(Editor's note: We asked each candidate to prepare a brief bio and to answer questions we had prepared in no more than six sentences. Here are their responses.) I have been a resident of the Village of Great Neck for over 20 years, and have been active in the village government since first moving here. I am currently serving in my second term as village trustee and am the police commissioner and chairman of the public safety committee, having been appointed by the mayor and approved by the board of trustees. I was selected to participate and am currently a member of the Nassau County Citizens Police Academy and I am an active participant in the Great Neck Village Officials Association and Nassau County Village Officials Association. Prior to being elected a trustee, I was the chairman of the board of zoning and appeals, and previously served as a commissioner of the Great Neck Senior Housing Authority. I am a practicing attorney, and recently moved my office to Great Neck. I have been a longtime active member of Temple Israel, and served eight years as vice president, four as first vice president, and I am currently vice president of the Men's Club, after having previously held various other positions including president of Temple Israel Couples Club and serving on a number of committees and chairing many events. I am currently a Nassau County Democratic Committeeman. I am married for over 25 years to Ellen and have three children: Deborah, who is a graduate of Cornell University and will be attending Columbia Law School in the fall; Jonathan, a sophomore at MIT; and Laura, a junior at Great Neck North High School. I want to continue to serve the people of the Village of Great Neck as trustee. Village government, more so than town, county, state or federal governments is the one that most impacts every resident every day, from garbage pickup to snow removal to sewage processing. I have always felt that one has an obligation to the community in which one lives and that is why I am active in my synagogue and in my village. The role of trustee is a heavy responsibility and I have tried to earn that position of trust every day. I get a great feeling of satisfaction in serving in this position and in being responsive to the residents of my village, my neighbors. Attending the many seminars and meetings on village governance keeps me confident that I am doing the very best job I can and by serving in various capacities I am setting an example for my children. In my constant interactions with employees and officials from our village and other municipalities, I am always trying to make Great Neck a better place to live. As an attorney I have an understanding of the law, and by having served in many village positions I have gained a keen understanding of the process. My understanding of municipal law, civil law, contract law, and real estate practices has contributed significantly to my skills and qualifications, but more importantly, understanding the interaction between the village boards, the impact of ever-changing legislation, the role of the town, county and state in the operations of our village is vital to the role of trustee. In recent years my involvement in the public safety concerns of our village residents, from acting as liaison with the county police department, to acting as police commissioner and chairman of the Village Public Safety Committee, to being selected to participate in the County Citizens Police Academy has enabled me to effectively represent the people of the Village of Great Neck in one of our most important concerns, the safety of our community and our families. As a practicing real estate attorney I have been able to analyze the numerous commercial tax challenges to assure that vital village funds are not unnecessarily refunded, helping to keep the residential tax burden to a minimum. Having been a lifelong Nassau County resident, active in community for all of my adult life I have been able to use the professional relationships gained with county and town officials for the benefit of our village.

A. Maintaining the character of the village in light of the changing and more diversified community by addressing the size and aesthetics of houses, keeping the village family-friendly, and promoting a lively and attractive business district.

B. Good management of the village's resources by keeping spending under control, limiting tax increases, staying vigilant to the need to keep properties on the tax rolls while at the same time extending a welcome to new residents and businesses.

C. Expanded police patrol to effectively enforce state vehicle and traffic laws and village ordinances at a time when the county budget strains the resources of the police precinct.

