Angela M. Ramos

Ramos said that the Brentwood community has been neglected by local legislators for 30 to 40 years and needs an infusion of economic development investment, increased police staffing to protect the area and consolidation of county services to bring down taxes. “No county legislator has fought for this community,” she said, “I will not support a penny for another community unless there is a fair share for ours. Legislators must fight tooth and nail to bring back sufficient resources. You can’t wait for scraps ... that are handed to you ... You have to fight for it.”

Ramos, 41, of Brentwood, is waging a Democratic primary for the 9th District Suffolk County legislative seat in her first bid for elected office. Born in the Dominican Republic, Ramos came to Freeport at age 12 and has lived in the 9th District for the past 13 years. A graduate of Freeport High School, she attended Nassau Community College. She spent 20 years in banking, starting work as a teller at age 17 and worked her way up to branch manager in Hauppauge and later Brentwood. During her tenure in Brentwood, she got her bank involved in community initiatives such as a local movie night, removal of graffiti and support of a food kitchen. In 2013, Ramos became Suffolk County assistant director of probation, a job she left earlier this year. She is also president of the Long Island Women of Vision, a nonprofit that fights for women’s equality and participated in the January March on Washington.