North Hempstead Town Council Candidates: Meet Cassandra Lems

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — Voters in the Town of North Hempstead's 2nd District will head to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for council member. Incumbent Democrat Peter Zuckerman, who was first appointed in 2014 and won a four-year term the following year, seeks his second full term against Republican challenger Ragini Srivastava and Green Party candidate Cassandra Lems.

The 2nd District includes Albertson, East Hills, East Williston, Glenwood Landing, Greenvale, Herricks, Manhasset Hills, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Heights and Searingtown.

Patch reached out to the candidates via email and/or Facebook where we could find them to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.

Here are their responses.

Cassandra Lems

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 63
• Town of residence: Town of North Hempstead
• Position sought: Town Councilperson, District 2
• Party affiliation: Green Party
• Family: None that I wish to share.
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.
• Education: Bachelor of arts in communications from Goucher College in Baltimore.
• Occupation: Intellectual property paralegal since 1983.
• Previous or current elected or appointed office: Green Party of New York State committee person (two two-year terms).
• Campaign Website: Friends of Cassandra Lems on Facebook.

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

Climate change and environmental concerns, especially ensuring clean air and an untainted water supply. More can be done to protect the ocean, our waterways and our drinking water from dangerous runoff by banning or restricting the use of certain pesticides, fertilizers and other pollutants. Reduce our output of solid waste, especially plastics and non-recyclables. Encourage the use of clean and renewable energy. Gas-powered leaf blowers should be completely banned; they are major polluters and can also lead to hearing loss. Reduce our impact on climate change by providing shuttle buses to reduce car use, encouraging bicycle use by providing bike lanes and secure bike parking.

That said, I also believe that taxes are too high on Long Island (which is the issue most people seem to focus on). Most of our tax money goes to the schools. We should work to consolidate school districts so that the number of school supervisor salaries paid in Nassau County is drastically reduced.

See also:

North Hempstead Town Council Candidates: Meet Peter Zuckerman

North Hempstead Town Council Candidates: Meet Ragini Srivastava

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

I do not accept donations from corporations or PACs, so I owe nothing to them. I am more adamantly pro-environment and pro-people than my opponents, and I champion peoples' First Amendment rights over the well-being of foreign governments. I also am not a part of the duopoly of corporate parties that has dominated Long Island politics for decades. While I have lived on Long Island for more than two decades, I also have the experience of having lived in other states where things are done differently and sometimes better, in my humble opinion.

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

Although the town board has a good record on environmental issues, they have not gone far enough. They failed to ban gas-powered leaf blowers — instead caved in to pressure from lawn services and passed a halfway measure. They passed anti-BDS legislation, which has a chilling effect on the First Amendment rights of Americans to peacefully protest. The town's building department is still difficult for homeowners and businesses to navigate, and slow to issue permits. The board has not done enough to stop the installation of 5G transmitters, which may pose a serious health threat to residents. Also, there was a leaning toward the town's "opting out" when the state legalizes marijuana — I think marijuana should be legal in our town and sales allowed in locations where alcohol sales are permitted.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My previous answer touched on all the main issues I'm running on.

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

I have a reputation as an excellent problem-solver and collaborator, and I work well with others whose opinions differ from each other.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

The secret of a happy marriage is separate his and hers bathrooms. (Nothing to do with politics!)

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

I am a volunteer with Community Emergency Response Team, Office of Emergency Management, Nassau County Division 4. Leisure activities include choral singing, performing in a local Gilbert & Sullivan opera company and world travel.