County Executive Steve Bellone "Democrats Can Win In Smithtown, I Won In Smithtown"

By Maureen Rossi

Steve Snair and County Executive Steve BelloneEarlier this year Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone endorsed  fellow Democrat Steve Snair (for Town Supervisor) and Monday night he headed to the V.F.W. in Kings Park to show his support for Snair and other Democratic nominees on November’s ballot.  “Democrats can win in Smithtown, I won in Smithtown by a narrow margin because the Democratic votes outnumbered the Republican votes,” he said.   Bellone said nobody believed it was possible to win in the Republican strong hold of Smithtown but he said it was the right year, the right town and maybe the stars aligned.   “We are on the verge of something like that happening in Smithtown,” he declared.  Bellone was also considered a great underdog in the once Republican Town of Babylon but ended up serving as the town’s Supervisor in 2001 after a stint on the Town Board.  Democratic Chairman Ed Maher concurred with Bellone and said,” Steve (Snair) is running a hard race and he can definitely win this race.”   

Gary Jacobs is running in the 12th Legislative District for the position currently held by Leg. John Kennedy.  He said he has really enjoyed being out on the campaign trail getting to know the people of the 12^th district and people all around Smithtown.   “I love that we are working as a team it’s one of the strong parts of the Democratic party,” he said.   He admits that he has been driving his opponent crazy with calls and questions.   “I’ll be holding two debates with him and two interviews, it’s going to be an issue campaign,” he explained.

Tom McCarthy, candidate for Superintendent of Highway, is running against Glenn Jorgenson. He had this to say to the democratic audience, “For fifteen years I have watched our town wither on the vine and I share Snair’s vision to revitalize our downtown.”    He said he looks forward to the renaissance of Smithtown.    

Candidates Adam Halpern and Richard Macellaro are both running for a seat on the Town Council.   “It’s our responsibility to elect Democrats, we have the best opportunity this year, we need to be Super Democrats and come and vote for the ticket,” explained Macellaro.     He added that he had no confidence in the present government and looks forward to creating the next generation of leadership for Smithtown.   “Different times require different voices, I am hopeful we can get the Democrats out, people want change,” he ended.

Judge Richard Horowitz was appointed by the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York as the Supervising Judge of the District Court of Suffolk County.  “I am responsible for the day-to-day operation of a court system that handles civil and criminal cases, in six courthouses, which are adjudicated by twenty-four judges, who collectively serve a community of approximately one million citizens,” said Horowitz.  Aside from his administrative responsibilities, he is also the Presiding Judge in the Drug Treatment Court, the Mental Health Court and our newly developed Human Trafficking Court.  Horowitz is well known by the best and brightest minds in the addiction community.  In lieu of jail time, he has mandated drug and alcohol treatment to many that have come before him.    Kim Revere is the President of the local substance abuse prevention non-profit Kings Park in the kNOw Community Alliance.  “Sick kids and people need treatment not jail, Judge Horowitz has set a lot of lives on the right path by mandating treatment,” she said.    Horowitz says the region’s opiate and heroin epidemic are far from over.   “People don’t’ realize it’s really very serious,” he said.