ARE YOU REPUBLICAN? GET OUT AND VOTE

Voters in today’s Republican primary have two incumbents Edward Wehrheim and Robert Creighton and one challenger Lisa Inzerillo to chose from. Today’s vote will see the two highest vote getters move on to the November election for Smithtown Town Council.  

The primary has been particularly hard fought giving the Democrats a lot of ammunition for the November election. But this is not November, it is a primary and it is September, so Republican voters need to think about what they want in a Town Council member. 

The literature that has been mailed to primary voters is pretty telling. Creighton and Wehrheim are a team. Inzerillo is on her own but has the support of Patrick Vecchio. Apparently, mounting a challenge makes you a persona non grata, unwelcome, villainized and labeled an insurgent. The Republicans have a long history of insurgency, Mr. Creighton ousting Ms. Grey and challenging Patrick Vecchio for Supervisor. Legislator Rob Trotta won a primary for his right to run on the Republican line for his seat in the Suffolk County Legislature. Mr. Wehrheim has been in a primary in every election.

Since there have been no debates voters need to think about the records of the candidates.

Challenger Lisa Inzerillo has lived in Smithtown since 2002. She is married and has three children. Lisa has a BA degree in Marketing and Advertising which she received from St. Johns University.  She owns a small business and is a community activist, and has been a Republican since registering to vote. Lisa spent much of her life in Queens before moving to Kings Park. The kitchen table at her home is where the Old Northport and Lawrence Roads Task Force was created, of which she is a founding member. 

The Task Force was created to answer the very real issues families living near Lawrence Rd and Old Northport Rd. were forced to deal with. Illegal activities that were creating health and quality of life problems for real people. The problems were created and festered for many years. No one in government seemed able to control the illegal mining, dumping, storage etc.. The task force and other community groups worked together forcing Smithtown to deal with the problems. They never let up and they were not shy with their criticism of the Town and its elected officials. When asked if she would be a loyal follower of Supervisor Vecchio’s, Lisa makes it clear how much respect she has for him; however, she quickly points out that she has stood up to him before and apparently it worked.

Robert Creighton has served on the Smithtown Town Board since 2008. Bob Creighton is a life long resident of Smithtown. He is married and has adult children and grandchildren. Mr. Creighton served in the US Armed Forces and has a long career in law enforcement serving a brief stint as Suffolk County Police Commissioner. After retiring from the police force Mr. Creighton went into security consulting operating his own security company. Mr. Creighton was a registered Conservative before changing his party affiliation in 2012. 

Mr. Creighton ran for office in 2007 to bring peace and civility to the Smithtown Town Board. It hasn’t been easy. Mr. Creighton looked for ways to improve the appearance of the Town and to raise tax revenue. Mr. Creighton made it his mission to rid the town of blighted commercial areas. The abandoned gas station on the corner of Harned Rd. and Jericho has transformed into a thriving gas station and convenience store, but it was controversial and heavily contested by many. The issue was divisive.  Mr. Creighton has proposed storing storm damaged motor vehicles in Smithtown to generate revenue for the town.  He was seen as a supporter of the a catering facility at Whisper Vineyard on Edgewood Avenue in Smithtown and as a supporter of the Uplands project ( four story progressive single family/ sr/ assisted living housing development) on a pristine privately owned property in Kings Park. Both are very controversial projects. More recent proposals include installing commissioners to oversee the activities of town departments and a proposal creating a $9 minimum wage for town employees.

Edward Wehrheim first joined the Town Board in 2003. Ed was appointed to fill the seat of Mike Fitzpatrick who was elected to the NY State Assembly. Mr. Wehrheim retired as director of the parks department, the department he worked for in his youth and after returning from his military service.  Mr. Wehrheim is a lifelong resident of Kings Park and served in the US Navy during Viet Nam. He is married and has two children. 

Mr. Wehrheim, once considered Supervisor Vecchio’s right hand, has separated himself from the Supervisor and has been working with Councilman Creighton to establish a $9 minimum wage for town employees. He along with Creighton support the idea of commissioners to oversee town departments. He supports redevelopment of blighted sites seeing it as an opportunity to both improve the appearance of the town and to raise tax revenue. Mr. Wehrheim supports the recent Suffolk County IDA proposal to offer tax relief for the company purchasing Siena Village. Over the years Mr. Wehrheim has been involved with projects that include the renovation at the Smith Haven Mall, Shop Rite in Commack, Assisted Living Facility on 25 A in Smithtown as well as the future sports complex in Kings Park.