Blankenhorn Focuses On Small Business Growth, Lower Taxes

Lifelong Lindenhurst resident Ed Blankenhorn is running against incumbent Babylon Village native Wayne Horsley for the Suffolk County Legislature in the 14th District for two reasons; he wants county government to be more supportive of small business and he believes spending needs to be brought under control.

It’s the first political race in more than 20 years for the 71-year-old who ran unsuccessfully for an Assembly seat back in 1990.

“We need to help small business get in business faster and get taxes under control,” said the retired budget analyst, who served seven years on the Lindenhurst School Board and a decade on the BOCES Western Suffolk Board.

Blankenhorn had a 30-year career at Grumman Aerospace and holds an engineering degree from Hofstra University. He is in his 19th year as a board member for Smithhaven Ministries.

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“Right now the process for anyone wanting to start a business, which would lead to jobs that we really need to get this economy back on its feet, takes way too long,” he said. He cited an example of an acquaintenace who found it took six months to get health department approval.

The lack of jobs, cost of living increases and increasing taxes should be the county legislature’s top priority, said the Republican candidate who has spent nights walking the district to talk to taxpayers and several mornings in the past week meeting and greeting potential voters at local train stations.

A senior living on a fixed income, Blankenhorn said he wants to make Long Island more affordable for young and old and keeping taxes down is key given that most fixed-income households rarely get cost of living increases. He notes that taxes are so prohibitive that younger generations, including his daughter, can’t afford to own a home.

“We need a cheerleader for the Long Island economy and we can’t wait and hope that the state will help us out. We need to streamline processes and get new companies to come to create new jobs and opportunities that provide a living wage for people,” he said.

“This is a great place to live but it’s just gotten too expensive and the county legislature has to do something,” said Blankenhorn. He said he is seeking election because he believes change is needed on the leadership front and that he offers a partisan viewpoint given he’s not a career politician.

Horsley has held the county legislative seat since first elected in 2005. The 14th district represents residents in Babylon, Lindenhurst, North Lindenhurst, West Babylon, the Barrier Beaches an a small portion of Copiague and North Babylon.

“Some people say that I’m against change but I’m not. I’m against change for the sake of change,” Blankenhorn said. “I’m not doing this to be a political person. I’m an outsider in terms of politics. I want to do it for the same reasons I served on the school board. I want to make things better,” he said, adding that if elected he will not accept any pay raise during his term in office.

“I will oppose any pay increases for legislators as well,” he added.