Nassau Legislature Candidates: Meet James Greenberg

GLEN COVE, NY — Voters in Nassau County will head to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for Legislator.

In District 11 — including Sands Point, Port Washington, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Glen Head, Glenwood, Sea Cliff and Glen Cove — voters will select from three candidates: incumbent Democrat Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Republican challenger James Greenberg and Libertarian challenger Blay Tarnoff.

Patch reached out to all three candidates via email and/or Facebook to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

James Greenberg

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 45
• Town of residence: Glen Cove
• Position sought: Nassau County Legislator 11th District
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Family: Ariana Greenberg, 18, freshman at Towson University; Sean Greenberg, 14, freshman at Glen Cove High School; Janice Greenberg (wife) attorney.
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.
• Education: Skidmore College and Hofstra University School of Law (J.D.)

• Occupation: Adoption and immigration attorney, 20 years of legal experience.
• Previous or current elected or appointed office: None.
• Campaign Website: www.JamesMGreenberg.com; @GreenbergforCountyLegislator (Facebook).

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

Cost of living and oppressive property taxes. When elected I plan to exam spending in regard to consulting firms, programs and services that may be duplicating or overlapping services and tighten the county's belt when it comes to spending. Encouraging small businesses to open and hire Nassau County residents, creating jobs and new sources of revenue.

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

Accountability. Whether in my professional legal career, acting as vice president of the Glen Cove Jr. Soccer league or director of People Need Caring, Inc. (a not-for-profit foundation founded by my parents 45 years ago) I have been accountable for every positive and negative action I have taken. I also believe my communication skills, critical to moving forward and getting things done, are major differences between myself and my opponent.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

My opponent has not aggressively represented all of our resident's needs in the county Legislature, specifically in regard to the tax reassessment and opposing many of Albany's questionable policy and law making decisions.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Balancing development in Nassau County with preventing overcrowding, keeping Nassau affordable for young people, like my college age daughter and the elderly are of the highest priority. However, maintaining our county roads, sewer systems, and open spaces, not just patching them up but doing the necessary work now to prevent major costly expenses in the future are all platform issues not of a campaign but of the county legislator. My campaign pledge is to continue to communicate with the residents after election day, during my days in office and not just one or two months before the next election cycle.

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

Our adoption law firm's success in creating thousands of families through international and domestic adoption. Acting with my parents as directors of People Need Caring, Inc. a family not-for profit foundation which raises thousands of dollars and since 1975 has distributed over $300,000 to various programs worldwide. Perhaps my role as the intramural soccer coordinator and vice president of Glen Cove Jr. Soccer for the past years has prepared me the best to handle this job. If anyone has had to interact with soccer (sports) parents they'll know what I mean.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

You'll never please everyone so stick to the values you were brought up with from your parents and your creator.

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

I value hard work, taking responsibility for one's actions, and leading by example. Honest pay for honest work is not just a slogan to me but a concept that may have been lost in our present culture here on Long Island. This campaign is not about my opponent, what she has or has not done for the residents of the 11th district but what I can bring as a fresh new voice for a better Nassau County.