Candidate Profile: Sarah Anker For Suffolk County Legislature

MOUNT SINAI, NY — Election Day is fast approaching, and Patch is giving you a look at the candidates on the Nov. 2 ballot.

In the 6th Suffolk County Legislative District, Democrat Sarah Anker faces challenger, Republican Brendan Sweeney.

Anker discusses why she should be reelected. She answers Patch's Q&As below.

Age (as of Election Day)

57

Position Sought

Suffolk County Legislator

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Three children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A. Liberal Arts/Arts

Occupation

Suffolk County Legislator for the past 10 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Suffolk County Legislator, Mount Sinai Board of Education Trustee

Campaign website

www. SarahAnker.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

To continue to help people. I provide a voice for my constituents to be heard in government. When my constituents speak, I listen and act on their behalf. It's been an honor to serve for the past 10 years, and I hope to complete projects that I've started including the North Shore Rail Trail and the creation of a community ballpark for Longwood residents.

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

Public Safety, including traffic safety, protecting public health, and facilitating environmental clean-up, is the most important issue in my district. I work with law enforcement to crack down on drug dealers and violent gangs, I create neighborhood watch groups to focus on community crime, and I chair Suffolk County's Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel to address the opioid epidemic. The panel focuses on addiction prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and the courts. Prior to being elected, I created a not-for-profit to address the high cancer rates in our area, and how toxic pollution and chemicals contribute to cancer. I've supported clean water infrastructure projects and I have preserved thousands of acres of open space to protect our water.

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

I was elected as the Suffolk County Legislator for the 6th district 10 years ago, and I have gained experience and knowledge in understanding how to address issues and get projects done. Go to www.SarahAnker.com to see the many projects I've worked on. My slogan is "Securing our Future with Proven Leadership.” My opponents have limited experience in government.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Suffolk County's Department of Health provided assistance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic including setting up vaccination pod centers, distributing PPE, training staff in various tasks related to COVID, such as tracking COVID cases, and providing data from the state's COVID database. The state was slow to report data, which in turn made it difficult for the county to provide information to our residents and medical professionals. So I sponsored legislation to create a user-friendly county website that will provide critical information for medical personnel, such as the notification of a new COVID variant. In addition, the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development also provided support to local businesses during COVID. Most of the COVID support funding was used for large corporations. It was difficult for small businesses to find help, so I sponsored legislation to direct the economic development and information technology departments to create a user-friendly website for small businesses. I'm currently working on websites that I hope will provide valuable information and guidance during these challenging times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I continue to facilitate quality-of-life projects, including the North Shore Rail Trail recreational path and Longwood’s community park, which will not only add to the regional value of the area, but enhance the quality-of-life for residents and their families. Ten years ago when I was first elected, the county had a $500 million deficit. Now, the county is expecting a $500 million surplus that must be used to pay down debt, provide county reserve funds, and focus on programs that directly benefit our residents, including mental health and drug addiction prevention and treatment, instituting energy efficiency measures to infrastructure projects that will help save future dollars, increasing support for our veterans and seniors, and protecting public health by increased enforcement of environmental polluters.

