Meet The Candidate: James Hoyle For Town Of Oyster Bay Supervisor

LONG ISLAND, NY — Long Island residents will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Ahead of Election Day, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaign — and the results will be published as candidate profiles in the days leading up to the vote.

James Hoyle is running for Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor on the Democratic line against challenger and incumbent Joseph Saladino, who is running on the Republican line.

James Hoyle for Town Supervisor:

Name

James Hoyle

How old will you be as of Election Day?

28

Does your campaign have a website?

jameshoyleny.com

What city or town do you live in?

Glen Head within the Town of Oyster Bay

What office are you seeking?

Town Supervisor

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

Oyster Bay

Party affiliation.

Independent on the Democratic Ticket

Education

Villanova and Boston University, Political Science with a focus in Public Policy and Homeland security, International Relations with a focus on Infrastructural Economics

What is your occupation?

Supply Chain Analytics

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I have a great, loving family. My dad works construction and my mom is a teacher. My sister is in medical school and will be the best in her field, whichever field she chooses.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My immediate family has no ties to politics or government work.

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

No.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running for election and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

My general view about politics is that it should be viewed more as a job dedicated to staunchly defending and supporting your entire constituency. As we have all seen, politics has become a team sport more so now than ever. People that agree on the problem become so preoccupied with the partisan nature of today's politics that solutions can be left to the wayside. For me, I am not running to be a political figurehead, I am running to make Oyster Bay more efficient and a better, more affordable place for those who live here.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing constituents is:

Representation. With one party controlling the town as a monolith there is little to stop them from not addressing things like utility prices or combating wasteful spending. It also impacts the speed with which more niche local issues are addressed, like Glenwood Landing's mailman crisis that has been ongoing for as long as I have been alive.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI?

We need to take the environmental issues to our water more seriously before they cause harm to those living here and the aquifers. We also need to address Liberty Water and their persistent price hikes.

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

We should make a map that updates both the town and residents on the existence/status of pot holes and flooding to more efficiently solve this problem. People generally have been complaining about the same problem areas for a long time. We need to create the network that allows the town to remedy these valid complaints much faster.

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

The most important thing would be to listen to their needs directly. A lot of our local business owners have been here successfully a long time and understand the dynamics impacting their business better than anyone. There are things I instinctively believe to be important, such as addressing the issues that prevent the younger and older generations from staying on long island, which would benefit local businesses by creating a more long term labor solution. Local businesses are the life of any town, and their survival in this complex and increasingly difficult environment is essential.

How are federal issues impacting local government?

Affordability is the first thing. The tariffs, increases in oil prices, and inflation caused by the actions of the federal government have directly taken money out of the pocket of Oyster Bay residents.

What is your stance on how ICE enforcement has impacted local communities?

ICE enforcement at a local level creates a level of hostility and doubt that we don't see when policed at a local level.

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

I have a new perspective in that I am not a career politician. I am someone who has been in analytics and finance for my entire professional career. I am going to take environmental threats more seriously, work on programs that provide housing to younger and older members of our community to prevent families and communities separating, and work to decrease our exceptionally high taxes and secondary town costs.

I will also be more transparent when it comes to spending and tax increases.

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

My campaign has a variety of key issues at different levels. Some as local as specific stretches of roads that have been in desperate need of repair or Glenwood Landing's need for a mailman. Others are as large as the town's spending habits and our taxes. What I think I want to bring more than anything is representation. Whether you are a republican, democrat, independent, or just tired of politics in general, regardless of zip code, I am fighting for you.

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

I have a long history working on deals the size of the budget of the town. I am currently a supply chain analyst which I think is the exact skillset the town currently needs. We need diligence, long term planning, and critical analysis to get Oyster Bay out of the problems it has had for years.

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

I am Oyster Bay first. I have been a part of this community my entire life. I have seen my family, friends and neighbors complain about the same things bothering them for just as long. It's money and representation. Despite these problems persisting and the various serious and costly scandals we have
endured, the Republican Party in Oyster Bay has not relinquished power from the Supervisor position once in my life. I think at a certain point things go beyond party lines. My conservative neighbors and I at a local level both complain about the same water bill, same taxes, and same threat to our beaches. It has never been about politics; it's about the people you represent and how you can make their lives better.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you and why?

"Just because something seems impossible now doesn't mean you shouldn't try."

I think a lot of people check out of politics because everything becomes so sensationalized it is hard to find yourself in the
conversation. We can not afford to allow ourselves to check out of conversations that dictate everything from our finances to the water we drink.