Raheem Soto

RAHEEM SOTO

Republican

BACKGROUND

• Soto, 46, of East Quogue, is a registered Republican and is running on the Conservative line. This is his first run for public office.

• He is publisher of the Smithtown-based Messenger Papers newspaper chain and partner in TUC Media, which publishes the Urban Conservative podcast. Soto previously wrote for the Brookhaven News and South Shore Press. 

• He obtained his high school equivalency diploma from Gateway Job Corps, a federally funded vocational and educational program. 

ISSUES

• Soto feels unaffordability is caused by bad government policies and poor zoning laws. He said he would streamline zoning and fighting for what he called the East End's "fair share" of services relative to the high taxes paid by residents. He said he would advocate for "more down payment assistance programs" and "getting rid of red tape." He added, "The county position would give me the pulpit to talk about some of these issues."
• He noted that the county's Proposition 2, approved last year by voters, provides funding for water quality projects. He proposes a Target Assist and Protect (TAP) program to assist shovel-ready projects sewage treatment and water filtration systems, and removing outdated septic systems from older homes.
• Soto said only one heliport exists on the East End for public safety, slowing response times in emergencies. "I’d like to see that time cut down drastically," he said. Soto said there are "way too many missing children," and he would boost programs to deal with opiate addictions.