Over my many years in my various roles on behalf of the village I've worked with all groups and have been responsive to their needs, sensitive to our longtime residents who have difficulty with change, as well as the unique concerns of our new residents who bring cultural diversity to our community, with my overriding concern to maintain the quality of life for all of our residents. Having served as a member of the Board of Zoning and Appeals and its chairman, I have a unique understanding of our village zoning laws and the impact of construction and subdivisions on our village infrastructure. Having served as an officer and trustee of a religious institution, I have an understanding of the specific needs of religious groups who seek to practice their religion without undue interference from local government. My experience as an attorney gives me a keen understanding of the limits as well as the powers of local government so that we can legislate without subjecting the village to claims of overreaching. As a fiscal conservative, I have scrutinized village spending, and will continue to do so, so that no unnecessary funds are expended by the village, while at the same time utilizing available resources and available grants to keep a modern office and our roads, sewer plant and equipment in efficient working condition. With the rezoning of East Shore Road, I anticipate that additional tax revenue will keep our taxes at the lowest rate possible, and more than make up for the lost revenue from properties that have been taken off the tax rolls in recent years. My constant conversations and meetings with the precinct commander, attendance at police headquarters meetings, discussions with the Nassau County Police Commissioner, and attendance at the Citizen's Police Academy puts me in a unique position to understand the workings of the police department, while at the same time enabling me to seek and obtain needed police patrol as requested, and have discussions about increasing the police presence in our village. The proposed emergency first responders housing requires serious consideration and I am all for the concept. There is no question such housing is vitally needed in our community, but the placement and conditions attached bear serious scrutiny. The apartment building that comes with it impacts the residences in both our village as well as Great Neck Estates and there will be additional traffic on Old Mill Road and Middle Neck Road. There is currently no zoning for this proposed project, so various village boards will have legal authority over this project. This project should have input from our entire community, and no one person or even one board should have total control. There is a strong balancing act that must take place, balancing the need of the community for such housing as against the cost that goes with it; the approval of a large apartment building in a land-locked area. Only after our community is heard on this subject can I make a decision on whether I am in favor of this project or not. I am fully in favor of shoring up enforcement of some village ordinances; those that I have had input into passing and quality-of-life ordinances. However, we have a number of village laws, which I believe are unnecessary and overly burden our residents. The board of trustees has appointed a committee to look into our existing laws and make recommendations on which ones to amend or eliminate. Unfortunately, our building department has not been doing the job it should and is not enforcing laws regarding illegal housing and property maintenance codes, which affects our village residents. The board of trustees can pass laws, but it is up to the building department and the mayor to enforce them. On the other hand, certain village ordinances which require building department applications, fees, and approval for simple replacements of plumbing fixtures, such as a sink should be amended to simplify that process. Sewage diversion should not be an emotional issue, nor a political one. It is primarily financial. We are currently conducting an engineering study to determine which alternative will cost our residents less. We are seeking grant funds for upgrading and combining the plants. As our mayor has said on numerous occasions, he will not be the mayor to bankrupt the village. If the grant money is only available for the diversion, and the ultimate cost to the village with the diversion is less than the cost to upgrade or combine, that is what we should do. If that cost is greater, even with the grant, then we should upgrade or combine, whichever is less. The state Department of Environmental Conservation is the entity mandating action, and they receive constant reports on the operation of our plants, so any of the alternatives will be totally environmentally sound. I have worked for the village for over 13 years and no matter what the outcome of this election, I will be glad to continue my work on the various committees and assignments I am currently responsible for. I have enjoyed my involvement as a member of the village community, and community is the reason for my involvement. All village residents should become involved for the betterment of the community we all live in.

I was born in Israel. The year was 1951; the country was three years old. I was born into rationing, wars, and uncertainty, yet the feeling was one of tremendous courage and self-sacrifice. When I was in kindergarten, we planted trees in the sandy dunes of my hometown on the shores of the Mediterranean. Fifteen years later, as a teenager I played and walked through what had now become a thick forest, the same one that I had planted in kindergarten. My sister, at age 11, had the idea of asking the mayor, at a school forum, to pave the sandy path of one mile, which we had to trek through every day to school. The mayor thanked her for her idea in a personal letter and that's how the walk to school became a joy. I was part of an exciting community, a community where ordinary ideas, expressed in words, turned into realities through the mutual efforts of ordinary people.

I left Israel when I was 23 years old. I wanted to explore and study the capital of architecture, New York City. I studied architecture at NYIT. By the end of that year, 1974, I fell in love. I fell in love with a young American man and with a village called Great Neck. Years later I married that man and convinced him to make Great Neck our home. Since then, I have visited Israel on a yearly basis and I watched with amazement the creative power a determined, courageous and willing group can have. I have lived in Great Neck for 26 years. I believe our village is one of the most beautiful havens on earth. I was entrusted by you for six years to govern the village's affairs. I pray you will cast your vote for me on June 20.

More than I want this job, I feel that the job wants me. When January 2006 came, I received numerous calls and emails from concerned citizens, friends, colleagues, business owners and public officials encouraging me to accept the Better Government Party nomination. I feel I have been and can continue to be an asset to the village.

Thirteen years of providing active professional architectural services to many residences on the Great Neck peninsula.(1986-2000)

Six years volunteer member serving on the Planning Board of the village (1994-2000)

Six years as volunteer member on the Architectural Review Board (2000-current)

Six years as a member of the Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees (2000-current)

One year as village deputy mayor (2001-2002)

Thirty-one years of active architectural profession (1975-current)

Twenty years as the owner of an architectural firm (1986-current)

Member of the National Historic Preservation Society

Member of numerous building boards advising various organizations on growth and real property management

Many challenges face the village, but much has been done in the past to ensure a smooth, responsive, fiscally responsible and friendly government. The following three items are among some of the village's top challenges:

A. Revitalize Middle Neck Road by encouraging and educating business owners to create a public-private partnership, a business improvement district (like the one that exists in Great Neck Plaza), whereby the village and the private business owners can share the expenses of upgrading and re-energizing Middle Neck Road.

