Gary D. Pollakusky | General Election - Nov. 7, 2017

Pollakusky said the county is in the worst fiscal condition ever, with more than $2.1 billion in debt. If elected, he would work to have the county “live within its means, cut wasteful spending and expand the tax base by growing the economy.” He said the county “must renegotiate union contracts, stop funding unneeded projects . . . make Suffolk a friendlier place for business.” He also called Democrats’ efforts to battle the opioid epidemic and gang violence “woefully inadequate.” He said he would suspend the red-light camera program, which he criticized for increasing accidents at some locations. As a member of the town IDA board, he said he has helped bring in 11 projects with $500 million in new investment and a potential for 2,000 jobs. He said fighting against fee and tax increases would help bring and retain young professionals on Long Island.

Pollakusky, 41, is running on the Republican, Conservative and Reform party lines. He was campaign manager two years ago for Republican Steven Tricario when Tricario lost the election for the 6th District seat by just 16 votes. Born and raised in Nassau, he moved from Long Beach to Rocky Point after superstorm Sandy. He got a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. After graduation, he worked in human resources for a number of companies and was assistant admissions director at Columbia Business School. In 2002, he started his own marketing and communication firm, Media Barrel, and later a travel firm, Travel Barrel. Locally, he founded and is president of the North Shore Community Association and is a board member of the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency.