Since her election to the inaugural Nassau County Legislature in 1995, Judith Jacobs has always placed an emphasis on improving the quality of life of her constituents, whether she's fixing a dangerous intersection or beautifying a neighborhood.

As she runs for a third term against opponent Lois Weinstein, Jacobs still regards her local ombudsman work as "the love of my life." However, the Woodbury resident of 32 years has also made significant strides outside of her district's boundaries, especially after being elected the minority leader in March 1999.

Jacobs replaced Bruce Nyman as the leader among the Legislature's Democrats. Her appointment coincided with the naming of Thomas DiNapoli as Nassau County Democratic Chairperson. They took over their respective positions at a time when the Democratic Party lacked any sense of unity or strength.

According to Jacobs, in a short time, "We've come a very, very long way...There was a lot of disarray in the party itself. [Now] we have a unity that has not been seen in a Nassau County Democratic organization for a very long time."

Jacobs likes the field of Democratic challengers this year, and hopes that the minority can win a few more seats this November, so that the party's initiatives and legislative proposals can't be so easily tabled. Currently, the minority party consists of five Democrats in a 19-seat legislature. Despite this disadvantage, said Jacobs, "nothing precludes us from bringing forth solid proposals for good government."

Of these proposals, one of the most important that Jacobs introduced was the one calling for the formation of a fiscal oversight review board which would examine the county executive's annual budget, make recommendations on it, and then enforce them. The Republicans countered with a proposal for a Blue Ribbon Panel to review the budget, which would have had less authority.

Deeming the Republican plan unacceptable, Jacobs organized a petition signed by thousands of citizens to force the issue of a fiscal oversight review board.

"We're trying desperately to get oversight with teeth adopted for Nassau County, and [the fiscal oversight board] really was not as onerous as the Republicans would like anyone to believe," said Jacobs. "It would have been local control by the minority leader, the majority leader, the office of legislative budget review and the comptroller to ensure that, when advice is given to the executive branch, it's followed."

Jacobs said that the deficit the county finds itself in is especially unacceptable because it comes when surrounding municipalities are experiencing a surplus. Residents of Nassau, to help make up the deficit, will now have to pay a real estate transfer tax and a higher police district tax. Furthermore, the county will not participate in sales tax-free week next January.

"In districts such as mine, which straddle the county line, there is no question that our inability financially to allow the residents of this county to participate in sale tax-free shopping will not only affect our residents, but it's going to affect our small-business people," said Jacobs.

Shortly after the petition, the Republicans set forth a plan to reform the budget review process for Nassau County. Several of the resolutions in the plan are extremely similar to ones the Democrats proposed, said Jacobs. "We're proud to have planted the seeds, even if the majority likes to run with the flowers," Jacobs commented.

Jacobs, supported by her fellow Democrats, has authored a variety of other bills which she continues to champion, hoping to get the majority's support. One of them is an anti-smoking legislation which would require stores to display their cigarettes from behind a counter, under lock and key, so little kids can't swipe them.

That way, "If someone wants cigarettes, they have to actually ask for them. That's very important. Three thousand children a day try cigarettes, 1,000 become addicted and, of that, about half die," said Jacobs.

Another legislation proposed by Jacobs calls for the county's discrimination code to include sexual orientation as a category for bias crime. "It's something that should have been in place from the very beginning," she said.

Yet another bill introduced by Jacobs proposed the formation of an Educational Resource Center for the county. Such a body would establish a speaker's bureau of professionals who would be willing to visit schools and discuss their areas of expertise with students.

Jacobs proposed another legislation as an offshoot of the county's sale of its Plainview land earlier this year to Computer Associates CEO Charles Wang. It would require competitive bidding on the sale of any real property in Nassau County over the amount of $250,000. Wong never bid on the land; he merely presented an offer for $23 million which the county accepted. Jacobs wonders if someone else may have offered more for the 144 acres of land.

Despite all the new responsibilities she faced this year as minority leader, Jacobs still prefers her local constituent work above everything else she does. Though Jacobs has spearheaded many local projects in the last two years, her most significant accomplishment was reviving the defunct Syosset Chamber of Commerce. "They've really rejuvenated that whole little town of Syosset," said Jacobs about the chamber.

Jacobs has played a key role in many local improvements, both as legislator and, before that, as the president of the South Woodbury Taxpayers Association. She successfully campaigned for better signalization and signage at several dangerous intersections, convinced the State DOT to repave a stretch of Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury during the evening hours, removed an illegal dumping ground next to a Woodbury shopping center, assisted in the closing of the Old Bethpage landfill and helped prevent the Plainview landfill from ever opening.

Jacobs continues to fight against development plans that could prove detrimental to the environment or the local economy. She staunchly supports the purchase and preservation of Jericho's Underhill property, and strongly opposes plans to construct a mall on the Cerro Wire property in Syosset.

Building a mall in Syosset is not economically beneficial, said Jacobs, because it would destroy many of Syosset's mom and pop operations. "If you encourage progress that's going to leave destruction in its wake, to me it's not progress," she said.

Jacobs said that residing in the 16th district is a joy, but also a responsibility.

"I take very seriously my responsibility to make sure that we leave a legacy that is worth leaving for our children and grandchildren...When people call me with their problems, I know their problems. I've lived them...It helps them to know that I'm a real person and that I really do care."

Jacobs is married to husband Sid. They have three children and four grandchildren.