Jason A. Richberg for Suffolk Legislative District 15

The 15th District covers the western part of Babylon Town from Melville to Amityville Village and eastward to Wyandanch and parts of West Babylon.

Jason A. Richberg, 40, of West Babylon, is steeped and seasoned in the legislative process. Before succeeding former Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Richberg served as his chief of staff, chief deputy clerk, clerk of the Suffolk Legislature, and head of the Youth Leadership Caucus program. Now he's running for a second full term and is expected to remain as head of the Democratic caucus.

Richberg stakes a share of credit for what he regards as successes in the legislative body over the past two years, including the introduction of police-officer body cameras, establishment of the chamber’s maternal mortality task force, and “giving a voice to folks who don’t feel they have a voice.”

He’s rightly critical of the GOP majority for not letting voters decide on a proposal to increase the sales tax by 0.125% to fund clean-water initiatives like sewers and new alternative septic systems that curb groundwater pollution from nitrogen.

Richberg takes straightforward stances on relevant issues and speaks realistically about them. He favors creation of a single position from which a “cyber czar” can coordinate high-tech needs among agencies and thus help the county recover from the hack that exposed personal records and disrupted communications and operations. “We need to depoliticize this,” he says.

If reelected, he says he would continue to focus on the basic constituent service of connecting residents with government services that can help with specific problems. He said he’d follow up on gauging police reforms over the long term.

He emphasizes a need for deeper community involvement in housing development efforts, supports affordable workforce housing, and advocates for a regionwide solution to Long Island’s looming solid-waste disposal problems.

Richberg’s opponent, Richard Felix, 62, a longtime Melville resident, is a newcomer as a candidate but no stranger to his community or the Republican Party. An experienced business law attorney, he is past chairman of the Nassau Lawyers Association and past president of The Country Pointe Homeowners Association in his home hamlet, where he promoted better security and playground restoration.

Felix shows a good familiarity with recycling and other issues and, given his professional background, sees a need to attract business. He sounds like he’d work pragmatically and collaboratively in public office.

But the incumbent has proved he can handle the job, and lead.

Newsday endorses Richberg.