Statement from Republican Candidate Edmund Smyth

I am incredibly honored to run for Huntington Town Supervisor. My wife Coriander and I both grew up here and chose to raise our four children here. I love this town. 

I am genuinely humbled to be running alongside Sal Ferro and Dr. David Bennardo, two very accomplished individuals. They will both bring unique perspectives to your town government.

Andre Sorrentino, our current Director of General Services, has proven to be indispensable to the town. You only have to look at the quality of our beaches and parks to see what you can expect of our roads when he is elected Highway Superintendent. 

I am very proud of what we have accomplished in my first term as a Town Councilman.

With bipartisan support, we resolved the decades-long LIPA litigation that threatened to bankrupt the town. We enacted term limits for all politicians in Huntington, stopped over-development of apartment buildings in our downtown areas, and we’ve revitalized our waterfront with new bulkheads, docks, and a new state-of-the-art rescue boat.  It is a testament to everyone working in the Park’s Department that they were able to run summer programs with over 1,000 campers without a single positive case of COVID-19.

We’ve invested millions of dollars in badly needed maintenance and upgrades to the sewage treatment plant. We addressed the Town’s neglected fleet of garbage trucks, dump trucks, and heavy machinery. This year, we are spending $435,000.00 on two new garbage trucks, ensuring garbage and recycling pick up remains on schedule. The town’s infrastructure is in a better place than it was 4 years ago; I will continue to make it a budgetary priority. We accomplished all of this while staying under the tax cap, and maintaining a AAA bond rating.

Moving forward, the first order of business is safely re-opening Town Hall to 100% capacity. Next, is modernizing all departments, making as many services available online as practical, while providing in-person services whenever needed. Town services must be accessible, efficient, and timely. Our first focus will be the Building Department.

As a small business owner, I am very aware of the financial hardships of the past year, and the challenges that lie ahead.  Small business is the lifeblood of Huntington.  As Supervisor, I will support existing businesses to re-open and promote “outside-the-box” ideas that promote commerce. Many former commuters will not be going back to their old routine of taking the LIRR into the City. The business environment is ripe to attract new jobs to Huntington. These jobs will benefit the entire community – from accountants to law firms; from landscapers to deli owners.  A dynamic, high-tech business environment is essential to keeping our recent graduates on Long Island. Over the next four years, Huntington will become the financial epicenter of Long Island.

Most importantly, the effects of the pandemic will be felt for years to come in our overlooked and underserved communities. The pandemic shed a light on the failings of our social safety net, in particular, seniors and children who face food insecurity and minority communities with limited access to basic healthcare. I will strengthen relationships with the Human Services Department and community organizations, such as Tri-CYA, Helping Hands Mission, and the Family Service League, to close the gap of these inequities. 

If you are looking for entertainment from your local government; I’m not your guy. I don’t promote drama or extreme views. What I bring is good government—practical solutions to everyday issues and sustainable programs that unify our town.