2026 Patch Candidate Profile: Josh Taveras For NY State Senate District 8

MASSAPEQUA, NY — With Election Day approaching on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Patch is asking candidates running for public office to share their backgrounds, priorities and positions on issues affecting Long Island residents.

Josh Taveras, 26, of Massapequa, is running on the Democratic Party line for New York's 8th State Senate District, which includes portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties. He faces Republican and Conservative Party candidate Jarett Gandolfo in the general election.

Taveras, a retail store manager and Stony Brook University graduate, said his experiences caring for his mother, who has Huntington's disease, have shaped his views on healthcare, affordability and government accountability.

Here are Taveras' responses to Patch's candidate questionnaire:

Name: Josh Taveras

Age as of Election Day: 26

What city or town do you live in? Massapequa, NY

Office sought: New York State Senate, District 8

Party affiliation: Democratic

Campaign website: https://joshtaveras.com

Education: Copiague High School; Bachelor of Arts in political science from Stony Brook University.

What is your occupation?: Retail store manager at BYLT Premium Basics in Roosevelt Field Mall. Taveras has worked in retail for 12 years, including more than five years as a store manager.

Family: Taveras is the primary caregiver for his mother, who has Huntington's disease. He said he has helped care for her since he was 7 years old. His father died when he was 16. Both parents immigrated from the Dominican Republic in search of better opportunities. He also has two older brothers.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No, I would be the first!

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No.

Why are you seeking this office?

I love Long Island, and I am proud to call our community home. I am running for the New York State Senate because working families, young people, and seniors are being squeezed by skyrocketing costs while Albany politics too often fails to deliver real results.

Having served as a primary caregiver for my mother for nearly twenty years, I've seen firsthand how broken systems, from healthcare to housing, put unnecessary strain on everyday people.

Our district deserves proactive leadership that listens, shows up, and fights to make life on Long Island affordable, equitable, and sustainable.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is _____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is the crisis of affordability, driven by soaring housing costs, utility rates, and the everyday cost of living.

I intend to fight to lower household costs by expanding affordable housing stock, protecting renters and first-time homebuyers, lowering the tax burden on working families, and expanding access to affordable, universal healthcare so no Long Islander is forced to choose between paying their bills and staying in their home.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on Long Island?

Protecting our sole-source aquifer, bays, and waterways is not optional; it is fundamental to our public health and our economy.

To address Long Island's water quality crisis, we must:

Accelerate sewer expansion and clean septic conversions: Transition away from outdated cesspools and nitrogen-polluting septic systems by securing robust state grant funding directly for homeowners and municipalities.

Tackle emerging contaminants: Strictly regulate and hold industrial polluters accountable for PFAS/PFOA and 1,4-dioxane contamination, ensuring municipal water districts have state funding for advanced filtration systems without shifting the cost onto ratepayers' water bills.

Protect coastal wetlands: Preserve natural buffer zones, wetlands, and open spaces that naturally filter stormwater runoff and mitigate harmful algal blooms in the Great South Bay and Long Island Sound.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc.?

Long Island's infrastructure is under severe stress from decades of wear, extreme weather events, and underinvestment.

We must:

Secure Albany's fair share of transportation funding: Ensure our state highway and road resurfacing funds, like CHIPS, are distributed fairly so local municipalities can repair deteriorated roadways and mitigate chronic bottleneck points.

Invest in climate-resilient stormwater management: Upgrade drainage basins, culverts, and green infrastructure along low-lying coastal corridors to withstand severe coastal flooding and storm surges.

Strengthen and modernize public transit: Support reliable, expanded Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and local bus transit options to ease highway congestion, cut carbon emissions, and connect workers to local downtowns.

How would you plan to help local business owners who are struggling because of high rents, inflation and labor shortages?

Small businesses are the economic engine of Long Island's main streets.

To give our local entrepreneurs relief and stability, I will:

Address the root cause of labor shortages: High housing costs drive talented young workers off Long Island. By creating diverse, accessible housing near transit hubs, we keep our workforce local.

Provide targeted tax and fee relief: Streamline state regulatory red tape, support small business commercial rent tax credits, and provide incentives for energy-efficiency upgrades to lower utility overhead.

Expand workforce development and micro-grants: Partner with local community colleges and vocational programs to train workers in skilled trades and high-demand sectors, while ensuring state economic development grants prioritize main-street mom-and-pop shops over corporate giveaways.

How have federal issues impacted local government?

Federal policies have a direct impact on our daily finances on Long Island.

The federal cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction has placed an unfair double-taxation burden on middle-class homeowners and squeezed municipal tax bases.

Furthermore, delays or gaps in federal disaster mitigation and infrastructure dollars leave local towns to bear the cost of coastal erosion and climate emergencies.

We need state legislators who will vigorously advocate with our federal delegation to restore the full SALT deduction and deliver our fair share of federal infrastructure dollars back to Long Island.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

The fundamental difference comes down to lived experience, priorities, and community accountability.

I am running a people-powered campaign focused squarely on the day-to-day realities of Long Island families, fighting rising costs, protecting reproductive freedom, and expanding healthcare as a human right.

Rather than defending the status quo or special interests, I bring the perspective of a working-class caregiver who understands the real-world pressure of balancing bills, caring for loved ones, and seeking responsive, transparent governance.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Healthcare access: Championing universal, comprehensive healthcare, including mental health services, prescription drug affordability, and the protection of reproductive healthcare.

Public education funding: Protecting and enhancing state Foundation Aid so our public schools remain among the best in the country without forcing school districts to continuously hike property taxes.

Community safety and gun safety: Supporting common-sense gun safety measures and community-based violence prevention initiatives to keep our neighborhoods and schools safe.

Open space and clean energy: Investing in renewable energy transition and expanding public parks and trails for all families to enjoy.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence that you are qualified to serve in this office?

My qualification is rooted in decades of community advocacy, grassroots coalition building, and direct personal service.

Having dedicated nearly twenty years as a caregiver for my mother, I possess a deep, practical understanding of how state and health systems affect vulnerable families.

Over years of community organizing, fighting for climate justice, working-class labor fairness, and civil rights, I have demonstrated that leadership is not about political pedigree; it is about empathy, persistence, and building coalitions to get tangible results.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

"Never forget where you come from, and always listen before you speak."

Real representation isn't about having all the answers in an echo chamber; it's about having the humility to listen to the people you serve and letting their lived experiences guide policy.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want voters to know that I see you, I hear you, and I am in this fight for you.

Long Island shouldn't be a place where families are priced out of their generational homes or where young people feel they have to leave to find opportunity.

I am committed to working tirelessly in the State Senate to bring common-sense solutions, integrity, and genuine accountability back to Albany for our community.