Joseph Saladino of Massapequa is the Republican candidate in the upcoming election for the 12th Assembly District. The seat was vacated by Steve Labriola earlier this year, who was elected Oyster Bay Town Clerk. The 12th AD includes the communities (or parts of) Farmingdale, the Massapequas, Plainedge, Island Trees, North Wantagh and Seaford.

Although he has never before run for political office, Saladino noted that he has worked on several campaigns, dating back to his childhood days. A lifelong resident of Massapequa, Saladino's family has been in the community for four generations and, according to the candidate, has always been serving the community. He noted that after 16 years of government service, 20 years of professional experience and 25 years of community service as a volunteer in many organizations, he was asked to run in this election, hoping to succeed Labriola.

"I think I'm very qualified for the position because of the long list of work I've done with so many great organizations," Saladino said. "There are wonderful people in this community and I'm tremendously honored to have the opportunity to serve them."

Saladino is a member of a number of organizations, including the Massapequa Kiwanis Club, of which he's been a member for 16 years, was named Kiwanian of the Year and is a distinguished past president. He has also been a member of the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Board, the Sons of Italy and is a former trustee of the Massapequa Historical Society. He has also been a part of many fund-raising efforts for numerous local organizations, including sporting groups, senior groups and veterans groups.

"I spearheaded the program to build a community organization directory, located on the corner of Broadway and Sunrise Highway," he said, which showcases plaques of various local organizations. Saladino further noted that he is one of the co-founders of the Massapequa Anti-Graffiti Involvement Committee (MAGIC), having come up with the name.

As far as his goals for the district, Saladino said that he has some specific key points: stopping the spiraling property taxes, protecting the environment and protecting children's education, as well as children in general.

"I want to do everything [I] can to get our taxes under control; want to provide the best education possible for our children; bring more state aid to the district and stop the Robin Hood approach of having Long Islanders pay for the New York City schools," he said.

A lifelong outdoorsman and an avid fisherman, Saladino noted that he has many plans to protect the environment.

"I have fished our bays, canals and oceans and I've spent many a Saturday over the past 25 years doing cleanup projects in our preserves, parks and wetlands; picking up litter and cleaning our parks - and I'm proud to do so," he said. "These are the lakes [on which] I have played ice hockey in the winter and enjoy fishing in the summer and we want to make sure that all people will be able to continue to enjoy these beautiful environments and keep them preserved for many more generations."

Saladino noted that he has specific goals when it comes to protecting the Great South Bay, its estuaries and the fish populations that live there.

"I will work diligently to protect our natural environments, including our wetlands and marine environments and the flora and fauna in each," Saladino said. "I grew up on the Great South Bay - fishing, sailing, clamming - and I want to make sure that future generations have the opportunities that we had growing up."

Saladino further noted that he is very concerned about taxes.

"The way we pay taxes is just not fair to senior citizens and not fair to working people," he said. "We have to continue to fight for an equitable and just system because it's pushing people out of their homes; it's creating a drain in our Long Island communities. I will work with school districts, local municipalities [and] certainly with any and all resources the state has to offer to keep taxes down."

Saladino said that he's the most qualified candidate for this job because he has worked for both the townships of Hempstead and Oyster Bay.

"I worked for nine years in the Town of Hempstead as an executive assistant to the presiding supervisor; and for seven years as the director of operations for the Town of Oyster Bay," he said. "There is no question that constituent service is a large part of the job. I feel I will be very qualified to do the best job in getting answers and solutions for the residents because the district is located in both [townships] and when I pick up the phone many times I'll be calling the person who sits in the chair ... of the office that I used to occupy."

Saladino said that thanks to his experiences, professional, personal and volunteer, he is very familiar with all the communities in the district.

"This district is in my DNA," he said, adding that the residents of the district are one of a kind. "The quality of the people that I interact with on a daily basis in all the different sports groups, youth organizations, community service organizations, fraternal organizations - there's none like them and we have to do everything we can to protect their interests."