B. Smart and balanced growth. What we see are the effects of market forces. Government cannot ignore market forces. Good government can use its powers to guide development and manage the impact of market forces. We also need to work to ensure less red tape in all applications, communications and processing within the village's various departments.

C. How we handle our waste, garbage, sewage and water runoff is a major challenge.

A. Revitalize Middle Neck Road

I have training and daily involvement through my professional training and business contacts that gives me the professional tools to deal with the issues. I am serving on the business committee and implementing my ideas along with others. I can combine the aesthetic needs of the street with the ability to communicate to the business owners and encourage them to take an active role in changing the reality. I am a true believer of the "think tank" theory.

B. Smart and balanced growth

Red tape is a means to slow growth, but it is like taking a shovel to swat a fly. It hinders the good equally with the bad. Every additional rule prevents residents from making modest improvements to their properties at the same time that it attempts to slow over-and re-development. The unique advantage that I have over the other candidates is an understanding that the beauty of eliminating extensive red tape lies in my professional training and capacity as an architect and a town planner.

As an architect who deals with many other municipalities I bring to the table my extensive experience and 30 years of creative and legal dealings to ensure the fruition of my projects. When a vision can be realized and materialized in a short period of time all benefit.

C. Handling of waste:

I believe in a "think tank" approach to these dilemmas facing our village. I am open-minded. I understand my limitations and I bring to the table a sense of humbleness and respect to the information provided by village residents and the various professionals.

The problem of work force housing is not unique to our village.

Many villages, as well as the state and up to the federal level, are currently producing volumes of suggestions and means to tackle the phenomenon.

I would encourage studying the new federal and state structures, which are available. I would open public forums to brainstorm and design the model that best suits our demographic and physical condition and situations. I would encourage new legislation.

We should also remember that this village, through the leadership and vision of Better Government Party officials, created the government-sponsored senior citizen housing. No other village on the peninsula followed our lead.

I have seen the executive branch of the village use enforcement of village ordinances in order to curtail the issuing of permits. I had fought it in the past and continue to do so.

I will ensure that enforcement is done in a friendly, fair and open manner. I believe the education and raising of public awareness is a prerequisite to correct enforcement of the village ordinances. We have a Village Court and the executive branch has failed to use it well. Everyone should be treated fairly. If they abuse the law, they should pay a price. And if they abuse the law repeatedly, they should be held responsible for their actions and bear maximum penalties.

We have the tools, but the present administration doesn't know how to effectively use them. The result is that everyone, residents and developers alike, get stuck in red tape. It also leads to a perception that some have been unfairly treated and others favored.

This is a potentially costly issue. The village engineers are currently preparing documents with regard to this subject. As in all other matters, I trust that such matters cannot and should not be handled in a subjective manner. We need to let the engineering experts present government officials with a sound engineering and physical analysis in order that any decision is based after due consideration on their findings and evidence.

I believe that my record shows that I am an open-minded, hard-working, honest and compassionate individual. I love our village. I love people. I enjoy interaction and problem solving.

Each trustee should bring some expertise and past experience to the table and allow it to guide their participation in deliberations.

My wife and I are longtime residents of Great Neck. My professional background includes being a senior administrator in the start-up of several community colleges in the United States and assisting in the establishment of community colleges in other countries.

I retired in 2000 as vice president of Cooperative Education and International Initiatives at La Guardia Community College of CUNY where I was responsible for the development and delivery of the institution's mandatory cooperative education program and its international initiatives. As dean, I developed the Adult Education Division for the Allegheny Community College in Pittsburgh.

My Ph.D. is in management and economics from the University of Pittsburgh and my MBA and BME are from the City College of New York. I have published in various fields such as community colleges, cooperative education and the economics of human capital development.

In addition, I was co-president of Temple Emanuel, am a vice president of the Israel Humanitarian Foundation and was president of the Queens Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2003, I have been personal assistant to Mayor Deem, chaired the first Master Plan Committee, been a member of the current committee and a member of the ad-hoc committee to revise building department operations.

