Candidate Profile: Maria Vidal For Suffolk Legislature

LONG ISLAND, NY - Suffolk County residents will be hitting the polls next month to elect several local representatives.

In addition to local town and village races, residents should look into who will be running to represent one of the 18 legislative districts in Suffolk County. This year, Election Day falls on Tuesday, November 5.

In anticipation of the big day, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Maria Vidal, 50, of North Bay Shore is running for election as Suffolk County Legislator for District 9, which includes Central Islip, the eastern portion of Brentwood and a section of the Village of Islandia.

Her opponent is incumbent Samuel Gonzalez (D).

The Republican challenger studied teaching at the National University of El Salvador. She previously worked as Program Coordinator for Pronto of Long Island.

Her husband, Manny Vidal, Jr., works in Suffolk County Department of Public Works.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Vidal below:

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

Vidal: High crime, gang activity and the impact of the opioid crisis is hurting the quality of life for residents in the district. LD 9 communities needs to focus on renewing the trust between the law enforcement community and residents in order to address these problems.

* Restore community policing programs in high crime areas

* Work with the school districts, the business community, and Department of Labor to develop job training and job opportunities for our young people keeping them focused on their future away from predatory gangs.

* Hold county officials responsible for building better trust and better relationships between law enforcement agencies our residents and business owners

* Make the mental health needs created by the opioid and substance abuse crisis a priority in the county government

* Restoring funding for county mental health programs

* Making sure the Health Department has enough staff and resources to help victims of substance abuse and their families.

*Focus on better coordination of mental health care services for patients and their families

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

V: The problems in our community need the attention of a full time Legislator. The needs of our constituents in the 9th Legislative District require the dedication of someone who is in the community and available to work with residents and solve the problems in the District that have been neglected for 20 years. I will provide full time representation to Brentwood, Central Islip, and North Bay Shore.

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

V: The communities of Brentwood, Central Islip and North Bay Shore have been under represented in the County Legislature. As a result the needs of our community are often overlooked while our problems grow worse. Countywide the crime rate is going down yet in our community the crime rate is actually increasing according the Suffolk County Police Department statistics. Our community is unfairly targeted by the Red Light Ticket Program compared to other Legislative Districts which financially hurts our residents. Businesses of all kinds are leaving the 9th Legislative District and taking good jobs with benefits with them. The closure of the Entemann's facility is just one example. The traffic congestion along Suffolk Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Carlton Avenue which are county roads is growing worse each year. In each of these policy areas our county leaders have offered no solutions and made little effort to make improvements. In order to keep our young people on Long Island, we need to address these problems.

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

V: Job creation and improving the business climate needs to be a priority for the 9th Legislative District.

Building a business friendly environment is a two part approach. First, the county has to work on the crime and traffic problems that have grown worse for the last 20 years. Second, the county must address the fiscal crisis it is in. Suffolk County can not meaningfully address the priorities in the community without restoring fiscal stability to the county budget

* Put a stop to fees and regulations that hurt businesses, reduce jobs, and take money out of the local economy.

* End the practice of borrowing money the county can not afford to pay back to cover operating expenses despite raising fees and taxes every year.

*Work with county and local economic development agencies to bring economic development resources to Brentwood, Central Islip and North Bay Shore.

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

V: My work at Pronto of Long Island for the past 10 years both as a volunteer and then as their Program Coordinator has prepared me in understanding the problems identified above that our communities are struggling with. I also have learned how to work with diverse groups to find common sense solutions to these problems. As a Legislator, I will be able to use these skills that I have learned to accomplish more for the community that I live in and served for many years.

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

V: "You only have one face, so be honest and be true to yourself in everything you do because your actions represent you, your family, and the people who surround you" My mother and my my mother in law both shared this advice with me.

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

V: For every milestone in my life whether it has been in my career or as a volunteer I am always committed to do my best to help the community.