New York Assembly District 16 Election: Meet Gina Sillitti

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — The general election is less than a week away, and President Donald Trump isn't the only elected official on the ballot. In New York, state and federal elections will also be decided.

At the state level, Democratic New York Assemblyman Anthony D'Urso, a Democrat first elected in 2016, announced in February he would not seek reelection in District 16. The district includes the communities of Port Washington, Manhasset, Great Neck, North Hills, East Hills, Old Westbury, Roslyn Heights, Herricks and Lake Success.

Now, longtime government worker Gina Sillitti seeks to keep the seat under Democratic control To do so, she'll face Republican businesswoman Ragini Srivastava. Libertarian Blay Tarnoff is also running as a third-party candidate.

Sillitti, of Manorhaven, is the daughter of first-generation Italian-Americans. She said on her campaign website that she learned the value of a good education and importance of chasing dreams from her mother, who enrolled in community college at age 45 following the death of her husband.

Sillitti graduated from the University of Georgia and spent nearly two decades working for the Nassau County Legislature, where she helped secure money for fire departments, schools, and helped residents deal with issues such as pothole repairs and navigating personal tragedies.

In 2010, Sillitti was appointed deputy commissioner of the Department of Community Services for the Town of North Hempstead.

Srivastava, of Manhasset Hills, seeks the Assembly seat following an unsuccessful bid last year for North Hempstead Town Council.

Born in India, Srivastava came to the United States 19 years ago as a young woman in search of a better life. She has volunteered for domestic abuse survivors and women's advocacy groups, and planned community events such as yoga and mindfulness sessions. Through connections she made, Srivastava launched her own business and was later appointed to the Nassau County Comptroller's Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Council.

Tarnoff earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Brown University and a Juris Doctorate from Pace University. He has been a computer systems programmer and analyst for four decades and serves as the Libertarian Party's county committee chair.

Patch has reached out to all three candidates to fill out our 2020 candidate questionnaire. Here are their responses, lightly edited for clarity.

See also:

• New York Assembly District 16: Meet Blay Tarnoff
• NY Absentee Ballots Can Be Returned To Hundreds Of Drop Boxes
• Mail-In Voting In New York: Deadlines, How To Get A Ballot
• New Yorkers Can Now Apply Online For Absentee Ballot

Gina Sillitti

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3): 42

Town of residence: Port Washington

Position Sought: State Assembly

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: Husband, Kevin Clemency

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: My husband works for a New York State Senator.

Education: BA in Political Science, University of Georgia, Class of 2000

Occupation: I am currently the Director of Human Resources, Nassau County BOE (5 years)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: I am a first time candidate.

Campaign website: www.GinaForAssembly.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have worked in government and community service nearly my entire adult life. I want to take those years of experience and put it to work for the people of this district. I have always been the person behind the scenes working for the people of North Hempstead and Nassau County. I am ready to step in front and serve.

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

Covid-19

Covid-19 has not only killed (at the time of this writing) over 220,000 Americans, it has devastated our economy. New York is in a tough spot – so are all 50 states in this country. We are certainly not alone in our financial troubles. The economy was stopped dead in its tracks for months. Billions of dollars in revenue did not come in that were desperately needed for our Covid response.

Hopefully, Washington will come to some kind of consensus to ensure that states will get stimulus relief. It’s not just for our schools – we need to pay for our police, our fire departments, and our hospitals.

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

There will be no “on the job training” as they say. I know how government works and I know how to deliver results for the people I serve because I have done it.

When I worked for the Nassau County Legislature, our office was able to secure millions for our school districts, our first responders, and our community. Constituent service was always priority number one.

I know the constituency groups. When I worked at the Town of North Hempstead as the Deputy Commissioner of Community Services, I feel like I met everyone. From all those summers at Funday Monday to forming the first ever Asian American Festival. I got to know so many people in the community and some have become lifelong friends.

I eventually became Deputy Chief of Staff at the Town, and that is when I really got to see the inner workings of government on every level. I was the point person on projects big and small for the Supervisor. I traveled to Washington, D.C. and, ironically, to Albany to get funds and projects on behalf of the residents of the Town of North Hempstead.

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

This is an open seat. I am honored to have the support of all the living predecessors that have held this office – Tom DiNapoli, Michelle Schimel, and our current Assemblyman Tony D’Urso. All have worked tirelessly and have delivered for this district and for the people of New York.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Accessibility and transparency. People have grown skeptical of government and certainly of politicians. I want to bring that trust back. The residents will always know where I stand on important issues facing our community and our state. I will hold town halls, hopefully someday in person again, on the important issues facing our community. I will never use fear to win support - on ANY topic. We have an engaged electorate in the 16th District and they are not interested in spin, they want and deserve facts and data.

I also want the residents to know that I will be accessible and there for them if they should ever need their government’s help. I want people to see me on the street and say “Gina was so helpful on an issue facing my family. You should call her on your problem too. She will help you.” Because at the end of the day, constituent services, helping people, is the most important job of an elected official.

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

I have worked in multiple layers of government and I know how it works. New York is facing an unprecedented crisis. We need elected officials who will be able to hit the ground running on day one. I know the people in government and they know me. I know the community. We will work together bring New York back.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be yourself. Don’t be what other people want you to be.

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

This will be a full-time position for me, and I will not seek a secondary income. I would take that one step further and vote to pass legislation that would prohibit lawmakers from seeking outside income. Additionally, I will follow the data and listen to scientists when it comes to some of the most pressing issues of our district, from Covid-19 and to the environment. Public Health experts and scientists should be guiding our decisions, not politicians.