First-time candidate challenges two incumbents in Massapequa Park

Three Massapequa Park residents are running for two two-year trustee seats in the village’s March 19 election. 

Two incumbents, Tina Schiaffino and Daniel Pearl, are running on the Village Peoples Rights First party line, while first-time candidate, Salvatore Balestrieri Sr., is running on the We the People First Party of Massapequa Park line.

Schiaffino, 57, a property manager of the Southgate Homeowners Association in Massapequa Park, has served on the board since being appointed in 2010. She said she wants to continue to improve the village’s parks, and pointed to her involvement in a $300,000 project to fortify the waterfront at Colleran Park.

She’ll also make keeping an eye on the village budget a priority.

“I think it’s always important to budget properly and remain financially aware of what’s happening, whether it’s buying a truck or putting in new lights,” Schiaffino said. “I think that as a board we’ve always been cognizant of that.”

All three candidates say they’ll focus, if elected, on fixing Massapequa Park’s roads.

“We’re really working on getting the roads up to par,” said Pearl, 46, a deputy commissioner for Oyster Bay Town’s Department of Public Works.

Pearl first won election in 2012 and has served on the board since. Pearl said he wants to continue to help residents work with New York Rising. He also wants to look at ways the village can streamline its building permit process to make it more “user-friendly for residents.”   

“I think I’m the best guy for the job at this point to continue in the work we’ve been doing,” Pearl said.

Balestrieri, 83, is making his first bid for a trustee seat. The retired NYPD officer said he thinks the village needs to do a better job of communicating with residents at its board meetings and addressing their concerns.

If elected, Balestrieri said, he’ll focus on fixing the roads, improving lighting on village streets, addressing flooding and “fighting for the people” whose homes are affected by water damage.

As a retiree and someone who has lived in Massapequa Park for 45 years, Balestrieri said he thinks he has an edge on the incumbents.

“Most of the people on the board are working, so they don’t have as much time as I do to help residents,” Balestrieri said. “I will fight for them.”