Election 2015

Town Assessor 2015 Endorsement: Richard Caggiano

Richard Caggiano
Richard Caggiano.

Richard Caggiano’s professional résumé and experience in community service give the appearance he’s been auditioning to be an elected Southold Town assessor all of his adult life.

He’s owned an insurance agency and served on the town supervisor’s tax council and the Suffolk County Legislature’s capital budget committee. On the volunteer front, he’s served on a school board and been active with a local Chamber of Commerce, among other activities.

His professional experience in budgeting, forecasting and analysis make him an attractive candidate for the position. He’s also given no reason not to receive your vote again following nearly two years on the Board of Assessors. (He won a special election in 2013 to replace retired assessor Darlene Duffy.)

Mr. Caggiano is personable and polite, both ideal qualities in an assessor, a position that deals with the public daily.

His opponent, Linda Goldsmith, also has many years of community service to point to in her campaign — most significantly, the 26 years she’s spent on the Oysterponds Board of Education.

She is a lifelong resident of Southold Town and it’s evident how much she cares about this community. She said that, if elected, expanding public education about the grievance process would be a goal of hers.

Even Ms. Goldsmith conceded that she believes the current assessors do a fine job. And she made it clear when meeting with our editors that she has aspirations to run for Town Board. Some of the issues she discussed with passion — affordable housing, for example — could best be tackled by a council member.

Mr. Caggiano, on the other hand, is already an assessor, has begun the three-year process of becoming state certified, genuinely appears to enjoy the job and seems more than qualified for the position. He deserves your vote Nov. 3.