The Practical Choice

You have to hand it to Amos Goodman for running a credible campaign for Suffolk legislator. As a newcomer to politics, he has offered plenty of ideas and put in a huge effort to get elected. Among Mr. Goodman’s strongest arguments is that he would make tackling Suffolk’s ongoing budget deficits a central focus. He takes strongly pro-environment positions, and like his opponent, Bridget Fleming, is interested in untangling how sales tax revenue is, or isn’t, shared with the South Fork. A major negative are the robo-calls bashing Ms. Fleming, which are irresponsible and serve to diminish his credibility.

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For her part, Ms. Fleming tended toward generalizations in recent conversations about what she would do if elected. But, given the limits presented by the county’s dire finances, that is perhaps to be expected. From a South Fork perspective, however, she is the more practical choice for the Second District. It comes down to County Executive Steve Bellone, who is expected to win re-election on Tuesday.

The calculation works this way: There are two East End county legislators, one for the North Fork and one for the South. This means that our end of Suffolk will always be outnumbered by 16 votes in legislative matters. Ms. Fleming, collegial and a Democrat, as is Mr. Bellone, is more likely to be effective and to tip the balance, if only slightly, in the Second District’s favor. Mr. Goodman, who proved himself a bit of a fire-slinger this fall in debates, would find it harder to gain the county executive’s backing on key measures, which would be a hindrance. In addition, Ms. Fleming’s solid experience on the Southampton Town Board makes her the better choice.