The election will take place Tuesday, March 9.

Massapequan William Funk is the Democratic candidate in the upcoming election for the 12th Assembly District. Funk seeks to fill the seat of former Assemblyman Steve Labriola, which was vacated at the beginning of January. The 12th AD includes all or part of the communities of the Massapequas, Plainedge, Farmingdale, Island Trees, North Wantagh and Seaford.

Funk cited his experience in both state and local government as making him particularly qualified for this position. He served at the New York State Senate as a staff member in the Office of the State Comptroller from 1994 to 1995, and as a top aide to Presiding Officer Judith Jacobs, Nassau County Legislature, from 1996 to 2001.

"I know how Albany works, I know how the Nassau County Legislature works," Funk said. "My opponent only has town experience."

Funk also stressed that, if elected, he would be a member of the majority in the assembly. "Everyone knows that in order for anything to get done, you need to work in the majority and you need to be able to work with the other side," Funk said. "I would be a member of over 100 strong in the Democratic majority, while my opponent will have no influence as a minority member of the assembly. I also have experience working in bipartisan effort, working to get things done."

Funk is presently executive director of corporate affairs at Nassau OTB. In his capacity at OTB, Funk is a part of the senior management team, which administers contracts, authorizes purchases, acts as liaison to labor, and is involved in lease and land acquisition. Due to his aggressive involvement and the support of the Concerned Citizens of Farmingdale, NROTB began the process to acquire the former adult club property known as the "Raven's Nest," which is adjacent to the Farmingdale OTB branch. Fulfilling a promise Funk made to the community, NROTB acquired the property and demolished the building.

Funk also serves as secretary and as a board member of the civic group Friends of the Massapequa Preserve. This group is dedicated to the promotion and protection of the preserve. In this role, Funk has been "hands on" by painting out graffiti and cleaning up debris, as well as advocating on behalf of the preserve by working with state and local government officials.

"I am especially interested in the Bethpage Parkway corridor," Funk explained. "It needs to be converted to state park status so that it receives greater protection. If I am elected, I will make sure that this happens."

Funk's goals for the district include fighting against unfunded state mandates, working with the Democratic Assembly Majority to fight for Medicaid relief for Nassau County taxpayers, protecting funds for Long Island schools, and proposing NY First Initiatives for the purpose of keeping jobs on Long Island and in the state.

Additionally, Funk has been outspoken about the fact that three separate elections have been scheduled for the month of March, a practice that he claims is affecting taxpayers' time and money. The Special Election for the 12th district of the New York State Assembly is scheduled for March 9, a week after the New York Presidential Primary and a week before the Villages of Massapequa Park and Farmingdale village elections.

"In the bitter cold, some voters are expected to vote three Tuesdays in a row in the month of March," Funk stated. "It would have made financial sense and encourage voter participation to conduct the special election on the same date as the Presidential Primary or the village elections."

As a member of assembly, Funk said he would seek election reform to encourage voter participation by having Special Elections occur on scheduled election dates and permit the expansion of voting by mail.

"Governor George Pataki, in his State of the State, expressed that he wanted to control expenses and relieve local governments from unfunded state mandates," Funk said. "An assembly special election is an unfunded state mandate that will cost the taxpayers of Nassau County as much as $200,000. The Nassau County Board of Elections is already prepared for the Presidential Primary and the village elections. Why add an unnecessary financial burden on our taxpayers?"

In addition to his position with OTB, Funk is an adjunct instructor of history and political science at Nassau Community College. He earned an MA in political science from C.W. Post University and a BA in history and political science from the State University at Albany. He is especially proud to have been a graduate of Nassau Community College and his experience as student government president in 1992.

As an avid cyclist, Funk blended his passion and political activism by completing the Alaskan AIDS Ride. He raised funds for AIDS research by completing a 500 mile, six-day bike tour from Fairbanks to Anchorage in July 2001.

Funk resides in Massapequa with his wife Jenni.

The election will take place Tuesday, March 9.