Meet the candidates for State Sen. District 8

Two candidates are running for N.Y. State Sen. District 8, which incumbent State Sen. Alexis Weik (R) is not seeking re-election for. The eighth state senate district covers South Shore communities from Massapequa to Bayport.

N.Y. State Assembly member Jarett Gandolfo is running under the Republican and Conservative Party lines, and newcomer Josh Taveras is running under the Democratic Party line.

Jarett Gandolfo

After serving in the state assembly for nearly six years, Jarett Gandolfo said he is looking to move into the legislature’s upper chamber so he can build on work he’s proud of. Through a larger district in the senate seat, Gandolfo said he hopes to have a larger voice and greater impact on his community in the state legislature if elected to the position.

With degrees from the University at Albany and Villanova University, Gandolfo said he entered political life as an intern at then-state assembly member Andrew Garbarino’s South Shore office, where he later worked full-time and became chief of staff. As Garbarino ascended to the U.S. House, Gandolfo ran to fill his seat in the state assembly.

“I never saw myself going into politics growing up or throughout college, but when I started to get involved, I just really enjoyed the work and what you can accomplish,” Gandolfo said.

In his six years in office, Gandolfo said he’s proud of addressing constituent concerns and directing them to requested services, securing funding for local organizations and initiatives, advocating for increased state aid, and supporting environmental protection projects.

Some community-level accomplishments Gandolfo cited included securing funding for the Bayport-Blue Point Wellness Center, adding crosswalks to downtown Sayville and Bay Shore, and grants for a playground at Academy Street Elementary in Bayport, training grounds upgrades at the Suffolk County Police Emergency Services Unit, and a roof for American Legion Post 411 in Islip.

“When you see [projects] actually start to come to fruition, and you see it with your own eyes, it really does motivate you to stay involved and do everything you can to make the most impact that you can,” Gandolfo said.

Regarding the environment, Gandolfo said he supported the state Environmental Projection Fund, which helped support the ongoing Oakdale Sewer Project, and the Clean Water Infrastructure Fund, which protects local drinking water supplies. Gandolfo also pointed to his co-sponsoring of the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, which provides funding for wastewater infrastructure improvements that aim to raise the quality of local waterways.

If elected to the state senate, Gandolfo said he wants to expand support for local infrastructure projects, like addressing the degrading Great South Bay Bridge, Oakdale Merge, and coastal resiliency projects.

Gandolfo also wants to address the rising cost of living.

“Affordability is that buzzword of this election, and it is important, but… it’s not a new thing that Long Island is seen as unaffordable,” Gandolfo said. “With the current housing prices, mortgage rates, it’s not getting any easier, especially for young families to get started here, and for the older generation to stay here and keep families together.”

If elected to the state senate, Gandolfo said he will tackle the affordability crisis through pursuing income tax cuts, and expanding childcare credits, which would have helped his own young family as childcare outcost his monthly mortgage payments.

“I have been workshopping some proposals for expanded childcare tax credits to offset the costs that young families are paying,” Gandolfo said.

With affordability being a “multifaceted problem,” Gandolfo said he is looking at all the avenues open to him to help address concerns, including looking into how home insurance companies often charge large fees.

Gandolfo also supports incentivizing developers to build smaller-home-owner-occupied units in his district instead of apartments so local homeowners can build equity before purchasing a home of their own. Gandolfo added, though, that community support is needed to find the best housing and economic solutions for each neighborhood.

Regarding education, Gandolfo said he has worked alongside his colleagues to advocate for increased state aid, and will continue to do so if reelected.

When asked why voters should elect him, Gandolfo pointed to his record in the assembly.

“I think the record I’ve built in the assembly has been one of collaboration and keeping a focus on what the district needs, regardless of what political party you might think that would fall into,” Gandolfo said. “I think there’s more work to do, and I think I’m the guy to be able to continue delivering for the South Shore here.”

Josh Taveras

If elected to the state senate, Josh Taveras would become one of the youngest in history. At 26 years old, Taveras, who was the first in his family born on Long Island, has already lived quite a life.

Taveras’s family moved to New York from the Dominican Republic for better opportunities, and growing up, Taveras recalled living in poverty.

“I grew up off food stamps, I grew up off a lot of government help, it’s the reason I’m still here today,” Taveras said.

At 7 years old, Taveras became the translator and caretaker for his mother who fell ill with Huntington’s Disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Nine years later, his father would die in a boating accident, adding onto experiences that Taveras said built him “tough skin.”

“But the thing that was always the most beneficial for me was school,” Taveras said. “School is where I got the attention and the care that I never got from a place like home.”

Taveras graduated from Copiague High School with a 4.0 GPA and admission to Columbia and New York Universities, but the high tuition led Taveras to attend Stony Brook University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Political Science. Since school, Taveras has worked full time in retail, and now is a store manager. Despite the 40-45-hour work weeks, Taveras said he still can’t find a place of his own.

This, along with the second Trump administration, led him to pursue political office.

Housing is one of Taveras’ top priorities. He said demand is outpacing supply, and that “affordable housing” locally is “far from the truth.” Taveras also said while developers are legally required to make 10 percent of units affordable, some pay in lieu of doing so.

“That should not be allowed,” Taveras said. “We need to have a research analysis of the whole state, and we need to set policy and legislation that creates a maintained percentage of housing.”

Taveras said he also supports working with towns and villages for grants on projects like sewers and parks, as a way to incentivize them to amend their zoning laws, which he said are “too strict.”

“A lot of it is single family homes, and we can’t continue to allow it to happen because that’s just not realistic,” Taveras said. “A lot of times, these Republicans use fear mongering and they continue to be like, ‘Do you want this to turn into New York City?’ That’s not going to happen.”

If elected, Taveras would work on legalizing accessory dwelling units, which he said “are already everywhere on Long Island.” If ADUs are legalized, Taveras said older homeowners who may have spare space across their homes can use them as a way to earn extra money, while supporting local young people who want to stay on Long Island as they build their future.

“It keeps it in the local economy, and it helps people, younger people like me, who can’t afford affordable housing,” Taveras said. Taveras also said he would support a progressive tax rate and monitor utility costs and companies like PSEG before issues arise.

Being the caretaker for his mother, who now cannot move or feed herself, Taveras said he understands the difficulties of working with healthcare systems. Despite being unable to care for herself, Taveras said he had difficulties convincing the state his mother required around-the-clock care.

Taveras said he already pledged support for a “healthcare for all” bill if elected, which has previously been blocked by insurance companies and lobbyists.

Education is another of Taveras’ priorities. To the 26-year-old candidate, education is “struggling immensely” as children face difficulties learning with electronic devices and programs integrated in schools.

“I’m speaking to teachers. The kids don’t know how to read the clock. They don’t know how to spell, sometimes, just basic things,” Taveras said.

Taveras also pointed to disparities between school districts in historically red-lined communities, and said he supports increasing funding for K-12 education, along with apprenticeship programs that teach students trade professions. Taveras also supports universal pre-K expansion and increased childcare funding.

The 26-year-old candidate also said he reached a public matching funds limit and doesn’t accept political action committee (PAC) funding- running a grassroots campaign. When deciding whether to run for office at 26 years old, Taveras said there is no “right” time.

“The right time [to run for office] is right now because you can make a difference,” Taveras said. “And whether I win or lose, that doesn’t matter. It’s the fact that I stood up for my community at that moment.”