In the race for Islip Town Council, a victory by either Republican candidate, John Cochrane or Anthony Senft, would tip the balance of power at Town Hall in favor of the GOP. Currently, Democrats hold a slim 3-2 majority.
Cochrane, a resident of Brighwaters, and Senft, a Great River resident, are facing Democrats —an incumbent—and . The two candidates with the highest vote totals will win seats on the five-member board.
While neither Cochrane nor Senft could be reached for comment on this year’s race for Town Council, each candidate’s website offers a glimpse into their stance on several issues.
According to his website, Cochrane would like to expedite permits and licensing services, implement customer service in every Town department and consolidate services to reduce the cost of government.
Senft said he would work to encourage the development of smart business growth by making Islip “business friendly,” which he feels would add jobs and increase revenue to broaden the Town’s tax base. Similar to Cochrane, Senft also feels the Town needs to cut “red tape” and reduce the “oppressive fee structures” of Town Hall.
Senft also believes that beyond reducing taxes, all spending needs to be analyzed to evaluate the necessities of all services provided.
