Republican incumbent David G. McDonough is seeking re-election to his seat in the 19th District of the New York State Assembly. First elected into office in a special election held in February of this year, McDonough said that while he has spent only a few months in the assembly, he has accomplished many things, such as supporting and taking part in the authorization of several new bills and laws. "One of the first things was the passage of the Roosevelt School District. I was very happy when I got [to Albany] that I was able to support that and vote on it," he said. "The money put into that school district and the takeover of the board of education is already showing progress that it's going to work." As ranking member on the Aging Committee, McDonough also said he is proud of the passing of the Predatory Lending Bill. He said the bill addresses the fact that many residents, mostly seniors, were being scammed by contractors by being, for example, told they could apply for a $25,000 loan to build an addition on their home and then when the paperwork arrived, they find that they had applied for $80,000 or $100,000 without their knowledge and it was too late to do anything about it. "We finally got a bill passed in both houses that says that's illegal and allows seniors to have the escape route that they need. That was very important," McDonough said. The assemblyman added that another issue that is being worked on is in regard to the state's EPIC program. "We announced just a month ago [that] we're pushing for EPIC EXTRA," he explained, noting that the EPIC healthcare plan currently has a cap on it. "Many seniors and families are living on fixed incomes but they went up because of COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments) and Social Security or in their pensions - so the minute they get that increase they're out of the program," he said. "I think the state of New York has a revolutionary program in the EPIC program which has been a tremendous benefit to seniors. We're saying we want to go for EPIC EXTRA now. We had EPIC, then EPIC+ pushed the income limits up and EPIC EXTRA would remove the cap, but there would be a sliding scale. We're introducing that to make sure that there will be something for everyone." McDonough further noted that EPIC EXTRA would save money in the future. "My feeling about EPIC EXTRA is that in the long run we're going to save money because it's prevention. You're going to prevent additional expenses in hospital and other medical care, so you're going to save money in Medicare and Medicaid down the road," he said. McDonough said that there are quite a few items which he hopes to address in Albany if re-elected. "One of the big things is to make sure we continue holding taxes down. I still continue to support the governor's programs," he said. "One of my priorities is - there's a bit of a legislative gridlock in Albany and I want to break that process. Right now the budget is determined basically by the governor, speaker of the Assembly and the majority leader of the Senate. Even though two of those people happen to be in my party I still think that we need to return the conference committees just like we did in Congress so that good bills, when they come up, can see the light of day and be open to conference committee discussion so they can get forward. Too many are held up in committee right now." Citing the environment as another important issue, McDonough noted that he is strongly against the LITP2000. "I'm against that widening of the parkways because the Southern State Parkway will become the 'South State Expressway,'" he said. "My goal is to increase transportation in the alternate methods such as the Long Island Rail Road. The Long Island Bus MTA is saying they need more support. Widening the parkways is not the answer. Literally, there are some people whose backyards are right up to the parkway." He also noted that boosting the economy is an important goal. "[Increasing] jobs is a priority for me [and] that's by helping the small businesses and the larger businesses to help build the economy back up. So [my goals are] to get the economy going again [and] to continue programs for health care and to make sure schools receive the necessary aid to provide children with a quality education." McDonough said that what he enjoys most about being an assemblyman is being able to help people. "In the last 20 years I've been representing people in one way or another; through Kiwanis helping children and families - every year we're doing constant programs there; through the Bellmore-Merrick Community Wellness Council where we deal with substance abuse and families, and through the chamber of commerce locally and the county chamber of commerce to help businesses. So my experience has been representing people," he said. "I'm continuing to that. And my feeling is that if you're going to have someone represent you, you should have somebody who's been representing people as I have the last 20 years. I'm able now to directly help people - I will get you an answer. I hope it's the one you want but I will definitely get you an answer. Albany is one thing but the real job is when you're back here in the district and you're working with people - you help them deal with their problems. That's the nicest part of the job. The office that I hold gives me the position that I can do that." In helping residents, McDonough said the most important thing to do is to make sure he listens to their concerns. "Listening to the people [is very important] and I think that all of us (as legislators) probably get most of our information from our constituents about the problems. You have to listen to them. Sometimes you have to tell them something can't be done, but the biggest frustration they have is not getting an answer." McDonough said that his experience makes him the best candidate for this position. "I have the experience, not only in the Assembly thus far but experience in community service and dealing with people for the last 20 years. I strongly feel that you should have someone represent you that already has the experience and the ability to represent people. My experience in all aspects of community service - community service is what this job is." The 19th Assembly District encompasses the communities (or portions of) Levittown, Merrick, Bellmore, Baldwin Harbor and East Meadow. After the recent redistricting, the