Nassau Legislature Candidates: Meet Josh Lafazan

WOODBURY, NY — Nassau County voters will hit the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for legislature.

In District 18, Josh Lafazan — who in 2017 became the county's youngest legislator ever — seeks a second term running as an independent on the Democratic line. Standing in his way is challenger Timothy Jenks, who is running on the Republican line.

The district includes parts of Syosset, Woodbury, Brookville, Old Brookville, East Hills, East Norwich, Oyster Bay, Laurel Hollow, Cove Neck, Matinecock, Glen Head, Locust Valley, Lattingtown, Mill Neck, Bayville and Centre Island.

Patch reached out to both candidates via email and/or Facebook 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.

Joshua Lafazan

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 25
• Town of residence: Woodbury
• Position sought: Re-election as Nassau County legislator, 18th District.
• Party affiliation: Independent.
• Family: N/A.
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.
• Education: Master's degree in education policy and management, Harvard University (2017); bachelor's degree in industrial and labor relations, Cornell University (2016).
• Occupation: Nassau County Legislator, District 18: 2018 to present.
• Previous or current elected or appointed office: Syosset school Board of Education trustee: 2012-2017.
• Campaign Website: JoshLafazan.com

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

The single most pressing issue facing our community is the high property tax burden. As a millennial Long Islander, my generation is uniquely familiar with the high real state tax burden, as it remains a massive inhibitor towards youth home ownership.

First and foremost, as school taxes make up the majority of a homeowner's property tax burden, we must continue to pressure school districts to share services and raise revenue outside of the tax base. As a Syosset school board trustee, I was able to help deliver the lowest property tax increase in 25 years through prudent spending and creative solutions to fix the issues at hand.

Secondly, governments everywhere must take a hard look at wasteful spending. From politicians sending taxpayer-funded mailers that are essentially campaign materials, to representatives who continue to spend money putting their names on signs, buildings, and show-mobiles, to elected officials kicking the can down the road as opposed to making the tough decisions now, my generation is tired of seeing inaction taking precedence over pragmatism.

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

Having only served in the legislature for two years, I am proud of my record of achievement during this time for the constituents I represent. I've passed a record number of bills as a freshman legislator, secured millions in funding for projects in my district, and continue to be the most accessible and transparent elected official on Long Island. I hope to continue this work when I am re-elected for another two-year term.

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

N/A.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Fighting against the heroin and opioid epidemic, building housing for every veteran who is homeless or housing insecure, making government fairer and more accessible for people with disabilities, and making it more affordable for young people to stay on Long Island.

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

I have made fighting the heroin and opioid epidemic my top legislative priority. In 2018, I passed two significant pieces of legislation to curb addiction in Nassau County. I wrote "Timothy's Law", which established a 24-hour hotline staffed exclusively by substance abuse counselors, and developed the "Nassau C.A.R.E.S." app, which created a zip-code searchable treatment database, so that any resident in need of help could find resources in their communities.

I believe that every veteran who served this nation in uniform should be cared for. In 2019, with bi-partisan support, I wrote and passed the "Dignity For Our Heroes" package into law, which was comprised of two bills aimed at eliminating veteran homelessness here in Nassau County. These bills added veterans as a protected class under the Nassau County Human Rights Law, and created the Nassau Commission on Ending Veteran Homelessness to build a transitional supportive housing facility for all veterans in need.

I am passionate about helping people with disabilities. I drafted Nassau County's first-ever information visor card for drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing, so that they may communicate clearly with law enforcement officers during traffic stops and in their communities. I also passed a law mandating that there be a sign language interpreter present at every emergency press conference in Nassau County.

I have also worked to curb bullying in our schools, and believe that no child should ever be made to feel less than their true value. I passed a law creating www.NassauStopBullying.org, which makes resources available 24/7 for both parents and students, and collates every school district's DASA coordinator in Nassau County.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

"If not you, then who" - if you are in a position to take action that can positively impact your community, it is your duty not to look for others to act, but for you to take action yourself.

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

I am a college professor at LIU Post, where I teach young people how to run for office! Additionally, in 2011, I became the founder and CEO of Safe Ride Syosset, a community outreach program dedicated to ensuring that no Syosset teenager gets behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated, or is the passenger in a car with a drunk driver. My volunteers and I safely drove home over 350 students in 2012, and there was not a single teenage drinking and driving accident in Syosset on the nights Safe Ride was operating.