By Arnold W. Drucker
A new year is fast approaching, and with that a new session of the Nassau County Legislature – and I am entering my 10th year of service with a heart brimming with gratitude and inspiration.
This is in large part thanks to the decisive vote of confidence that the people of Legislative District 16 issued on Tuesday, Nov. 4. In one of the most competitive districts that can be found on our new Legislative map, honesty, integrity, and experience prevailed – as it always should.
I couldn't have done it without your support, the endorsements of so many of our friends in labor, law enforcement, advocacy organizations, and the tireless efforts of my entire team, who rallied and redoubled their dedication after the tragic passing of my longtime campaign manager and friend, Seth Lounsbury. Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart.
It is worthwhile at this point to explain why the 2025 Legislature election was contested on revised maps, which will be in place through 2032. The early reapportionment was the result of a settlement reached after community advocates and civil liberties organizations sued the County alleging illegal gerrymandering permeated the map used in the 2023 election.
Notably, the settlement yielded a map with six majority-minority Legislative districts in which the population is comprised of at least 50 percent underrepresented voting groups, and a seventh district in which Asian Americans form a significant plurality of the population. All of this is a positive outcome which fosters representation which better reflects Nassau County’s diverse and rich cultural tapestry.
How did this impact Legislative District 16? Plainview and Old Bethpage remain the core of the district, and it will be my privilege and honor to continue serving the entirety of my lifelong hometown communities in 2026. I am also pleased to report that I will return to service in portions of Hicksville and begin representing communities within Farmingdale Village – a burgeoning regional hub that I am excited to be immersing myself in. While I regret that I will no longer directly serve the Villages of Muttontown, Brookville, and Old Westbury, I will continue to represent smaller portions of Syosset and Woodbury; portions of those hamlets have been shifted northward to District 18.
There is no doubt that we will enter 2026 with a full agenda and important priorities to address – and combating wasteful spending will be among my top priorities. Despite a damning audit by the Nassau Interim Finance Agency (NIFA) and more than $23 million in spending on outside legal counsel, with far too much of it going to politically connected firms and Republican campaign donors, on cases that should be handled in house by the highly qualified professionals at the County Attorney’s office.
Rather than slow down, the County administration doubled down. On Nov. 24, they jammed through more than 20 contracts and millions of dollars in new spending on outside counsel, including one contract for a former Republican legislative candidate. While his Republican colleagues initiated the contract this spring, they failed to disclose it until after Election Day. This runaway spending reeks of pay-to-play patronage and is a recipe for disaster that must be addressed. Accordingly, my Democratic colleagues and I stood together, unified in opposition to these badly misguided contracts.
In 2026, we will continue to stand together as we have done in the face of an increasingly partisan atmosphere in which we must fight every day for equitable investments in the communities we serve. Our solidarity enabled me to secure nearly $1 million to the Mid Island Y JCC in Plainview, $50,000 for the food pantry run by the Social Ministry at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Syosset, millions in the capital plan for vital road projects across the district, and most recently, a long-awaited Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax Fund grant for the Sid Jacobsen Y JCC.
We have sent a clear message that we won’t back down when we fight for our constituents – and it is your vocal support that empowers us to stand tall. Thank you for once again bestowing upon me the privilege of being your advocate – from the community, for the community – at the Nassau County Legislature.
Should you ever have a question or concern that you would like to share with me, do not ever hesitate to contact me at 516-571-6216 or adrucker@nassaucountyny.gov. Until then, I wish you a joyous and healthy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Arnold W. Drucker is the Deputy Minority Leader of the Nassau County Legislature and has served the communities of District 16 since 2016.