Meet The Candidates: Danielle Fugazy Scagliola​ For GC Council

GLEN COVE, NY — Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2. And with voting just around the corner, Patch is reaching out to candidates across Nassau County to find out why they're running for office, and what they hope to achieve for residents.

Twelve candidates are seeking six seats on the Glen Cove City Council — including Danielle Fugazy Scagliola, who is vying for re-election.

Fugazy Scagliola, a financial writer and business owner, has served on the city council since 2020. The 43-year-old Democrat is a member of the Glen Cove Business Improvement District,

A long-time and active member of the Glen Cove Business Improvement District, president of the Glen Cove Education Foundation, and a coach for the Glen Cove Baseball/Softball Association.

You can learn more about Fugazy Scagliola below, or by clicking here.

Why are you seeking elective office?

As a life-long resident, I am proud to be serving as a Glen Cove City Council member. I ran originally, and am doing so again, because I love this city and want to see it be the best it can be, for my family and yours. I have learned a lot throughout my first term and I am proud of what I have helped accomplish, during an unprecedented time for us all.

I recognize though, that there is more to be done and I am eager to be given the chance to continue to work hard for our community. I have taken the time to familiarize myself with the institutional knowledge of our city government and how things actually work. This knowledge will help make my second term on City Council even more productive.

I loved growing up here. My husband Tommy and I are happy to be raising our four children in our beautiful city, along with our extended family. As a product of, and now a parent in, our Glen Cove City School District, I am invested in ensuring my and all children are afforded every opportunity to succeed. I am very proud of our public school district. It continues to make strides. However, we must do a better job as a city to promote our public schools and work together to create a positive reputation that all residents can be proud of.

A long-time and active member of the Glen Cove Business Improvement District, I am passionate about supporting and revitalizing our downtown. I believe it is the heart of our city and I will continue to help bring opportunity for success and positive growth to our downtown businesses and help create fresh opportunities within Glen Cove.

I am a Glen Cove mom, wife, business owner, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, and volunteer, dedicated to working with the entire Glen Cove community in bringing about positive change, while preserving what makes Glen Cove unique, for all of our families. I look forward to entering into my second term on the City Council with a greater insight into the needs of our community and a deeper knowledge on how best to help accomplish those needs.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are many pressing issues. It's hard to pick just one. We need to continue to work on creating a more inviting downtown and a better image for our school district. We also need to work on illegal housing and code enforcement, which was and is largely at a standstill with an eviction moratorium in place. We also need to update our codes and ordinances. We started this process, but it's a big undertaking and there's more to be done.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am extremely active in Glen Cove. I keep an office in the downtown of Glen Cove for 12 years so I see the issues we face every day. I am on the board of the Business Development District. I have four kids in the public school district so I have a strong pulse on what's happening at the school. I am president of the Glen Cove Education Foundation, which raises money for things that do not fall in the schools' budget. In 2021, we donated money for touchless water filtration systems and air purifiers to help keep COVID spread at a minimum. I am the liaison to the Youth Bureau and very active with youth sports. I coach a softball team and help on other teams as well.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I worked hard to respond to the COVID concerns. I stayed in constant contact with the assisting living facilities in our area to try to help them any way I could. I raised about $25,000 for local Glen Cove Food Pantries to help families in need and I also played a role in setting up the two pop-up vaccination sites for our most vulnerable population and frontline workers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

With the help of my team, I do believe we accomplished a lot despite the pandemic. We have brought new revenue streams to the city; completed the Morgan Park lower bathhouse; repaired the Pyribil Beach Pier, Completed repairs on Stanco Park Playground; launched a new city website; and more.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I like to keep it simple. At Deasy School, part of the mantra is to be kind and work hard. I try to live my life that way. I am respectful, caring, and I keep my head and do the work required to create positive outcomes.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I care deeply about Glen Cove and its future. I am asking for the opportunity to continue working hard on behalf of our residents.

Editor's note: The candidate's responses have been lightly edited for clarity.