Assembly Candidate Cites $9.5M in Local Projects, Utility Costs as Campaign Issues
Rebecca Kassay discussed state funding for dams, playgrounds and fire departments ahead of the Nov. 3 election, while her opponent declined an interview.
By Hugo Cook ·
State Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) said she secured $6.5 million in state funding for the Stony Brook Mill Pond Dam and Harbor Road, $2.2 million for playgrounds and sports courts at Coram Elementary School, and $800,000 for accessibility work at the Coram Fire Department. Sussman, her Republican challenger, did not take part in the interview session.
Kassay, a former Port Jefferson village trustee who has worked in environmental science and owned small businesses, also discussed funding for fire departments, schools and community organizations, along with legislation to permanently preserve the Port Jefferson Station-Setauket Greenway. "Ultimately, I ran my first time because I thought there were too many politicians in politics," Kassay said. "I still think there are too many politicians in politics, and so I'm very proud to be a public servant in government for the people."
Rising utility bills rank among the most frequent concerns residents raise with her, she said. Kassay pointed to state programs that help homeowners improve energy efficiency and lower heating costs, and she has pushed to raise the Excelsior Scholarship household income cap from $125,000 to $150,000.
On electric bikes, Kassay said she supports looking at registration or other requirements for faster e-bikes, plus better education and enforcement. She opposes large-scale data centers on Long Island, citing the region's sole-source aquifer and the strain such facilities could place on water and electricity resources. Her other stated priorities include improving waste management, strengthening safeguards for children using artificial intelligence chatbots, and expanding reuse of treated wastewater to irrigate golf courses and conserve drinking water.
Kassay said her time in Albany and her relationships with local communities would help her keep advocating for the district. "My biggest responsibility is being in that room and speaking up for Suffolk County," she said. The election is set for Nov. 3.
Sussman, a Republican challenger, declined to participate in the session.
Source: TBR News Media
