Candidate Profile: Mike Simonelli For Suffolk Legislature

ST. JAMES, NY — Suffolk County residents are gearing up to head to the polls for Election Day on Nov. 2, where they will be voting on the Suffolk County Legislature. Conservative challenger Mike Simonelli is running in the 13th Legislative District against Republican incumbent Robert Trotta and Democratic challenger Kevin Mulholland.

The 13th Legislative District is composed of Smithtown, Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor, and St. James, as well as portions of Commack and East Northport.

Patch reached out to all candidates to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Mike Simonelli

Age (as of Election Day)

50

Position Sought

Legislator, Suffolk County's 13th District

Party Affiliation

Conservative

Family

Son - Michael, 16

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.S., US Air Force Academy. MA in National Security Studies, American Military University

Occupation

Military 30 years, Police Officer 21 years, PBA Executive Board member 9 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

https://simonelliforsuffolk.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

"I have dedicated my life to public service. First in the military serving my country and then in the police department serving the residents of the county. The next logical step for me is to serve my local community in the hopes of bringing a different perspective to the role of legislator."

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

"I believe that our district has suffered tremendously from the effects of the pandemic, and I am passionate about revitalization of our communities and getting our small businesses prospering while attracting new businesses to bolster our district's economy. One of the ways this can happen is by working with our other elected officials to get sewers in place in order to preserve our national resources, protect our environment and allow our community to prosper."

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

"I have always been a team player and understand the value in working with others toward a common goal. My opponent rarely aligns himself with other elected officials in supporting positive change. Where I am very optimistic about the future of our community my opponent dwells on conspiracy theories and fails to promote positive change for our district."

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

"I vow to work with civic organizations as well as other like-minded public officials to promote the health and economic growth of the community. The incumbent has failed to promote growth or positive change within the district, instead using his office as a soapbox to promote himself as a truth fighter with little benefit to the community."

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

"It’s very easy to comment after the fact on how our elected officials responded to a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, but I’m not one to criticize those who did their best during a difficult time. Obviously, there were areas I disagreed with certain decisions and I’ve been vocal regarding my views but I won’t fault those who made the tough decisions at the time."

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

"The opioid problem facing our communities is a big concern of mine and that goes hand in hand with respecting those who pledge to keep us safe. Our men and women in blue have had their hands tied by our state legislatures who saw fit to use bail reform to the detriment of our citizenry. I am also concerned about our education system and the fact that more of our tax money should stay within our communities."

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

"Since I was originally an Air Force finance officer, it was no small feat leading and successfully returning with all my soldiers safely from combat through the first year of the war in Iraq as an Army Civil Affairs Special Operations Officer. I am equally proud of my past tenure as a PBA Treasurer where I went from being a 3rd Precinct street cop to expertly managing a multi-million-dollar budget and instituting the transparency I promised to our members."

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit."

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

"I am a rare and lucky man in New York in that I managed to gain custody of my child in the divorce. My ex-wife is well-educated, beautiful and has a heart of gold, but she is a victim of the opioid crisis plaguing our island. Therefore, I am sympathetic to users' need for mental health, I know firsthand the pain that affected families are going through, and I am completely committed to attacking this issue at the source – those trafficking drugs into our county and homes!"