There was no better place to live and raise a family than the Village of Great Neck. Even though we are both retired, we have every intention of continuing to live in the village. By being the personal assistant to Mayor Deem and being on several committees, particularly the Master Plan Committee, which I chaired for a period of time, I have come to believe that there are many serious issues facing the village. These include antiquated and inefficient administrative systems, unplanned development and poor fiscal control. If not resolved, these issues will have a negative impact on the village. I would like to serve my community as trustee and do what I can to make sure that the residents of the village, both today and in the future, will enjoy the same quality of life that my family and I have enjoyed. I bring to the job of trustee 40 years of senior management experience having served as dean and vice president at several higher education institutions. In addition, I have served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations such as co-president of Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, vice president of the Israel Humanitarian Foundation, and president of the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Through these experiences, I have developed an understanding of key management concepts: budgeting and financial controls, managing human resources; efficient and effective administrative systems, goal setting, strategic planning and implementation strategies. My Ph.D. gives me a theoretical framework in management and economics. For the past few years, I have also come to understand village government through my involvement with Mayor Deem and by serving on a number of village committees.

A. Developing cost-effective, computer-based administrative systems that will facilitate the flow of information among the various departments and to the board of trustees and to village boards. As an example, one area that must be given top priority is streamlining the home renovations and construction procedures in the village.

Land use and development, particularly along East Shore Road, as it is the last piece of significant land in the village. It is imperative that its development is in the best interests of the village. Additionally, Steamboat Road offers an opportunity for construction projects that fill a need while enhancing the area adding to the village's overall quality of life.

Maintaining and upgrading the village infrastructure is the third priority. This should be accomplished through maximizing village participation in obtaining grants, which would help to control tax increases.

My years of experience with regard to consensus building, planning and facilitating outcomes makes me believe that these challenges can be successfully addressed if viewed not as contentious issues, but as opportunities. There is a common starting point for everyone, no matter on what side of the issue. We are all committed to having a high quality of life in the village, having an efficient, cost-effective village government that serves all residents and controls taxes. My starting point on making a decision is to develop an understanding within the community about the critical importance of having the ongoing presence of the village's emergency workers whether there is a natural or a man-made disaster. The high cost of housing forces emergency workers, such as firefighters, to live in more affordable areas whether they are paid or work as volunteers. The village must have affordable housing for its emergency workers. Once a consensus is reached, then the question becomes how to best achieve this. The proposed complex off Old Mill Road, which at present includes 24 units for firefighters and other essential personnel offers a unique opportunity to our community. Under the leadership of the mayor and the board of trustees, I believe a decision can be reached, one that permits the development of a project that enhances the community, produces additional needed tax revenues, does not strain the infrastructure, provides affordable housing for firefighters and other essential emergency workers and provides a fair return to the developer. This is complex and difficult, but can be done. Strict and timely enforcement of village ordinances has become a serious problem, particularly in certain areas such as around Steamboat Road. The factors contributing to this situation need to be understood and addressed, i.e., insufficient enforcement personnel, better supervision of existing personnel, and stiffer penalties for repeat offenders. Installing a "hot line" in the village's phone system whereby residents could report violations could greatly assist enforcement personnel. Strengthening the enforcement of moving violations needs to be discussed with the 6th Precinct of the Nassau County Police Department who are responsible for enforcing village and county laws. Enforcing village ordinances must become a priority for the board of trustees. Letting this continue can quickly become a catalyst toward a deteriorating quality of life in the village. A federal mandate requires that the village must significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen in our sewage effluent by 2011. There are three possible alternatives to achieve this: diverting the sewage to the Nassau County Plant Cedar Creek on the South Shore, upgrading the village plant, or merging the village plant with the Water Pollution Control District plant and upgrading the combined plant. The village and the district have received a major grant from the New York State DEC, that came in two segments and focuses on the diversion option. The first segment of the grant permits obtaining and confirming the full costs and the feasibility of the diversion option in a series of sequential steps. I helped write the work plan for this option which permits the village trustees and the district commissioners to stop the diversion option if the costs are too high or if it is just not feasible. We must have accurate and complete information on all three options to determine which is the most economical and in the best interest of village residents.

If elected trustee, I am confident that I can work productively with my fellow trustees.

I base this conviction on the belief that all the elected officials have the best interests of the village in mind and to the fact that I have worked effectively with all of the trustees. Should I not be elected, I am still committed to our village and will continue to be involved where others believe I can make positive contributions.

I am a 28-year resident of the Village of Great Neck, where, with my husband Julio, we have raised two children, Giulia and Salvatore, who attended the Great Neck Public Schools. I have a degree in Fashion Illustration and Advertising Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. My early career experiences were: fashion illustrator for Jack Braunstein Inc., a buying office in the garment district, and the Simplicity Pattern Company and assistant to the casting director in the radio/television commercial production department of the William Esty Advertising Agency, New York City.