district now includes the communities of Wantagh (including North Wantagh) and Seaford. McDonough is a longtime resident of Merrick, living in the area for over 35 years. He and his wife Carolyn have three children. In addition to the Republican party line, McDonough is also running on the Conservative and Independence party lines. Democrat Michael Moore is challenging incumbent David G. McDonough in the upcoming election in the 19th Assembly District. Moore, running on the Democratic and Working Families party lines, is currently a senior court officer sergeant, serving in the Nassau County Court and is first vice president and legislative chairperson of the Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau County (COBANC). He said that his experiences have helped him become familiar with the operations in Albany and he decided to run for office to help residents get their needs addressed. "I thought I could make a difference," he said. "I just feel we need a fighter up in Albany, especially in these times. This year is going to be a really difficult year to provide for the communities in Albany and to get funds, and you're going to need somebody up there with the fighting spirit to bring back what the community needs." Moore said that taxes are one of the most important issues facing residents today. "People are worried about their taxes. I've been walking the district now for three and a half months, I've rang over 3,000 doorbells," he said. "People are just scared. Some people say they're afraid of losing their house; it's heart-rending. It's amazing how many people live with their parents, or parents who live with their children - it's because they can't afford it." A resident of Merrick, Moore said that he stays abreast of community affairs throughout the 19th District. "I know the area. I stay up on everything, on community affairs. Being active with the union, I'm very knowledgeable with the needs of working people," he said. "I'm very aware of what the average working person in the community needs." In regard to health care, Moore said that he is very familiar with a lot of health-related issues as his wife is a nurse at South Nassau Community Hospital. He noted that the three top issues on his agenda are taxes, education and health care. "The whole job of a legislator is to fight for money - to bring back to your community. The bottom line is, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, people who know how to fight will bring back more and that's what I intend to do." Moore, who has never run for office before, said his favorite part of campaigning is walking areas of the district and meeting with residents. "I've been telling people when I walk, 'you give me two years, you'll know who your assemblyman is and you'll be proud of him.' My favorite thing to do is to walk. That's the part I love, ringing doorbells. For the most part people are just so responsive to lay eyes on somebody that's wanting to represent them. And just their ability to give their opinion. That's what's so important because if you don't energize people, they don't vote and then apathy rules and then the same thing - you just get status quo. You have to energize the citizenry." The candidate noted that many residents he's met with have asked him how he plans to make a difference. "Some people say I'm tilting at windmills because it's a Republican district and I'm a Democrat and I tell them if nobody fights the windmills, then the windmills win. You always have to have somebody out there to try." He further noted that those party lines aren't rock solid and that regardless of party affiliation, a candidate must appeal to the people. "I'm a family man. I'm not a politician, I'm a court officer. I have two kids in public schools, we share the same concerns. That's the bottom line. What I do in Albany is going to affect me just as much as it's going to affect them. I don't have a business behind me, I'm not a lawyer who can go back into private practice. It's an investment on my part, but that shows my concern. "I'd like to see the south shore become a shining gem. Levittown really needs to be addressed, too, to bring back that real community feeling, not just be a thoroughfare where people are whipping down Hempstead Turnpike. That could be done through a coalition with chambers of commerce and local community groups and basically listening to the community before stuff happens. You need someone out there who's proactive, not reactive." Moore noted that one of the items on top of his agenda is bringing tax relief to the area. "[I want to] try and bring back some tax relief, enhance the STAR program for our seniors, help attract businesses, maybe create a business STAR program [and] bring back more state aid for education. The whole system has to be revamped," he said. "The reason the budget isn't on time most of the time is because they're fighting to increase aid for programs that are important to people. One of the things I'd like to see is to take the school education budget and make that a two-year item where you'd only have to vote on that every two years. This way it makes it easier for the school districts to do long-term planning." Moore said that if he is elected, he will go to Albany to address the concerns of his constituents. "I've always fought for what I believe in and I just believe that I could fight for what the community needs," he said. The 19th Assembly District includes the communities (or parts of) Levittown, East Meadow, Bellmore, Merrick and Baldwin Harbor. After the recent redistricting, the district now also includes Wantagh (including North Wantagh) and Seaford. Moore is COBANC's legislative chairperson and has been responsible for the preparation of the legislative agenda for the association. He was part of the coalition of Court Union Officials that lobbied the legislature for beneficial changes in retirement legislation, including the cost of living increase for New York State retirees. He was past president and founding member of the Fraternal Order of Court Officers and is also a current member of the American Association of Professional Law Enforcement, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 142, American Association of Political Consultants and a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife Jacqueline live in Merrick with their two daughters, Elizabeth, 15 and Claire, 14.