Nassau County Legislature District 2

<p>Siela Bynoe, James Lamarre</p>

News 12 Staff

Oct 23, 2017, 3:47 PM

Updated 2,541 days ago

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Nassau County Legislature District 2

Bynoe, 49, of Westbury, is running on the Democratic, Working Families, Women’s Equality, Reform and Independence lines. She won a February 2014 special election as well as a full term in 2015. Bynoe has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hofstra University and a master’s in public administration from LIU Post. She is executive director of the Huntington Housing Authority and teaches courses in nonprofit management and fundraising and financing for nonprofits at LIU Post. She is single with no children.

Bynoe is concerned about the proliferation of zombie homes in her district, many of which were abandoned by homeowners during foreclosure proceedings. Bynoe supports efforts by the Nassau County Land Bank, where she serves on the board of directors, to use state money to purchase, rebuild and sell vacant properties. “The goal is to create jobs and green space, build affordable homes for young families and get these properties back on the tax rolls,” she said. Bynoe is also a vocal advocate for reforms to the county’s ethics laws, including the hiring of an independent inspector general to investigate county contracting. The GOP majority has resisted hiring an inspector general, arguing the work is already performed by the county’s commissioner of investigation. But Bynoe said the position must be independent of the administration. “This office must be insulated from retaliation and retribution,” Bynoe said. “And it needs to be properly staffed and funded.”

Lamarre, 41, of Lakeview, is making his first run for elected office. He is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines. Born in Haiti, Lamarre attended LIU Post in Brookville and received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Walden University. Lamarre worked as an insurance agent and financial adviser at Mass Mutual and later for New York Life. He also served as the secretary-treasurer of the Business Network International, a networking group. He is owner of County Cleaners Corporation in Uniondale. He is married, with a daughter.

Lamarre wants to hold the line on property taxes, rehabilitate abandoned homes in the district and expand programs for youths, including additional after-school programs, community centers and mentoring programs. “Too many youths in the district are getting in trouble with law enforcement,” he said. “We are trying to have a paradigm shift and a change of behavior of people in the Second District.” Lamarre is also concerned about political corruption and would focus on increasing oversight of employee time cards to ensure that county workers are working the hours they are paid for. “I will have zero tolerance for corruption,” he said. “We also need to fight patronage and wasteful spending.”