Voters in the Town of Hempstead will head to the polls Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for the Town Council.
In Council District 5 — which includes Lido Beach and Point Lookout, and parts of Baldwin, Bellmore, Freeport, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh — voters will select from two candidates: Republican Christopher Carini and Democratic Lora Webster, both of whom are competing for the seat being vacated by Erin King Sweeney.
Patch reached out to both candidates to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community.
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Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Lora Webster

  • Age (as of Sept. 1, 2019): 33
  • Town of Residence: Lido Beach

  • Position Sought: District 5 Councilwoman
  • Party Affiliation: Democrat
  • Family: Husband Paul and three children
  • Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No
  • Education: Stony Brook graduate 2017
  • Occupation: US National Team Member 2003-present
  • Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None
  • Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/Elect.Lora.Webster/
The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
I'm not a politician, but the more I learn about our town, the more I've realized how mismanaged our money is. I'm sick of the status quo of political infighting and jobs and contracts always going to connected insiders. We deserve a Town Board that will fight corruption and defend our tax dollars. I'm a mom of three who wants her children to have a better future here. If elected, I promise that I'll 
run my district as fairly and transparently as possible.
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I've spent the last few months meeting voters early in the morning at train stations, going door to door rain or shine, and hearing from constituents that they are tired of high taxes, terrible road conditions and rampant patronage and nepotism. My opponent is another example of the established "pay to play" culture that is prevalent in our town. I promise to work with our supervisor, Laura Gillen, and reach across the aisle at every step of the way. I want to return the focus back to good government initiatives. That means fixing our roads and parks, as well as protecting our vulnerable shoreline. For the taxes we pay, our infrastructure is not good enough. Fixing it is going to require hard work and a town board that's willing to collaborate with our supervisor, rather than undermine her at every turn.
If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?
While my current opponent has not held elected office, I admire the way that his predecessor, Erin King Sweeney, worked with both sides of the aisle to come to bipartisan solutions to local problems. There's no Republican or Democratic 
way to fix a pothole, and I'll work to make sure that we're coming to bipartisan solutions that help taxpayers. Her work alongside Laura Gillen to revitalize Baldwin's downtown is emblematic of some of the bipartisan good government initiatives that I'll emulate if elected. With that said, the Town Board, as a whole, has failed to consistently work with the supervisor to lower taxes and spend our tax dollars efficiently. 
Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:
Our roads are crumbling and our shoreline is still vulnerable. We deserve better than the state of our town infrastructure and I'll fight for real investment in our roads. Second, our taxes are too high for the services we receive. I'll go line by line in our budget to eliminate any unnecessary expenditures and wasteful contracts. I want to pass those savings down to every overburdened taxpaying family in District 5. Lastly, I want to help move the town toward a more energy efficient and sustainable future.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I'm a mom raising my three kids in Point Lookout. I lost my leg to bone cancer at 11 and became a Paralympic gold medalist representing our country for the last 16 years. I know what it takes to work as a team. As a town resident, I grew tired of reading about those in office abusing their power, wasting our tax dollars and giving jobs and contracts to their family and friends. We need a board who will work together, despite party differences, to problem solve and compromise to ensure the best possible solutions for our town. We deserve better than the same old politicians delivering the same old results.
The best advice ever shared with me was ...
You can't complain if you don't do anything to try to change it.
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I got into this race because I know we can turn things around in the Town of Hempstead. It's not going to be an easy task but I am committed to doing everything I can to make it better.


Carini boasts several community-oriented accomplishments. Carini is a Port Authority police officer, a former MTA police officer and previously served as an officer with the New York Police Department, according to a news release. He also serves as the vice president of the Wantagh-Seaford Homeowners’ Association and is on the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Council.

As the vice president of the Homeowners’ Association, Carini has pushed the Long Island Rail Road and the Metropolitan Transportaton Authority to remove graffiti at local train stations; increase policing at the stations; repair broken escalators; and enforce quality-of-life issues at commuter centers. Additionally, he has helped establish a community watch to combat neighborhood burglaries and other crimes. 
“I am eager to continue my work on behalf of neighbors in the 5th Councilmanic District,” Carini said. “And, I am excited to join Don Clavin, Hempstead Town’s next Supervisor, in reducing government spending and taxes, slashing patronage and repairing the town’s roadway system.”
Carini is retiring from the Port Authority Police Force to dedicate his time to the campaign. “I have really enjoyed serving my community and working to maintain it as a safe and desirable place in which to live, work and raise a family,” he said. “Working to help area homeowners is something to which I am dedicated, and as a Town Councilman, I will be able to do even more.”
In a statement on Sept. 12, Sweeney, a Republican from Wantagh, said, “My husband’s job has been relocated to North Carolina. Therefore, based upon the needs of my family, I will not be a candidate for re-election.”
“My personal journey over the last year has made me appreciate more than ever the importance of family,” she added. “I send my deepest gratitude and best wishes to the residents of the 5th Councilmanic District whom I have had the privilege to serve.”
Sweeney was appointed to serve as the representative for the town’s 5th district — which covers Baldwin, a portion of Freeport, Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh and Seaford — following the retirement of Angie Cullin in January 2015. She was elected to a four-year term that November.
Carini will challenge Democratic candidate Lora Webster, a Paralympic volleyball player, stay-at-home mother and a childhood cancer survivor.
At the time, Webster was surprised by the announcement, but remained humbled by the news, saying that she would continue to run a grassroots campaign by knocking on doors and speaking with residents, as if there were still an opponent in play.
“I’m still going to run the race like I am behind, and use that as motivation,” Webster said. “As far as I’m concerned, I still have to prove myself to a ton of people.”
"I am running against the pay-to-play culture of corruption that has permeated Hempstead Town government for far too long," she added in a statement on Sept. 25, pointing to more than $1,600 in donations made by Carini to Republican candidates since May.  "I am proud to stand alongside Supervisor Gillen in her fight to clean up Town Hall."
Carini has consulted with Town Receiver of Taxes Don Clavin, who is challenging Supervisor Laura Gillen, to work on a taxpayer accountability plan. This would include “slashing patronage by $1 million on day one,” according to the release. Carini also supports the Republican majority’s 2019 budget, which received unanimous support aside from Gillen.
“The Carini Plan calls for strict fiscal accountability,” Carini said. “At the same time, we need to invest in our roadway network, which is in need of serious attention. I am working with Don Clavin to rebuild our infrastructure.”
“Putting taxpayers first is not just a campaign slogan for me,” he added. “It is my commitment to the residents of the 5th Councilmanic district.”
In Seaford, Carini is raising two children along with his wife, Danielle.

This story will be updated.