Patch Candidate Profile: William Flinter For Southold Town Assessor

SOUTHOLD, NY — Southold residents will be heading to the polls soon to elect local representatives.

The race is on leading up to Election Day, which, this year, falls on Tuesday, November 7.

Patch asked those running for office to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles in the days leading up to the election.

William Flinter, on the Democratic ticket, is running against Michael Goscinski, a Republican, for a Southold Town Assessor's seat.

Here is Patch's candidate profile of William Flinter:

Name

William Flinter

How old will you be as of Election Day?

37

Does your campaign have a website?

https://www.southolddems.org/w...

What city or town do you live in?

Mattituck

What office are you seeking?

Southold Town Tax Assessor

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

I graduated from Mattituck High School in 2004. After high school I attended Siena College, where I earned my degree in finance.

What is your occupation?

For the last 15 years I have worked in local banking and finance, serving in Shelter Island, Greenport, Southold, and Cutchogue. I've been fortunate to work for a variety of financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, Farm Credit East, and Capital One. I currently work at M&T Bank in Cutchogue, where I've been for the last 6 years.

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

I met my wife Danielle while attending Mattituck High School. We bought our home in Mattituck seven years ago, where we now raise our two children Collin and Lena. We are also very blessed to have the support of our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins who also call Southold Town home.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I was inspired to run for Southold Town tax assessor by my mother Jane Flinter, who has been a member of the Southold Town Democratic Committee for the last several years.

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

This is my first time running for public office. It has been a wonderful experience and has given me an opportunity to meet so many great people in our community.

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

I believe we are all called to service at different times in our lives. I also believe there are a lot of different ways we can all serve our community. For me, that means utilizing my education and experience in local finance to help develop and maintain fair and transparent property tax standards.

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 affordability. For some of us, that means affordable housing, for others it may mean the ability to heat your home this winter. As tax assessor, I will work to make sure our property taxes are fair for everyone. I will work to make sure that no member of our community is ever left out in the cold.

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

When we talk about water quality, I think we're referring to both the quality of our drinking water, and our surrounding waterways. There a lot of issues on both of these topics that will need to be addressed, but the underlying theme with all of them is a focus on environment and conservation.

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

I think our current highway department has done a great job of improving roadways and sidewalks around our community while adhering to the budget given. I believe some of our future projects should include renewable energy sources to maintain our focus on our local environment.

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

These issues local businesses are facing all seem to share a common theme; affordability. The rapid inflation we have experienced recently has increased rents, cost of goods, and limited the ability of a working class to find affordable housing. By focusing on affordable housing, we can rebuild our working class, which will help our businesses thrive.

What is your stance on the current migrant situation affecting New York? And migrants were to be directed to shelters on Long Island, how would you prepare/plan for that?

Our resources and infrastructure are certainly limited on the North Fork of Long Island, but that does not excuse us from giving the help we can to those in need. We need to be creative to find ways to reasonably and responsibly reach out to help while ensuring the safety, security and well-being of everyone.

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

My love of Southold Town and our community are what drive me to be your next Southold Town tax assessor. However, it is my education and years of experience that give me a unique perspective into local finance that qualify me for the position.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

The current tax assessor is retiring, and I am very proud and grateful that he has reached across party lines to give me his endorsement.

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

As tax assessor, my objective is to serve our community in a fair and transparent way that enables us to meet our budget needs.

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

As an employee for People's United Bank, I was appointed as an ambassador to help oversee the merger to M&T Bank in Cutchogue. Although challenging, the merger taught me to be open to changes while continuing to embrace the people and culture of a small community.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Arete. My father was a history teacher at Suffolk Community College. One day he told me about the Greek philosophy of Arete. The translation generally refers to the pursuit of perfection; realizing that true perfection is not possible, it is the drive to always reach for excellence.

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

Your vote for me is a vote for experience, integrity, and commitment to community.