Election 2011: 6th Legislative District

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Republican Francis X. Becker will be up for re-election for the Nassau County 6th District Legislator position, against Anthony Gonzalez, a Democrat from Valley Stream.

The 6th Legislative District includes Lynbrook and North Lynbrook, Malverne, and parts of Valley Stream, East Rockaway, North Valley Stream, Rockville Centre and Oceanside.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Click here to find your polling station.

Francis Becker

• Hometown: Lynbrook
• Years in Office: 16
  

The incumbent Becker, 58, is the first elected representative of the 6th Legislative District in the new Nassau County Legislature, as he was first elected in 1995.

Becker is a graduate of and then attended Nassau Community College. He continued his education at Hofstra University, where he studied Business Finance. Becker is President of Becker & Associates Planning Services and is a Certified Financial Planner.

Anthony Gonzalez 

• Hometown: Valley Stream
• Occupation: Campaign Operative
  

The challenger Gonzalez, 25, Anthony attended public schools up to graduating from high school. As a Political Science major, he was unanimously elected president of his College Democrats chapter twice.

Anthony’s story is a familiar one in that many of his former classmates and some in his family have left Nassau for better housing and career opportunities elsewhere. But he is trying to remain here to give back to the community, serving as vice president of the Central High School Alumni Association Scholarship Foundation, a member of Envision Valley Stream, and secretary of the VS Democratic Club.

Anthony’s passion for affecting political transformation has motivated him to work on numerous campaigns from our community to New Hampshire and Ohio. 

Patch: Why are you running?

Francis Becker: It is a privilege and honor to represent the people and families of the 6th legislative district.  I am running for re-election because I want to continue to assist my neighbors and friends with their concerns and the issues that affect their lives. In addition, I work hard to help business cut through the red tape so we can bring more jobs and employment opportunities to our county.

Anthony Gonzalez: I'm running out of dissatisfaction with my representation. The 6th district is in need of fresh, active representation and I can deliver that. My opponent has been in office for 16 years, but, unlike most of his colleagues, doesn't list any legislative accomplishments or even proposed bills on his official page.

I'm eager to tackle the county's problems. I want to author and pass legislation and hold regular public forums across the district to discuss issues directly with the people.

Patch: What do you think the most important issues are and how do you plan to solve them?

Becker: There is no more important issue facing our county than taxes. We are, if not the highest taxed county in the nation, among the highest taxed counties in the nation. We need all municipalities and out school to to everything they can to hold the line on taxes, especially during these difficult economic times. We, on the county level, will not have any tax increase for the second year in a row.

Gonzalez: Deficit spending, lack of opportunity, and redistricting. This is the second fiscal crisis on my opponent's watch and his solutions have been increases in property taxes, fees and tuition, and layoffs of civil service employees who maintained our quality of life. I will restore fiscal responsibility by expanding the revenue base and cutting patronage, outside counsel and other budgetary waste. We would have more people paying taxes to the county if we were to incentive home ownership for our young adults and make it easier for businesses to open and stay in Nassau.

Patch: What are your thoughts on the redistricting and the proposed new maps?

Becker: After a national census, we were required to redistrict to be sure that everyone was being fairly represented on the legislature. The courts found that the new lines were legal but they said they would have to be implemented next year. I vote for the new lines.

Gonzalez: My opponent voted to eliminate Valley Stream, Malverne, East Rockaway and North Valley Stream from his district when supporting a gerrymandered map that would have moved 44 percent of Nassau residents into new districts, split Valley Stream into three districts and split Malverne into four. My opponent's party drew and passed the map with no input from the other party when redistricting would have to be repeated after the next election anyway. My opponent's process was struck down as illegal 7-0 by New York's highest court after a litigation battle that cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Whoever wins this year's legislative elections will adopt redistricting lines that will last for the following decade and my opponent clearly cannot be trusted to do that fairly. I want to adopt lines that provide the voters with competitive elections and divide as few villages and hamlets as possible. I would favor an independent commission to redistrict from now onward.