Rockland Legislature: All 17 seats up for election

It's time for that free-for-all that happens every four years when all of Rockland County's Legislature seats are up for election.

The Legislature currently tilts 12-5 in favor of the Democrats, creating a veto-proof majority against Republican County Executive Ed Day, although not every vote is along party lines. If any of the results Tuesday — when nine of the 17 seats are contested — cause that majority to change, it could have an impact on crucial votes.

Some changes are coming down the pike even before voters cast their ballots: Orangetown's John Murphy, who's been on the board about 44 years, is stepping down, bequeathing his District 16 seat to Vince Tyer, who is unopposed. And Joseph Meyers, a Democrat representing District 12 in western Ramapo, isn't seeking re-election.

Legislators are paid $32,587 annually and serve four-year terms.

Here's a breakdown of some of the key contested races:

In District 9, which includes parts of Nanuet and Bardonia, Christopher Carey, the Legislature's GOP minority leader, faces a challenge from Democrat Thomas Ninan, Rockland County's CSEA president.

Carey is completing his first term on the Legislature. He sees taxes and overspending as being among the county's biggest challenges and said he would oppose any budget that contains tax increases not offset by cost cutting and savings. He said over-development was a threat to Rockland's suburban fabric and wants to strengthen the county's ability to pursue and punish code and zoning violators.

Ninan, a county sewer commissioner and former president of the New City Library, said he would consolidate in order to do away with the duplication of government services and stop tax dollars from going toward political patronage positions. He also prioritizes enforcing and enhancing building codes.

In District 5, Lon Hofstein, a Republican who won a special election last year to fill Day's former seat, faces Democrat Christopher Martone, an attorney and lifelong New City resident. District 5 includes New City.

Hofstein said he has a bipartisan approach to tackling the top issues, which he said are taxes, affordable housing, education, economic development and curbing over-development. He called for a review of all county departments to avoid unnecessary spending and wants to make Rockland attractive to new businesses to help subsidize the tax base.

Martone said the most pressing issue facing his constituents is the ongoing problems facing the East Ramapo school district. He said he intended to be a voice on the local level in support of state legislation that would impose a monitor who could overrule the school board's decisions. A measure calling for such a monitor passed in the state Assembly but didn't receive the state Senate's blessing.

In District 11, which includes the Congers area and northern Clarkstown, Democrat Richard Diaz is fighting to retain the seat he was appointed to when Frank Sparaco resigned in connection with election-fraud charges. Diaz is opposed by Republican Laurie Santulli.

Santulli said she's in the race to advocate for an affordable future for people who want to remain in the county. She cited over-development and illegal housing as among Rockland's most pressing issues, and said her experience as a volunteer firefighter had given her a first-hand perspective on the dangers of both.

Diaz said enforcing zoning laws, cracking down on illegal housing and addressing the needs of the aging population are among his priorities. The Congers resident said the Legislature's biggest challenge is crafting a budget that reduces the deficit without significant cuts to services or excessive tax increases.

In the race for Meyer's District 12 seat representing western Ramapo — including Airmont and Hillburn — Democrat Patsy Wooters is facing Republican Charles Falciglia.

Wooters said as a legislator she would be an advocate for the preservation of the Ramapo River and its watershed and would continue to support the county's task force on managing its water resources. She said Rockland's finances were the biggest challenge facing legislators, and that she would seek state and federal funding to offset the cost of mandates imposed on local taxpayers.

Falciglia, a former Suffern village trustee, said he would use his experience as a professional banker to bring more of a private sector financial perspective to government. Among his top issues Falciglia named enforcing fire safety laws and zoning requirements, flood mitigation in lower Suffern, abolishing Sewer District No. 1 in favor of county control, recruiting new businesses and cracking down on campaign finance violations.

Also running for re-election in contested races are:

•District 2 (Includes parts of Haverstraw, Pomona, Mount Ivy, Thiells): Democratic incumbent Michael Grant vs. Republican P.T. Thomas

•District 3 (parts of West Haverstraw and Haverstraw villages): Democratic incumbent Jay Hood Jr. against GOP challenger Kevin Brestolli.

•District 8 (parts of Ramapo, New Hempstead and Spring Valley): incumbent Democrat Toney Earl is opposed by Republican Betty Carmand. Jean-Claude Mehu is on the ballot for Communicate Spring Valley.

•District 13 (parts of Ramapo): Democratic incumbent Aaron Wieder faces former Legislator Jacques Michel, who is running on the Reform line.

•District 17 (parts of South Nyack, West Nyack, Sparkill, Grand View-on-Hudson, Piermont, Orangeburg): Democratic incumbent Nancy Low-Hogan faces a challenge from Michael Bryceland on the Conservative and Reform lines.

The following incumbents are running unopposed: Republican Douglas Jobson from District 1 (Stony Point); Democrat Ilan Schoenberger from District 4 (parts of Wesley Hills, New Square and Ramapo); Democrat Alden Wolfe from District 6 (parts of Suffern, Montebello, Monsey and Ramapo); Democrat Philip Soskin in District 7 (parts of Monsey, Kaser and Ramapo); Democrat Harriet Cornell in District 10 (parts of Valley Cottage, Upper Nyack and Clarkstown); Democrat Aney Paul in District 14 (mostly western Clarkstown); Republican Patrick Maroney in District 15 (parts of Pearl River and Orangetown); and Republican Vince Tyer in District 16 (Tappan and western Orangetown).