Hempstead Town Supervisor Candidates: Meet Laura Gillen

Voters in the Town of Hempstead will head to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for the Town Supervisor.

This year, Democratic incumbent Laura Gillen is being challenged by Republican Donald X. Clavin, who is currently the town's Receiver of Taxes.

Patch reached out to both candidates 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.

Laura Gillen

• Age (as of Sept. 1): 50
• Town of Residence: Rockville Centre
• Position Sought: Hempstead Town Supervisor
• Party Affiliation: Democrat
• Family: Husband Chris Finegan and four children
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? My niece is a seasonal worker at Camp Anchor. She was hired to that role before I became the Town Supervisor.
• Education: Georgetown University, Baker Scholar; NYU School of Law, J.D.
• Occupation: Hempstead Town Supervisor: 2018-Present; Of Counsel at Westerman Ball: 2005-2017; Associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel: 2000-2005
• Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Town of Hempstead Supervisor
• Campaign Website: www.LauraGillen.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 town is reversing course on the corruption tax town residents have paid for years that stems from jobs and contracts being given to friends and family.
When payroll is bloated, jobs are handed out as rewards or favors, unqualified people are hired because they are cronies, contracts are given to friends without regard to cost, or to friends who
don’t pay the town, it is residents who pay the price. Corruption is making the cost of living almost unbearable in Hempstead. The Hempstead corruption tax is evidenced by the out-of-control spending that occurred during the prior two Republican administrations, which resulted in taxes nearly doubling, skyrocketing just under $100 million, while reserves were depleted by $74 million. My opponent, Don Clavin, in office while this occurred, stood by and participated in this spending spree. In fact, he has overspent his budget the past three years in a row. Clavin added $574,000 worth of unbudgeted salaries in 2018 to protect patronage employees.

Since I took office, I have been working tirelessly to end the corruption tax. I pushed transparency legislation that mandates that contracts and financial information be published online, legislation that requires an open and competitive process for bidding professional services contract, ethics reforms that targets cronyism and nepotism, and I have unearthed corrupt contracts that benefit certain insiders and hurt residents. This has resulted in multiple FBI, DA and state investigations and/or audits – with which my office is fully cooperating. I have slashed costs by putting old crony contracts out to bid and taxes have decreased in my first two years in office.

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

There are many critical differences between me and my opponent. Don Clavin is part of the political machine that dominated Hempstead and spewed out corruption throughout Nassau for decades. He is a career politician who was appointed by the machine to the receiver position. He is a beneficiary of and propagator of cronyism. Don Clavin double dips, working another job during the day while being paid for a full-time position by the taxpayers. Don Clavin failed the taxpayers of this town for his years in office by supporting tax hikes and reckless spending. He has been dishonest with residents about his record and mine.

I am not a professional politician. Town Supervisor is my first elected position. Prior to this, I had a successful career practicing commercial litigation first at a large Manhattan law firm, then a Long Island commercial firm. The skills and business sense I garnered through years of experience in the private sector have been deployed to bring fiscally conservative management to Hempstead Town. Upon my election to office, I resigned from my law firm to devote my full attention to running the town and earning the full-time salary I am paid by taxpayers. I have pushed through reform measures to end cronyism and spending and taxes have gone down since I assumed office.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

In addition to rooting out corruption and ending the associated tax on residents, I have prioritized investing in the town’s infrastructure and modernizing its operations. Taxes skyrocketed under Clavin’s watch while our roads and parks fell apart. The prior administration only spent $10 million on road repaving over two years. In my first term, we have made an unprecedented investment, allocating $59 million to finally fixing the roads for residents. In my multi-year capital plan, the first to be passed in the Town of Hempstead, we have also prioritized investments in parks that were neglected for years and are working with the community to map out improvements. On the technology front, I was shocked to find 72 typewriters in Town Hall and IT infrastructure that was decades old. My administration is advancing the town to the digital age by updating hardware and software needed to streamline efficiencies and improve services.

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

After decades of corruption and mismanagement, I am righting the fiscal ship, bringing transparency and working to end corruption in town hall. Despite obstruction, I have already
delivered results for taxpayers. In addition to the things previously mentioned, some other accomplishments of my administration include taking advantage of favorable interest rates and refinancing the town’s debt, which will save taxpayers millions; expanding credit card acceptance throughout the town; revamping the town's website to allow for online registration for programs and permits; bid out old crony contracts to achieve improved services at a lower cost – saving taxpayer dollars. I pushed legislation that gave a preference for veterans when bidding on town contracts and improved programming for seniors.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

The best advice shared with me was not really advice, it was a lesson from my parents. I try but do not always succeed in living up to the example they set, be brave, work hard and love God and
your family above all else.

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

I am a PADI-certified Divemaster and worked in a scuba shop in KoSamui Thailand.