Trish Bergin for Suffolk Legislative District 10

The 10th District covers the central part of Islip Town from Great River and East Islip north to Islandia, Ronkonkoma and parts of Hauppauge.

Incumbent Trish Bergin, a Republican who previously served for 12 years on the Islip Town Council after a career in television news, is seeking a second term.

Her Democratic challenger, Derek P. Stein, not nearly as well known, has a few years of experience working behind the scenes as an aide for two county legislators — Al Krupski and former presiding officer DuWayne Gregory. In that capacity, Stein, 28, a lifelong Central Islip resident, helped with the Youth Anti-Bullying Task Force and a similar one devoted to fair housing. Stein favors increasing the number of affordable units required for any housing project receiving Industrial Development Agency tax benefits. He also favors more housing in transit corridors, abandoned strip malls and empty office space.

Stein displays an impressive knowledge of how county government works and provides some vision for the future. On the issue of rising sea levels, he favors discussion of possible buyouts of flood-prone properties when sea walls and sand-replacement projects fail to prevent flooding. He also wants the county to get more involved regionally in solving solid waste problems. He said Suffolk could play more of a central role in promoting recycling centers and transfer stations used right now by individual Suffolk towns.

In her first term, Bergin, 52, advocated for mammography breast cancer screening, and hosted mobile vans at local sites. Bergin says she favors the environment, but she failed to support a recent much-needed plan to create a funding stream for sewers and advanced septic systems, something Stein says he would have voted for. Though Fire Island is not in her district, Bergin said she has property there and is concerned about rising sea levels. She said she defers to coastal experts about the best solutions for erosion. But she favors sewers for Fire Island as a way to avoid polluting the Great South Bay. Bergin, who lives in East Islip, has supported the proposed $2.8 billion Midway Crossing development in Ronkonkoma, and heads a legislative committee investigating the systemic failures surrounding the 2020 death of 8-year-old Thomas Valva. 

Bergin has a strong history of community involvement and recognized ability to communicate. Unfortunately, her harsh words about asylum-seekers and migrants suggest an approach to the current crisis that is anything but moderate. "I will do everything in my power to prevent migrants from coming to Suffolk County," Bergin said, arguing that the county's current services cannot handle a large influx of new people.

She is a strong supporter of Suffolk law enforcement. She said she relies on the department's top brass to make sure overtime is not abused at the expense of taxpayers.

Stein has a promising future in politics but Bergin has the background to do the job now.

Newsday endorses Bergin.