Candidate Profile: Justin Sweet For State Senate District 38

HUDSON VALLEY, NY - New Yorkers will be hitting the polls on June 23 for the primary election to choose who will be on the ballot for the general election in November.

Among the local races, some residents of the Hudson Valley will be able to elect who will run for State Senate in District 38. The seat is being vacated by David Carlucci, who is running to replace Rep. Nita Lowey in Congress.

The oddly-drawn district covers Rockland County and, across the Hudson River, Ossining in Westchester County.

In anticipation of the election, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Justin Sweet is seeking the Democratic line on the ballot in November. His opponents in the June 23 primary are Elijah Reichlin-Melnick and Eudson T. Francois.

Sweet is a third-generation Rockland resident. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo, he returned to Rockland and worked at the family-owned title insurance business his grandfather founded. Going back to school later in life, he earned his law degree at Pace University in 2005.

The 51-year-old has been elected five times as Clarkstown Town Clerk.

An active member of the community, he is a member of the Congers-Valley Cottage Rotary club; the Sons of the American Legion, Post 1682; and served as Committee Chair for Boy Scouts Troop 79.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Justin Sweet:

Why are you seeking elective office?

For the past nine years as Town Clerk, I've had the honor of serving the people. In my position, I've helped expand and improve services, managed a major departmental merger with the Office of Receiver of Taxes without any service interruptions, and digitized thousands of documents, all while doing more with less, helping save taxpayers millions of dollars. I want to take my brand of people-first public service from Town Hall to the State Capitol.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Ensuring a smart and timely economic recovery from the current crisis - tough decisions await the next State Legislature in Albany. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, we were facing billion dollar deficits, deficits that have only grown larger. We need voices in Albany that will build coalitions and consensus among the legislators from across New York. My entire career in public service has been about bring people together. Together is the only way we're going to move New York forward.

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

As someone with public and private sector experience, I understand the struggles of working families and small businesses. I literally grew up in a family-owned small business, gaining an appreciation for the hard work that it takes to survive here in New York. After the merger of the Office of Receiver of Taxes with my Town Clerk's office, I've met tens of thousands of residents who've told me of their struggles with ever-increasing property taxes. I get it, as someone with a mortgage of their own, that the cost of living for middle class families in the Hudson Valley is putting the American Dream out of reach for too many.

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

This is an open seat, with incumbent David Carlucci running for the US Congress

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

As someone who watched my grandfather struggle with illness, more concerned with the impact of the medical bills were having on the family business, healthcare is a passionate issue for me. When I'm in Albany, on Day One, I will sign on to the NY Health Act, moving New York closer to truly universal coverage.

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

As Town Clerk, I've been a leader in the state. We've digitized thousands of documents, making it easier for residents and small businesses to live and work in Clarkstown. Additionally, we've expanded service hours, staying open on certain nights and weekends. I also navigated a complicated merger with the Office of Receiver of Taxes, taking on significant new responsibilities for my office, maintaining the excellent services the people deserve, all while helping save taxpayers millions of dollars.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Best advice, from my father: "If you start something, make sure you see it through."

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

I'm Justin Sweet. I'm a husband, a father, a public servant. My job as Town Clerk doesn't lend itself to big political speeches. The job, like any elected position, is about serving the people. I want to go to Albany as your State Senator to improve the quality of the debate and discourse. How can we listen and hear one another if we can’t stop shouting at one another? I’m not looking to be a great politician; I’m looking to be a great public servant.

Campaign website: www.SweetForNY.com