attending Harborfields High School. He holds a BA in Economics from the College of William and Mary and holds a law degree from Toro Law School. He previously served in the state assembly.As a member of the State Senate since 2002, Flanagan says he has fought to “reduce the tax burden on Long Island” He says he has worked hard on local issues. In Kings Park, he says he successfully halted the sale of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center.
Flanagan and his wife Lisa reside in East Northport. They have three children.
Flanagan did not respond to the three questions asked by SmithtownMatters.com as of press time.
Ira Bernstein, of Centereach, is a financial services advisor and a former Commack School District
teacher, where he worked for 25 years. He is a graduate of SUNY Stonybrook and Columbia University.
teacher, where he worked for 25 years. He is a graduate of SUNY Stonybrook and Columbia University.Bernstein is a member of Lions International and a member of the Brookhaven Senior Advisory Board, where he served as a negotiator for seniors to lower LIPA rates for seniors. He is an activist for Citizens Campaign for the Environment and a past youth work study coordinator of the Lake Grove School. He also is a member of the Ronkonkoma Revitalization Committee.
What makes you uniquely qualified to sit as a representative in the Senate?
I am a former teacher, who taught in Commack schools for over 25 years. I am now a licensed financial representative with knowledge in finance. Getting more out of services and not wasting government money is my asset. I am uniquely qualified in that as a member of the Brookhaven Senior Advisory Board, I lowered rates for seniors on their LIPA bills.
What do you hope to accomplish, if elected?
I will work to protect the schools. Mr. Flanagan does not give money to the school and has hurt all of our educational programs, especially in Smithtown. He has cut funding from every school district. He wants to put a cap on taxes, which sounds good to homeowners, but does not help businesses. The other most important issue is Wallstreet. They got away scott-free with what they did.
Name one thing that you would like the public to know about you?
I am a member of the NYSID, a group of 6000 teachers. Without them education would not advance. They are the main assets for our children. They motivate them to become good citizens.