Independent Thinking Key for Legislative Candidate

Political newcomer Anthony Musumeci seeks to represent Suffolk County’s 8th Legislative District with a campaign that emphasizes the importance of budget transparency, public safety and independent thinking.

The Republican will have to defeat the district’s incumbent Democrat Bill Lindsay, the legislature’s presiding officer, in order to represent the district, encompassing Bayport, Bohemia, Holbrook, Sayville, West Sayville, Oakdale and parts of Ronkonkoma and Holtsville. If elected, Musumeci plans to demonstrate what he says is his greatest strength as a candidate.

“Most important thing for me in being an elected official is to be an independent thinker," said Musumeci, who lives in Bohemia. “[Incumbents] have people and groups they have to deal with, but when you’re sitting there and voting on something you have to make up your own mind. It’s good to get new people in there. If you want change, you’ve got to have new people to do it. By nature, that’s what yields results.”

Pointing to his relevant experience, Musumeci said he handles the “business side of the things” at his family’s Ronkonkoma-based engineering firm. Musumeci’s career focus, along with his work as a volunteer for the Republican Party, factored in to his decision to run.

Musumeci, who earned a bachelor's degree in business from Hofstra University in 2000, has taken issue with what he says is a lack of transparency in the county budget process. He noted a few legislators are handpicked to amend the budget, usually amending with hundreds of resolutions, and proper budget review time is not allotted to those left out of the process.

“Legislators then must quickly read through something like 150 resolutions in two hours. The process is inviting mistakes,” he said. “The entire legislature should be involved. How are we supposed to vote for the people in our district if we don’t know what we’re voting on?”

Another issue of focus for Musumeci is public safety. The father of two young children said the legislature is constantly asking county workers/unions to make concessions.

When it comes to public safety, Musumeci is specifically passionate about keeping sex offenders away from kids. The county’s probation officers are an integral part of doing just that, Musumeci says. According to the candidate, who pointed out that county probation didn’t endorse him, officers told Musumeci that they are having a hard time keeping up with increasing caseloads.

“The probation officers are the frontline of defense in terms of keeping track of people coming out of prison, and we’re asking them to concede more and more,” he said. "I look at that and say that’s a problem.”

Musumeci would like to see a portion of the $160,000 member-item spending for each legislator be used toward filling the budget hole.

“Let’s cut some of it [member item], hire another PO county worker, do something to help generate revenue,” he said. “We have to start thinking that way in my opinion.”