Dave Mejias, a native Daler who has spent his whole life in the community, is seeking election to the 14th Legislative District. The candidate is running on the Democratic and Working Families party lines.

Mejias said he will work with the country executive to put an end to political patronage in county government and to better the quality of life for all county residents, particularly those in the 14th District.

"This is where I grew up, this is where I spent my entire life," Mejias said. "This is a place I know well and I've worked to change a lot of things. I felt that I could take what I've done in the community to a higher level by affecting people throughout Nassau County and specifically in this community in a positive way."

Mejias said he is concerned with environmental issues and bringing good jobs into the community.

"We have a lot of opportunities to improve our quality of life, to bring high-paying jobs for our young people so that they can afford to live here," he said.

In addressing specific goals for the district, Mejias noted that he opposes the idea of putting a supermarket/gas station on a portion of the Liberty Site in Farmingdale, which are the current plans of the landowner.

"Our young people cannot afford to live in our community pumping gas and stocking shelves," Mejias said. "... we need high-paying jobs so that the money we're spending on our school taxes and on sending our kids to college ... pays off in our community. We have 10 of the top 100 school districts in Nassau County - those kids are going to college and going to work someplace else. That's wrong."

As a member of the Economic Development team for Nassau County, Mejias said he's accomplished this goal in some communities already, such as in Plainview/Old Bethpage.

"We helped clean up an abandoned and polluted property right on Old Country Road," he said. "We're [also] working to create more recreational fields on Old Sunrise Highway in the eastern portion of Massapequa."

Other goals Mejias cited include improving and rebuilding abandoned gas stations found along Hempstead Turnpike and continuing to fight against the building of a power plant on Spagnoli Road.

As a member of the IDA, Mejias said he's accomplished positive things for the community and all of Nassau County. He noted that he helped in bringing 3,000 private sector jobs in high-skills, high-paying industries last year and 3,000 this year, as well as helping to clean up some abandoned, polluted properties. He also noted that he's particularly proud that he was able to obtain, through the county, a grant of $50,000 to help Farmingdale finish its gazebo-bandstand project.

"When Tom Suozzi asked me to help lead his transition team, I'm proud of finding all that waste and fraud and patronage and helping to eliminate it," he said.

The candidate noted that the biggest challenge he anticipates is in regard to budgetary issues.

"The challenge for local municipalities is going to be to balance their budgets in light of the bigger mandates that New York State and Governor Pataki are putting on us," he said. "The county is going to have to balance its budget and make things a little bit easier for everybody while at the same time having these burdens, these unfunded mandates from Albany."

Mejias, a member of the Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale, the North Massapequa and Viceroy Civic Associations and the Sons of Italy Columbus Lodge #2143, among others, said he feels he is the best candidate for the 14th Legislative District because he knows the area and knows what needs to be done.

"I am working with County Executive Tom Suozzi and I have worked with [him] to eliminate the waste and fraud to help develop the economy and create high-paying jobs," he said. "I've done the hard work ... and I'll continue to do the hard work."

Mejias, who has said, "once a Daler, always a Daler," noted that he loves living in this community.

"The thing I like best about this district is the civic pride that people show," he said. "My favorite thing about living here is that the people here are hard-working people, they're proud of where they come from and they're proud of their local community and sports teams."

Mejias ran for legislator in the last election, narrowly missing victory against incumbent Salvatore B. Pontillo, who is not seeking re-election this year. The candidate lives with his wife Heidi in North Massapequa.