While raising a family, I did and still do, assist my husband in the running of his law practice in Great Neck, and as clerk, do extensive legal research and interviewing of clients in the course of trial preparation.

Recent civic experience: member of the mayor's Citizens Advisory Committee, member of Master Plan Committee for the Village of Great Neck, founding member and reporter for "Your Village Your Right to Know" a newsletter chronicling the activities of local government. I am a member of the recently formed citizens committee whose goal is to seek ways to improve the efficiency of the building department.

I want the job of trustee because by attending virtually every meeting of the village boards over the last several years, conducting research, reporting on municipal activities and participating on civic committees, I have observed that our government is not functioning efficiently on many levels. Specific problems have existed in the village for many years, an indication that the present government either does not recognize them or does not have the means to correct them. Decisions have been made that have taken the village in the wrong direction, wasting time and money. Antiquated laws and lack of sufficient communication between our boards have bogged down the process for residents seeking to build or renovate their homes. I feel I possess the knowledge and the skills necessary to work for the residents as a member of the board, to improve the function of our government, and I have the determination to carry them out. My civic experiences and skills are many in regard to the village. As a member of the Master Plan Committee, I am acquainted with the history of the village, its resources and needs and the changes it has experienced, from its beginnings as a farming community to the culturally diverse village it is today. I am a founding member and reporter for a newsletter, which reports the activities of local government by reporting on what transpires at the various board meetings. I have acquired an extensive overview of the village and its governmental functions by going to the meetings of the following boards: Trustees, Planning, Zoning, Architectural Review, Landmark Preservation, and doing archival research. I keep abreast of the activities of the Housing Authority by requisitioning minutes of meetings and documents.

There are more than three important challenges, but I would say the top three are:

A. The modification and streamlining of the procedures of the village especially in reference to building and home renovation. There are laws that are antiquated and need amendment and the process of an application as it passes from one board to another must be examined to see how the entire process can be made more expeditious for the resident or person wishing to do work in the village.

B. Land Use. The future development of Steamboat Road and East Shore Road is of the utmost importance to the residents of the village. Steamboat Road has areas that have been neglected and where serious violations have persisted for many years and development has been stalled. Both East Shore and Steamboat roads should be developed with the type of housing that will best fill the needs of its residents. I am a proponent of demanding a specific proportion of affordable housing units be mandatory on new multihousing proposals.

C. Vitalization of Middle Neck Road. I strongly believe that this corridor should be re-zoned for mixed-use to allow for the addition of professional offices in the village along with residential and commercial. The creation of a strong business association that would include all business owners in the village, not a select few, with their professional input, would be an asset in bringing commercial vitality to Middle Neck Road.

To address the many challenges the village faces at the present and in the future, I bring to the table my extensive experience in civic matters, working with other citizens on committees and panels, organizational skills, the ability to recognize problems and a strong determination to seek solutions and see them to their completion. I am one of the most dogged, hard workers you will ever come across and I am willing to devote myself to this village. This will surely be a controversial and contentious matter for the board. We recognize the need for emergency personnel housing in the village and if we had to resort to a paid fire department, it would result in a large increase in taxes to our residents. Garden City, which has a population similar to ours, had a recent budget of $4 million dollars for their paid fire department, an amount which is almost half of our entire village budget of $9 million dollars. Before deciding on this project, or any other, I would have to reserve judgment until seeing all the requisite environmental tests, traffic statistics, and examine all pertinent factors before making a determination. The only decision can be a decision that would enhance the community, not be detrimental to it. Our government must determine the reasons why serious violations have persisted for years in certain areas of the village and develop a strategy to eliminate their repetition. There have been complaints that fines and punitive measures are not severe enough to deter repeat offenders, and that there is not enough enforcement vigilance. I would suggest that the board of trustees work with resident volunteers, village judiciary and our legal counsel (in consideration of amending Village Code) to remedy the situation. Every resident deserves to enjoy a certain quality of life that we all moved to Great Neck to experience.

According to federal mandate, the de-nitritification of our sewage effluent must be accomplished by 2011. The study to remedy this, commissioned over three years ago by the board of trustees, was for sewage diversion only, and was flawed because all information regarding the project was not factored in; therefore, costs were greatly underestimated. Accurate and complete information and must be obtained on the three options: combining the two sewage facilities, upgrading them, and diversion, and the option which is most economically feasible, must be the route the village must take.

If elected, I would welcome the opportunity to work in harmony, and with diligence, with all the members of the board, regardless of its composition. I would continue to work to inform residents of government activities and encourage greater civic participation. I believe that bipartisan politics have no place on the board and I will always be committed to working for the only goal that matters, the good and welfare of the Village of Great Neck.