Chad A. Lupinacci

Lupinacci said there are many areas to focus on if he is elected: public safety, especially eradicating the drug epidemic and gangs; more transparency and accessible government, including budget workshops that are open to the public before the budget is voted on; and ethics reform. He said he’d like to make it easier for people to attend town board meetings by increasing the number of them, having more night meetings and possibly taking them on the road. He said he thinks Town Hall should be easier to use with evening and weekend hours. He’d like to see a prohibition on incumbents using their office to hold press events related to their elected positions a certain number of days before an election, as well as campaign finance reform. He wants to control local taxes, and fees, possibly by combining departments. Other quality-of-life issues of concern to him are drinkable water and swimmable waters, and building a parking garage in downtown Huntington. “Based on my past experience both as a school member and in my state position, I’m ready to lead this town,” he said. “We have an excellent town, but I think working together we can bring it to the next level.”

Lupinacci, 38, of Melville, is running on the Republican, Conservative and Reform party lines. He’s a real estate attorney and part-time professor at Farmingdale State College and St. Joseph’s College and teaches business law and political science. He is serving his third term representing the western half of Huntington Town in the state Assembly, where he sits on the higher education, election law, transportation, judiciary and tourism committees. He served three terms on the South Huntington school board. This is his first run for a town office. He is not married.