Chris Coschignano, a political newcomer, is seeking election as a councilmember on the Town of Oyster Bay Board. He is a lifelong Syosset resident and interested in public service. Coschignano believes his years of experience as attorney for the Town Zoning Board, a position he was appointed to by the Town of Oyster Bay Board, was perfect training to be a councilman as the two deal with similar issues.

Coschignano helps local residents in the Town of Oyster Bay deal with the zoning board when they need variances and building permits. In the past, he has also helped other candidates run campaigns for council seats and while running the campaigns, seeing how they did the job, he was not pleased. "I decided that I could do the job," said Coschignano. "I did not like how people on both sides of the aisle did the job of councilmen and women."

Although the Town of Oyster Bay is not run in Councilmatic districts as it is in the Town of Hempstead, Coschignano believes Syosset needs representation on the Town Board since the last board member from Syosset was Supervisor John Burke in the 1970's. "I was born here and raised here and I cannot believe that a community so large has not had direct representation on the Town Board in so long," said Coschignano. "That was my big indication that someone needed to do something."

In addition to his work with the Town Zoning Board, Coschignano has been engaged in the general practice of law since 1990 and his emphasis has been in the areas of municipal defense and personal injury defense litigation; real estate, land use and zoning; business, corporate and commercial law; trusts and estates and matrimonial and family law.

Although Coschignano has a special interest in Syosset, he knew it was important to get out and visit residents in other parts of the Town of Oyster Bay and hear their concerns. Although not a supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, Coschignano followed something she did during her campaign - a listening tour. During the month of April, Coschignano tried to figure out all of the different issues in the Town of Oyster Bay by going to different organizations and listening not as an elected official, but as a resident and business owner. Since then, he has walked door-to-door meeting residents and he has also gone to local train stations, supermarkets and civic associations to talk to people and listen to them.

Coschignano, who is running on the Republican, Conservative and Independent party lines, believes the predominately Republican government has done a good job over the years. "The Republican government has kept the taxes on the town level at a reasonable level, kept up the quality of life and protected the environment well," said Coschignano.

He does admit that certain areas need attention and improvement. Coschignano, who describes himself as a fiscal conservative, would like to see government spending and taxes reduced and government services consolidated.

Coschignano said that as a last resort, and one he has trouble accepting, is going to the taxpayers and asking for more money. "I know George Bush Sr. got himself into trouble when he said this, but I have committed to myself that if they ever put a tax increase in front of me, I won't vote for it, but I don't want to be irresponsible and make a blanket statement. It is my goal that taxes be reduced and not increased and I still think that you can provide the good services that have been provided."

Another important platform for Coschignano is land development. As a real estate and zoning attorney, he is familiar with land development cases and believes re-development is important. "I think the town has been built-up enough over the years," said Coschignano, who, if elected, plans to take existing parcels that have been unsuccessfully developed and are abandoned or to take a failed business or a vacant building and redevelop that land. "Don't take neighborhoods and cut them up anymore," he said. "Go for redevelopment of land that has sat unused for several years."

Senior housing is also something that is important to Coschignano and something he deems "unbelievable" in the Town of Oyster Bay. Senior housing, according to Coschignano, provides the people who built this country a place to live, referring to the World War II men and women. "Senior housing also stimulates an economy within an economy, which means that when people move to senior housing, their houses go on the market and younger people can keep coming into the area," he said. "It brings young people to the area rather than having to leave and it creates an economy within the town that is very good. The Town of Oyster Bay over the last five years has put in about 1,000 senior housing units - and they still need more." Coschignano, if elected, plans to focus on preventing young people from moving out of the Town.

A debate in any Nassau County election this year is regarding the fiscal situation. After reviewing last year's town budget, Coschignano called it 'financially sound' and the town is still providing services. "The parks and beaches are clean and nice, the garbage is picked up in the town, the streets are plowed and basically services are being provided without incident," he said. "Town taxes have been held in check and I think the town government has done a good job."

Coschignano prides himself in not being a career politician, but an independent man looking out for the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay. "I think I have the experience and qualifications to do the job effectively," said Coschignano. "From my experience, I know what the residents want. With a combination of business experience, civic activity, knowledge of the political sector and my public service with the Town of Oyster Bay and I think attorneys see and councel a lot of people on a lot of different issues, I think it is a good experience in dealing with residents in elected office. I don't want a future job in politics other than Town of Oyster Bay Councilman."

Although Coschignano put his campaign trail on hold after the events of Sept. 11, he just recently started getting back out in the communities. Although he knows there are so many important things going on in the world, he wants the people of the Town of Oyster Bay to have dedicated and educated people making decisions on the town level especially during such tragic times. "It is a big undertaking," he said. "I think it will be an interesting undertaking for me and I think I have the experience and I am prepared for it."