Walsh, Pusateri vie to replace Ferrara on N. Hempstead board

Robert Pelaez
Christine Pusateri (left) and Dennis Walsh (right) are running for a seat on the North Hempstead town council in November. (Photos courtesy of both candidates)

A Village of Mineola trustee and a special education activist with a desire to serve her community are running for a seat on the Town of North Hempstead’s board in November.

Dennis Walsh, the Republican nominee, is a retired New York Police Department officer and a graduate of St. Aidens and Mineola High School who has served as a Mineola trustee since 2013. Christine Pusateri, the Democratic candidate, has been a speech pathologist for three decades throughout the New Hyde Park and Williston communities.

The two are seeking to fill the town’s third district seat currently held by Angelo Ferrara (R-New Hyde Park). Ferrara, the lone Republican on the town council, is retiring after six terms on the board. The third district encompasses Garden City Park, Mineola, Williston Park, and portions of New Hyde Park.

With Ferrara retiring, Walsh stressed the important role of a stable two-party system in a local municipality. A small business owner for nearly three decades, Walsh also said one of his main priorities will be lowering taxes throughout the town in a statement to Blank Slate Media.

“We need to have a two-party system in the town of North Hempstead government,” Walsh said. “A two-party government will produce checks and balances on all fiscal decisions. This will provide control of spending, borrowing and the lowering of taxes. With my experience and common sense ideas, I will work to lower taxes by stopping runaway government in both size and cost.”

Walsh, who garnered support from the Mineola Republican Club, said public safety will also be a priority to focus on if he is elected in November.

Walsh, in a 2018 interview with Blank Slate Media prior to his previous election, said his deep-rooted connection to the village led to his desire to run for public office. Ensuring that land throughout the village was not only utilized but preserved for current and future generations was a paramount concern of his, he said.

Pusateri said in a press release that maintaining fiscal responsibility is a paramount initiative she will address if elected in November. She lauded the town for maintaining the town’s Aaa bond rating over the past four years.

The rating is given by Moody’s Investors Service to municipalities each year to indicate the level of financial stability each one possesses, with Aaa being the highest.

Along with maintaining financial excellence, Pusateri said, another initiative she wants to undertake is getting more involved with the work the town does with aiding senior citizens and adults with disabilities.

“The town has a strong fiscal foundation and it is important to keep our Aaa bond rating,”  Pusateri said in a statement. “That fiscal responsibility has allowed the town to provide great services such as Project Independence. It is time for a new perspective to expand more services. I look forward to bringing my community experience and leadership to the town board where I can continue to be an advocate for the residents of my district.”

Pusateri, who has two children, including a son with autism, has also been on a Parent Advisory Committee for the development of the Family Center for Autism in Garden City. Town Clerk Wayne Wink, who is the Democratic candidate running to fill the town supervisor seat currently held by Judi Bosworth, gave Pusateri her endorsement ahead of the November election.

“Pusateri’s record of advocacy and community involvement is what public service is all about,” Wink said in a statement. “There is no doubt that she cares for our community and its residents. Her advocacy will be a valuable addition to the Town Council.”

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