A newcomer to the political arena, Joan Hazleton is the Democratic challenger in the 8th Legislative District, which encompasses Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, Floral Park, Garden City, Garden City South, Malverne, Stewart Manor, West Hempstead and portions of North Valley Stream.

A resident of Franklin Square and a retired New York City school teacher, Hazleton wanted to volunteer her time. The past few years she worked as a poll inspector. However, when she inquired how she could become more involved, she was asked to run for Nassau County Legislature. "I would like to see more people involved in the democratic process. I don't see a lot of young people that are involved in politics and I wish more 18- to 25-year-olds [get involved]," she said.

As a teacher, Hazleton says she is aware of the difficulties young people face in the county. She points out that the county has a problem with young people being able to get affordable homes. "Inflation is horrendous across the country," she said.

Hazleton said one of the ways the county may be able to create more affordable housing is by legalizing more homes into legal two-family homes. "I live in a community where, because the interest rates have dropped quite a bit, a lot of people opted to stay in their homes and build up and build out," she said.

One option she would consider putting forth is legalizing some apartments, if the community agrees. "A lot of young people, if they could find a legal two-family home, they could probably afford to get into it," she said.

By legalizing some homes into two-family homes, the county would expand its tax base and homeowners would have a break with their taxes with legal income, Hazleton believes. "If we take those that are in existence, maybe not allow new ones, and legalize those above ground, second-floor dwellings, I think that would help a great deal," she said.

Hazleton believes that the county has made a comeback under county Executive Tom Suozzi and the county will continue to get better with careful management. "With the old Republican establishment, there was a lot of borrowing and if we pay as we go, I think we can avoid those high interest rates," she said. "At some point, there's the bottom of the barrel and I think we have to generate the money, then spend it, not spend it and then borrow. That's a dangerous thing in this economy."

In order to expand the tax base, Hazleton favors promoting new businesses by developing a program where new business owners can be mentored by people who have been in business for years. "I think there are a lot of people who would be happy to give back to the community in that way," she said.

Hazleton believes assessment is an issue and wants to work to ensure that homes that have been recently expanded or renovated are assessed properly and fairly. "We have to figure what these taxes are going to buy," she said. "What does this assessment mean in terms of property tax? How can we be sure the money is being spent the way we want it spent? These things can be worked out," she said.

One of the original Nassau County Legislators, Republican Vincent Muscarella is running for re-election in the 8th District. Muscarella was first elected in 1995 and has run successfully for re-election in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003.

A resident of West Hempstead, Muscarella prides himself on being a fiscal conservative and believes that taxes and reassessment are two big issues facing the residents of Nassau County.

"The electorate is concerned that they're being taxed out of their homes and businesses and we are faced with a situation where it appears that taxes are ever increasing and yet government services seem to be declining," Muscarella said.

As a Republican legislator, Muscarella gives credit to Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, for the bond ratings the county has received. However, he believes Suozzi took the easy road to balancing budgets and that was through a tax increase and an increase in fees for county facilities and services. "My preference would have been first to tackle expenses, to consolidate agencies, eliminate duplication of services and ferret out inefficiencies," said Muscarella. "Although Suozzi promised, when he campaigned four years ago, that he immediately could reduce county expenditures by $100,000,000. Over the past four years, he has raised expenditures $500,000,000."

Muscarella joins with other Suozzi critics in their belief that, although the county has had three consecutive no-tax-increase budgets, touting no tax increases can be misleading because certain fees have gone up. "He has raised fees on everything from car registrations to telephone surcharges to fees on using the county parks slides for children," Muscarella said.

But while the last three years, county taxes may not have been raised, some property owners may have found themselves paying more each year because of reassessment. Muscarella was one of only four legislators who voted against settling the assessment case, which included a yearly reassessment. Muscarella said state law caps anyone's increase in assessments at 6 percent each year. However, the assessors office, according to Muscarella, by changing the percentage of assessment to market value every year, has managed to skirt that 6 percent cap. "He found a legal loophole to prevent the cap from being in effect," Muscarella said. "That 6 percent cap is not the fail-safe it was supposed to be."

Muscarella admitted the old assessment system had substantial problems. "However, because, as an attorney, I was familiar with the assessment system and tax certiorari work, it was my feeling that the proposed settlement would cause the hardship that it is now causing," he said, adding that he feels reassessment should have been phased in perhaps once every three years or once every five years.

Muscarella has also been active in health issues as he authored Nassau County's initial smoking legislation, drafted Nassau's tattoo and piercing legislation and sponsored the ban on harmful herbal stimulants. Muscarella also supported the Environmental Bond Act, preserving open spaces.

Muscarella has been active in the communities he represents. He is a member of the Franklin Square, West Hempstead Chambers of Commerce, the Franklin Square Lions Club, the Franklin Square Historical Society, the West Hempstead Civic Association, the West Hempstead PTSA, America Lodge Order Sons of Italy in America and the Knights of Columbus.

His career in public office also includes four years as a state assemblyman. He is currently a partner is the law firm of Muscarella and Tomasone in Franklin Square.