Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph N. Mondello has recently announced that Bayville resident Martha Offerman, former town clerk of the Town of Oyster Bay, is joining the Republican Party. Additionally, Offerman has been tapped as the GOP's choice to run for the county legislature's 18th District seat currently held by Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove).

Offerman was elected town clerk, running as a Democrat, in 1999. She was re-elected to that position, again as a Democrat, in 2001. In 2003, current Town Clerk Steve Labriola (R-Massapequa Park) was elected in a very close race.

"I am delighted to welcome Martha Offerman to the Republican Party," Chairman Mondello noted. "During her four years as town clerk, she built a reputation as a hard working, no-nonsense public official who knows how to get the job done. Martha is a relentless campaigner who made a lot of friends and retains a great deal of support among the Oyster Bay residents she served so well as town clerk. I look forward to her running a spirited campaign that helps elect a new Republican majority on the county legislature this November."

Offerman stated, "As a lifelong Democrat and a two-term Oyster Bay town clerk, I have become increasingly dissatisfied with the administration of County Executive Tom Suozzi. Elected with an unprecedented mandate to reform county government, Tom Suozzi placed personal ambition above his promise to rebuild Nassau County. I am deeply troubled by his record of higher taxes, the selling off of county assets, numerous scandals which worsen our ongoing fiscal nightmare and a reduction in county services.

"Accordingly, I am announcing that I will join a re-energized Nassau County Republican Party in its effort to offer voters a clear, responsible alternative. I shall proudly accept the party's designation [as candidate for] the county legislature's 18th District, where the voters need an effective voice.

"I make this move because Nassau County has serious problems. I make this move because I am convinced that we can change bad policy and bad decisions only by replacing those who are making them."

Offerman is married and a mother of three children, stepmother of five and a grandmother of 15. She was born and raised in Port Washington, educated at local schools and attended C.W. Post College. She graduated from Adelphi University's graduate program as a certified paralegal.

When reached for comment, Legislator Yatauro said, "Elections are about differences and choices. I believe that the constituents of the 18th District will see the difference between my opponent and myself and the choice will be crystal clear, to vote for the candidate who has helped to put Nassau County on its feet, helped to not raise taxes in three years and who will work in a bi-partisan manner to continue to secure the best for the residents of the 18th District."

Also announcing candidacy this week was Thomas M. Sabellico, a Farmingdale resident, who has been an active community leader for 30 years. He announced his candidacy as the Republican Party candidate for the 14th District legislative seat at a press conference held at Ellsworth Allen Park in Farmingdale earlier this week. He was joined by Congressman Peter King, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, Minority Leader of the Nassau Legislature Peter Schmitt, NYS Assemblyman Joseph Saladino and Town of Oyster Bay Clerk Steven Labriola.

Sabellico is the president and founder of The Farmingdale Community Summit, an organization comprised of all of the organizations located in the communities served by the Farmingdale School District. The Summit is responsible for Farmingdale Remembers (the 9/11 monument located at Farmingdale Library), Farmingdale Reads (a community-wide literacy project), Farmingdale Writes, the annual Farmingdale Expo and Health Fair, and Farmingdale Family Relief Fund.

He is also the president and founder of Winning Beyond Winning, Inc., a not-for-profit organization which works with former professional athletes to present life skills programs to children. Since its inception in 1998, Winning Beyond Winning has presented programs to over 35,000 children. These programs were on various topics including alcohol and substance abuse awareness, racial tolerance, career preparation, literacy, financial literacy, bullying, and steroids. He is also the founder of the 4887 Foundation, which has presented thousands of dollars in scholarships to high school students from Farmingdale, Massapequa and Plainedge over the last 10 years.

Sabellico is the president of Farmingdale Baseball League, Inc., and has served as a board member of the league for almost 20 years. He is the community service director for Farmingdale Breakfast Rotary and is a past president of the club and community service director for Rotary District 7250. He was the charter chairman of the Alfred Samenga Scholarship Fund, established by Nassau Italian Americans in Government, and was the first general counsel of the Nassau County Sports Commission.

"As a resident of this area for almost 40 years, and a strong believer in families and children, I have become increasingly worried about the ability of our senior citizens and our children to continue to live here," said Sabellico. "I am deeply troubled by higher taxes, increased gang activity, and decreased police presence. Many good people have worked a long time to make this a great community. We need to ensure that their work is not lost. I am not a career politician. I am a conservative, independent-thinking family man who loves this community and feels that it deserves real representation."

Sabellico is married and the father of three children, all born and raised in Farmingdale and graduates of the Farmingdale public school system. He is a graduate of Hofstra University and Hofstra University School of Law. His campaign web site is www.teamSabellico.com.

Sabellico will be running against Democratic candidate and incumbent Dave Mejias for the seat in the 14th Legislative District. "I am very proud of my record of stabilizing Nassau County's finances, reducing the size of government, passing budgets with surpluses and all of this was done without raising taxes," Mejias said in response to his challenger's announcement. He said he has worked hard for his constituents. "I obtained a $50,000 gang awareness and prevention grant for the Farmingdale School District. I have held meetings regarding tax grievances for my entire district and also held specific meetings for seniors," said Mejias. "I am also responsible for hiring more police officers in Nassau County. I have been working hard to fight the expansion of Republic Airport. I look forward to being re-elected in the fall."