Greater Patchogue coverage is funded in part by New Village at Patchogue, open-concept rental residences with sleek contemporary design. Click here for a tour.
As part of our “5 for 5” series — designed to help GreaterPatchogue.com readers better navigate the 2015 Elections — we asked town candidate Michael Loguercio to give us five great ideas, or policy goals, that could be set in motion in the next five years.
Loguercio, 57, of Ridge, is an insurance professional and community leader who belongs to numerous community and charitable organizations, including being a member of his local volunteer fire department and serving as a school board member. He is the challenger in Brookhaven Town’s Fourth Council District and is running for election on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Reform Party lines. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Commit to roads and infrastructure
Despite the fact that winter storms over the last two years have had a devastating effect on our roads, the current council member voted to remove $1 million from the capital budget earmarked for repairing our roads — we need to do the opposite. I will focus on making resources available to make long-term investments in our neighborhoods for sidewalks, drainage projects, shoreline hardening and other critical infrastructure projects.
Solve chronic odor problems in South Country
Thousands of our residents made an investment in these beautiful rural communities by buying homes and raising their families here. But that dream has been turned into a nightmare with the constant, nauseating smells that batter this community. Within five years we need to take the steps necessary to contain or move composting facilities in the area, and move forward with odor mitigation plans and capping the town landfill.
More parks, better parks
As the largest town on Long Island, our residents have a great need for new parks, ball fields, recreation centers, hiking trails and other recreational opportunities — none more than the residents of the Fourth Council District. The residents in the district have been underserved over the last 10 years and lag way behind other areas of the town in terms of the number and quality of parks.
In addition to creating new recreational opportunities in the district, I will also fight to make improvements to our existing facilities to make them more safe and up-to-date. I will also find creative ways to use the thousands of acres of property that the town has purchased for open space as passive recreation opportunities.
Restore our neighborhoods quality and character
In the last 10 years, the Fourth Council District has become home to more abandoned and foreclosed properties than any other district in Brookhaven Town. I will aggressively knock down dangerous, blighted buildings and force banks to clean up their foreclosed properties.
And then, we must mend our communities by attracting smart, sustainable development that increases the tax base without overburdening our schools. I’ve worked to achieve such goals as a school board member by cooperating with officials from all levels of government and all political parties. As your councilman, I will continue to put taxpayers first and continue this non-partisan approach to the make the critical improvements to sewers, roads and transportation that will attract the right type of development in the district.
One particular property in town comes to mind, on Route 25 in Middle Island. Perhaps there is no greater eyesore than the enormous abandoned K-Mart building in the heart of our town. There have been a number of plans, studies and concerns raised about this problem, but no real action has ever been taken. I’ll change all of that. I pledge that as councilman, this building will be knocked down within in six months of taking office.
That will be the first real step in revitalizing this business corridor.
Financial accountability, across the board
As a financial professional, I know the importance of strengthening the structural finances of a company or municipality; and just like all the other taxpayers who have to balance their checkbook at the end of the month, I know you cannot have long-term financial security by spending money you don’t have.
While town finances have improved under the leadership of Supervisor Ed Romaine, we need to continue our vigilance to strengthen municipal finances. I support Supervisor Romaine’s three point plan to end deficit spending, rebuild the town’s budget surplus and impose budget accountability for all town departments.
Michael Loguercio could be reached via email or through his Facebook page.
