November 4th – Hicksville
Dr Hart has warm relations with the Indian community, and he even took out a float at the India Day Parade in Hicksville this August. He gave this interview to The South Asian Times.
The South Asian Times: You are running on the clean up corruption pitch — but Newsday endorsed your opponent, arguing you have not detailed how.
Dr Dean Hart: If we keep a wall between the politician, public servant and the contractors, then we will increase honesty in the contracting process. The wall should be an unbiased Inspector General that has only one mission and that is to get the best product for the lowest cost. Sourcing and procurement are seldom done by CEO of a large corporation and the process of hiring needs to create an even playing field for all.
Term limits are excellent to avoid the elected official from gaming the system for self-serving benefits.
Assembly and Senate cannot have a title “part-timer” and clearly need to have no side businesses to benefit from the power of the position they are elected to. New York Senate leader Skelos and Assembly Leader Silver were lawyers that operated a law practice and abused their powers. They have been convicted and sentenced to jail for what is for all practicality a lifetime considering their age.
What are the other issues you will take up in OYSTER BAY?
Dr Hart: We need to clean up our Island and improve the environment.
It is essential that the aging population and elderly health care issues and support be improved.
Mental health, veterans suffering from war trauma, women’s rights, safety by law enforcement, roads and medical care are issues that need to be worked and improved upon.
Government should also remember to bring happiness and enjoy the splendor of this great state and nation. Beauty and grandeur of and to our ancestors’ legacy for the sake of our children is essential.
Long Island must get its fair share of taxes paid to Albany, and not be the cash cow it currently must endure for the rest of the state of NY.
Transparency to the citizens is essential and conversely the blind-folding of the politicians as to who is hired is required too.
Judges, executives, and legislators cannot lose site of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. These documents create a framework that has worked now for a third century, but we must always be reminded of the words.
You ran for Nassau County legislature last year, and did not win. How do you hope to win a bigger race for state assembly?
Dr Hart: Since I never held a political position nor ran or yearned for one prior to 2015 I was a novice. As a novice, I almost won and lost by only a few hundred votes in a Gerrymandered district designed for Democrats to lose.
If you do not live and learn you are finished growing on the path of life and hopefully I have learned how to get a few hundred more votes than last time.
Your proposals like erecting a Billy Joel statue outside Nassau Coliseum have made news, but will that help or hurt your campaign?
Dr Hart: Hopefully people realize that somebody that ran many businesses in his life will add great insights to running our government and participating in business decisions.
Any comments on the presidential race which is dead heat now?
Dr Hart: I prefer presidents that accept all Americans as equal and important. Prejudice is intolerable and lying to us is distasteful.
Corruption hit Nassau County last month with the indictment of County Executive Ed Mangano and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Venditto. What is the root cause of political corruption and what is the long term solution to curb it?
Dr Hart: Nepotism, cronyism, campaign finance rules, and self-serving interests have all congealed into a swamp that needs to be drained.
Any comment on the Indian American community?
Dr Hart: Since I have many patients in the Hicksville practice that is Woodbury Optical, they are my employees and the same as all other patients that choose me to render care. We are all the same inside. One thing I do notice is the immigrants and new generation that makes up America are hard working and law abiding, education striving honorable citizens that contribute to the melting pot that is our great nation.
