Horsley Touts Sewers, Business Support As Keys to Economic Rebound

Around Babylon Village lifelong resident Wayne Horsley is typically greeted with “Hi Wayne,” but in the halls of the Suffolk County Legislature the six-year Democratic legislator is better known as “Mr. Sewer” and it’s a moniker the 60-year-old proudly boasts about.

That’s because Horsley believes sewers can play a vital role in creating more jobs, improve water quality and lure big business to Suffolk, and he’s intent on getting sewer districts, such as the Southwest District facility, built in several areas including the Ronkonkoma Hub sector.

“That’s just a perfect place,” he said with obvious enthusiasm. “Cesspools are hurting the economy, costing homeowners a lot of money and are stopping big business, such as pharmaceutical firms and high tech companies, from locating here,” said the incumbent who was first elected to the legislature in 2005. The cost of building a county required sewer system on an individual basis for a business is cost prohibitive, he explained.

Suffolk County’s economic development is a major priority for the legislator who proudly notes he’s the lone Democratic candidate who has received the Conservative Party endorsement year. He is also endorsed by the Independent Party as he faces off against lifelong Lindenhurst Republican Edward Blankenhorn and Green Party candidate Cesar Malaga.

The 14th district represents residents in Babylon, Lindenhurst, North Lindenhurst, West Babylon, the Barrier Beaches an a small portion of Copiague and North Babylon.

FOR WAYNE HORSLEY'S BIO CLICK HERE.

In addition to pushing for sewer districts, he’s also the founder of a new Long Island-focused organization, called Long Island First. The cooperative group focuses on helping market Long Island businesses to other Long Island businesses.

The B2B effort, said Horsley, is a united effort by Suffolk and Nassau County leaders, housing officials, economic development agencies and New York State development officials to stimulate the economy.

“It’s a one-island, one-economy regional approach to help businesses find out about each other, buy from each other and promote each other,” explained Horsley, who chairs the legislature’s Economic Development, Higher Education and Energy Committee. In addition he is vice chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee and sits on the Public Works and Transportation Committee.

The candidate said he is committed to fighting rate increases by LIPA and National Grid, and wants greater transparency of utility companies.

Horsley has received a slew of campaign endorsements including the LI Builders Institute, LI Federation of Teachers, and support from a long list of county employee unions.

An adjunct history professor at Farmingdale State College points to a wide range of village projects he’s helped make possible over the years, including beautification efforts in Babylon Village and Lindenhurst Village and said he hopes to do even more if re-elected.

“I grew up here and the people in these communities are so proud of their communities and I feel the same. By helping preserve historic buildings and developing gateway areas to our village we’re helping business and residents,” he said. “I feel positive about Long Island, and not everything is going to happen overnight, but we’re working hard to keep taxes down and create new jobs.”