Candidate Profile: Bridget Fleming For Suffolk County Legislature

LONG ISLAND, NY — Suffolk County residents will be heading to the polls next month to elect local representatives and make their voices heard.

In addition to local town and village races, residents will weigh in on the race to represent one of the 18 legislative districts in Suffolk County.

This year, Election Day falls on Tuesday, November 5.

In advance of the election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaign — and the results will be published as candidate profiles in the days leading up to the vote.

Bridget Fleming, 59, of Southampton, is running for re-election as Suffolk County Legislator for District 2; the 2nd Legislative district is comprised of the entire South Fork of Long Island and includes Southampton and East Hampton Towns, as well as Shelter Island and East Moriches and Eastport in Brookhaven Town.

Her opponent is Linda Kabot (R) of Quogue.

Fleming, a Democrat, is married with a teenage son. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hunter College’s Special Honor Curriculum, J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Currently serving a second term as Suffolk County Legislator for the 2nd District, she also was first elected to the Southampton town board in a special election in March, 2010 and won reelection in 2011 for a four-year term.

Following is Patch's full Q&A with Fleming.

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

Fleming: Protecting our sole-source aquifer is a top priority, which is why I support the move toward the adoption of new technology for septic systems that will help protect us and future generations from excess nitrogen and other pollutants in our drinking water. I have fought for funding and swift remediation of groundwater contamination throughout the district, especially from the emerging contaminants PFOS and PFOA. I have advocated for the adoption of a Maximum Contaminant Load (MCL) at the state level, for these compounds and 1,4 dioxane, in the face of inaction by the federal EPA.

P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

F: Unlike my opponent, I understand the critical issues that our county faces will require the investment of time and resources to appropriately address. From public transportation and water quality protection to tick-borne diseases and coastal resiliency, these are issues that we cannot afford to ignore. By responsibly investing in proactive measures to address the issues that face our community now, by finding cost-cutting and working collaboratively, we can avoid costly reactive projects down the road, and continue to pull the county out of the financial crisis we encountered in 2011.

P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

F: Access to public transportation, affordable housing that would keep working families and individuals in our community, and combating tick-borne diseases are all issues I am proud to have advanced and will continue to address.

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

B: The experience I gained through my work as an Assistant District Attorney, Southampton Town councilperson, and Suffolk County legislator have made me an effective public servant. I understand and value the responsibility of serving in public office. I believe in an efficient government that works for the people. As an Assistant District Attorney in the office of legendary District Attorney Robert Morgenthau in Manhattan, I served as a member of a trial bureau, the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit, and later as the chief of a unit devoted to attacking fraud in public programs.

During my time serving as a Southampton Town councilperson, I worked to create and enhance economic opportunities throughout the town, with youth training in sustainable building trades and fresh produce retailing, landmark legislation to protect working farms, and real action on much-needed affordable housing development.

As a county legislator, I was a leader in the working group that drafted the first sanitary code revisions in 30 years to allow nitrogen removing systems to replace outdated on-site septic systems that leach nitrogen to groundwater and surface water. I have been a leading voice against cuts to public bus service, and established the public transportation working group in response to the elimination of eight bus routes in October 2016.

P: The best advice ever shared with me was ...

F: When I was a unit chief in the District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Morgenthau talked to me about exercising the power of the office evenhandedly and without fear of political repercussions. Over the years, I’ve also learned from talented and caring colleagues to always consider the human impact of all policy decisions. These guidelines help me to make good decisions and to do my job to the best of my ability.

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

F: I treasure our community and I love my job. I would be honored to be re-elected.