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

• Balancing the county budget and holding the line on taxes - Suffolk County has a $3.2 billion operating budget and as far as I’m concerned, every penny counts. I rejected the fee hikes and I supported shared services and consolidating departments to save money.
• SAVE Hotline (School Active Violence Emergency) - Provides a Panic Button for schools. Partnering with the Suffolk County Police Department through a resolution. The hotline provides a direct link to our Emergency 911 Call Center for schools experiencing a crisis. Shortly after the Sandy Hook school shootings, I discovered that the local school districts did not have a panic button system, used by most banks and businesses. I worked with police to create a specific location at the Emergency 911 Call Center for schools to call into during an emergency. The SAVE hotline, a voluntary program for school districts, collects data and mapping information from the school, to provide police with as much information as possible to better protect our children during emergency calls.
• Road Safety and Public Safety – I continue to advocate to all levels of government to fix and repair roads. I’ve been successful with adding additional lights and signage along NYS RT. 25A and NYS Rt. 25 corridor, and adding school crossing guards near schools. I partner with local police to create neighborhood watches to better address crime. If you see something, say something!
• Suffolk County’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel – As the chairwoman of the 30-member panel, I facilitate discussion on what the county is doing, and what the county can do to be more effective in dealing with the opioid epidemic. Prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation, enforcement, and the court system are focused discussion topics. The panel was instrumental in facilitating the county’s acquisition of a mass spectrometer, needed to analyze the chemical composition of illicit drugs. In addition, the panel advocates to all levels of government on more effective processes.
• North Shore Rail Trail – The trail is a 10-mile recreation path from Mt. Sinai to Wading River and will provide a safer alternative for walking, jogging, running, and biking. There have been a number of fatalities in our district as residents try to bike, jog and walk along Rt. 25A and secondary roads. During COVID, residents have been enjoying the outdoors more, and this project is one more outdoor activity to enjoy in addition to the North Shore Heritage Park, Chandler Estate County Park, Cordwood Landing County Park, and The Friary County Park.
• Longwood Community Park – I continue to work on creating a community park in Middle Island using the North Shore Heritage Park as a template. I worked with the Mt. Sinai Civic 25 years ago to create the North Shore Heritage Park, which was slated to become a Home Depot. Working with the Middle Island Civic Association, Longwood Youth Sports Association, the Town of Brookhaven and the Longwood community, I will continue to pursue land and facilitate partnerships to make the "field of dreams" come true.
• Coram Plaza Revitalization – In October 2016, I was told that the Coram Home Depot store was possibly closing due to low sales. I knew if the store closed, a domino effect would occur at the Coram Plaza. I facilitated the Coram Plaza Revitalization Task Force to address: safety, economic stability, and beautification. With the help of the task force members, we were able to address the issues and turn the tide at the plaza. Home Depot, along with Stop and Shop, are currently among the area’s top-selling stores.
• Suffolk County Seniors and Veterans Resource Guides – My office has compiled two resource guides. The Senior Resource Guide, which is filled with valuable information on senior services including Meals on Wheels, free carpentry for income-eligible seniors, scam information, and senior discounts.
• Partnering with Suffolk County’s Office for Veteran’s Services, the Veterans Resources Guide provides resources including information on food, housing, and health services. As the daughter of a disabled Navy Vet, I know the many challenges our vets face, that’s why I sponsored resolution 1433-2019 to create the guide.

Information Websites:

• www.scpdscamalert.org - Partnering with the Suffolk County Police Department, I facilitated the creation of the website to address the high scam crimes senior citizens experience.
• www.suffolkstopbullying.org - Partnering with Suffolk County’s Health Department and Information Technology, I facilitated the website to address bullying in schools, suicide in teens and to provide the district’s mental health resource counselor (Dignity Act Coordinator) to students, parents, and school staff.
• www.suffolkstopaddiction.org - Partnering with Suffolk County’s Health Department and Information Technology, I facilitated the website to address substance abuse and mental health.
• Land Preservation - As a member of the County’s Environment, Parks and Agriculture Committee, I’ve supported over 2,500 acres of open space acquisitions and farmland preservation.
• Health and Our Environment - I continue to protect our water, air, and land that impacts our health by reducing toxic chemical exposure, including stopping dredge dumping into Long Island Sound, advocating against sand mining 150 feet into our sole source aquifer, reducing toxic chemicals in our environment, stopping illegal dumping and keeping our oceans clean.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Get involved in your community. If there's a problem in your community, get involved and become part of the solution.

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

It has been an honor to serve as your County Legislator for the past 10 years. As a mom of three children, union supporter, environmental and health advocate, and a fiscal watchdog, I look forward to continuing my job as your public servant. Thank you for this incredible opportunity and I hope I have earned your support.