Republican incumbent John Venditto is seeking re-election as Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay this November. He took office Jan. 1, 1998, and brings nearly two decades of experience in public service to the office of Supervisor. The North Massapequa resident also served as Town Attorney from 1991 to Dec. 1997, and as a Town Councilman from 1981 to 1991.

Venditto calls himself a fiscal conservative and says his aims are to make government efficient and provide quality public services at the lowest costs to taxpayers. "When I took office in 1998, I inherited a financial mess," Venditto said. "Our bond was being downgraded, and we were looking down the barrel of a $30 million deficit. Essentially, we were a microcosm of Nassau County, but unlike Nassau County, we fixed it in the Town of Oyster Bay."

Venditto added that rather than arguing about what to do about a deficit at this year's budget hearing, discussions were about how to spend the town's surplus. "A nice problem to have," Venditto quipped.

Preserving the suburban character of the town's neighborhoods, Venditto said, is his highest priority. Using all the tools available to the town, Venditto stated that as town attorney, he succeeded in closing down all six of the adult nightclubs and video stores that attempted to operate in the Town of Oyster Bay.

"When you drive out east, the word 'adult' dominates the landscape," Venditto said. "Every time they opened here, within 24 hours they were gone. You know you are in the Town of Oyster Bay because you don't see any of that here."

Venditto stated that protecting and enhancing the environment and recreation facilities for future generations is another of his goals. He mentioned the Liberty Industrial site cleanup in Farmingdale as one of the major successes under his administration. "For decades, all you heard about was the Liberty Industrial site," Venditto said. "People were afraid to drink their own water. You don't hear anyone talking about it anymore because we solved the problem."

The Town of Oyster Bay now owns a portion of the Liberty site, which will double the size of the abutting town park. "Twenty years ago, people only dreamed about that kind of solution to the problem," Venditto said.

An issue that Venditto said he is concerned about is making it possible for all town seniors to remain among their families and friends in the communities they helped to build. He said he is also drafting legislation for what he calls "next generation housing," affordable housing for the young people of the town.

"Property values are skyrocketing in the Town of Oyster Bay, and with the same aggressive manner in which we attacked the senior housing problem, we are working on housing that will make it affordable for our children to live in the town where they grew up in," He stated.

Venditto's "next generation housing" would allow an increased density to the acre, as is the case with senior housing, at for sale and ownership prices far below market value. He claims legislation will be in place by 2004, with the potential for shovels to break ground at that time.

Venditto earned his B.A. with a major in political science at St. John's University and his Juris Doctor at St. John's University School of Law. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1976 and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 1979. His professional affiliations have included the New York State Bar Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a founding member of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Nassau County.

Among other community service commitments, Venditto is a member and past officer of Columbus Lodge #2143, Order Sons of Italy in America, and a past member of the Commission for Social Justice of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America.

Venditto is married to Christine, a teacher, and has three children, Michael, Nicholas and Joanna.

"One of the hallmarks of my administration is that we don't dream, we don't plan, we don't have visions," Venditto said. "We do it and we do it right. While there is always room for improvement, I am so satisfied with the record of this administration for the past six years."