A resident of Albertson since 1993, Lee Tu is now a Republican Party candidate for the 11th District of the Nassau County legislature.

Tu is a graduate of the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University. He has served as an audit manager, an accounting manager, and as a compliance auditor for the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services in the Division of Real Estate.

"I was part of a unit which performed audits of rent, escalations, CAM, real estate tax and construction costs," Tu said. "I was responsible for helping the City recover over $4 million from audit findings."

In Albertson, Tu has served as executive leader of the Albertson, Roslyn Heights Republican Committee since 2004 and a committeeman since 1996.

Tu lists taxes, crime and the environment as major issues facing the voters in the 11th LD.

"Nassau County has unfortunately become an increasingly costly place to live," he said. "Each month, thousands of Nassau neighbors put their homes up for sale due to the seemingly uncontrollable tax increases. Our schools fail to pass budget increases because residents are already overtaxed. Our beautiful parks and beaches have in recent years deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. The Nassau County we chose to live is not as it was.

"The county's Legislative Budget Review Office has predicted large County deficits for the next three years totaling $602 million," Tu continued. "The county's property taxes have already been increased by an average of 38.4 percent.

"If elected, I will vote in favor of a five-year property tax assessment freeze," Tu said. "The assessment freeze will force the county government to cut wasteful spending such as increases in patronage staff salaries. Forty-five thousand residents have signed a petition to force the legislature to recognize this proposal. Eighty percent of county residents favor the freeze in property tax assessments.

"I have inspected and documented the deterioration of Hempstead Bay where there is no longer a beach for residents to enjoy, and Christopher Morley where there are broken panels surrounding the ice skating rink, litter scattered along the nature path, and rusted and gap filled fences that are supposed to protect families and their children who use the park," Tu added. "I will work with parks management to restore and beautify our natural resources.

"I will work with our public safety departments to ensure that they have the most up to date equipment to combat the ever increasing high technology crimes and recent trend of home break-ins specifically in my area.

"The next few years are critical to determine whether Nassau can remain a great place to live, work and raise a family. I will utilize my experience and background in accounting and finance to ensure that our children, working families and seniors can afford to live here and combat the high cost of living. I will be an independent voice in the legislature and ensure that an honest and transparent government is doing all that it should to protect our environment and maintain our quality of life."

-By Joe Scotchie

Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink is running as a Democratic Party candidate for a full two-year term for the 11th legislative district. Prior to his election to the Legislature, he served two terms as a North Hempstead Town Councilman.

Wink previously served as the Legislative Aide for the late Barbara Johnson when she served as Town Councilwoman and, later, as County Legislator. He received a BA from Hofstra University and is a graduate of St. John's University Law School. He lives in Roslyn with his wife, Stacey, and 2-year-old daughter, Jennifer.

Wink said he is running for re-election to help keep Nassau on the right track fiscally by continuing the work he has begun in the Legislature. The transfer of parks and roads from Nassau to the Town of North Hempstead, Wink said, was a good step toward providing more efficient services and allowing the county to reallocate resources where they are most needed.

"I believe that the biggest issues facing the taxpayers of the 11th District are high taxes and the need to improve local government's ability to provide services affecting our quality of life," Wink said. "In some ways, these problems may share a common solution, and it is necessary to take an honest and open look at the structures of government on Long Island in order to determine where inefficiencies exist, and how we can rethink governmental structures to save money without sacrificing the quality of services we expect. I am also intrigued by plans that Suffolk County has proposed to help manage skyrocketing school costs - the largest portion of our tax bill on Long Island.

"The 'brain drain' of young, talented people away from Long Island is another major, long-term concern," Wink continued. "This trend can be tied to myriad causes, including greater income and cultural opportunities in New York City, the relative cost of living in other parts of the country, and property tax pressures. However, we must face a sad truth: We are losing our young people long before they leave for college or employment opportunities elsewhere.

"Long Island has made great strides in providing services for preschoolers and for seniors," he concluded. "But once our young people reach middle school, too many communities pretend that they do not exist, preferring to leave it to the local school districts to fill the void in our children's non-school hour activities. As a result, so many of our young people find themselves killing time at local hangouts, counting the days until they can leave and find opportunities to focus their interests. Local government on all levels must work to provide alternative outlets for the energies of our young people by fostering activities, skate parks, and community centers with appropriate oversight and guidance that will provide them with social and intellectual stimulation. To move forward as a region, we must address the needs of our young people, through youth-focused visioning and community outreach. If I have the opportunity to serve another term as your Legislator, I will work to bring about that outreach."

---by Joe Scotchie