Dean Skelos
Encyclopedia
Dean G. Skelos is an American
politician
and the Republican
Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
. Skelos represents District 9 in the State Senate, which comprises the southwest region of Nassau County
. He is the second Long Islander to hold the position of Majority Leader, following Ralph J. Marino
.
with a B.A.
in History in 1970, and earned a J.D.
from Fordham University School of Law
in 1975.
seat became vacant when incumbent Assemblyman Raymond J. McGrath
decided to run for an open seat in the United States House of Representatives
due to the retirement of nine-term incumbent John W. Wydler
.
Carol Berman
. The 1982 reapportionment changed the boundaries of the 9th Senate District, which previously included parts of Nassau and Queens County. The new district, drawn by Senate Republicans, was now entirely within Nassau County and favored Republicans. Skelos was endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties. Berman, running on the Democratic and Liberal party lines won the race by 6,108 votes (55,504 to 49,396). Matthew Doyle, the Right-to-Life party candidate, received 2,520 votes in the three-way race.
The 9th Senate District today includes the city of Long Beach
, the villages of Rockville Centre
, Atlantic Beach
, Cedarhurst
, East Rockaway
, Hewlett Bay Park
, Hewlett Harbor
, Hewlett Neck
, Island Park
, Lawrence
, Lynbrook
, Malverne
, Valley Stream
, and Woodsburgh
, and the hamlets of Baldwin
, Barnum Island
, Elmont
, Franklin Square
, Hewlett
, Inwood
, North Valley Stream
, Oceanside
, West Hempstead
, and Woodmere
.
visit the district and campaign for him, defeated Berman in a two-way race. Skelos won 50.7% to 49.3% (67,834 to 65,875).
Senator Skelos was also instrumental in the passage of the Sex Offender Registration Act, also known as Megan's Law
, which mandated that convicted sex offenders register with local law enforcement authorities and that local communities be apprised of the presence of all known sex offenders.
As Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Breast Cancer and Pesticides, Senator Skelos helped to draft the Health Research Science Law, which established a Pesticide Registry within New York State.
Intimately involved in events in Long Island, he is also credited with creating the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.
Since 1989, Senator Skelos has been Co-Chairman of the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Apportionment, a position that requires he and his colleagues to redraw the boundaries of Assembly, Senate, and congressional districts within New York State.
In 1993, Senator Skelos was appointed as Chairman of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and Job Development.
He was Deputy Majority Leader of the New York State Senate from 1995 to 2008, and Majority Leader in 2008 after the resignation of Joseph Bruno
.
In 1998, he was appointed by Governor George Pataki
to sit on the four-member Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Capital Program Review Board.
Senator Skelos has been a member of the board of directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation since 1998, as well as a member of the National Conference of State Legislators and National Conference of Insurance Legislators.
In addition to his service in the New York State Senate, he is also counsel to Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
The Majority Leader of the New York State Senate is elected by the majority of the members of the New York State Senate. The position usually coincides with the title of Temporary President of the State Senate, who presides over the session of the State Senate if the Lieutenant Governor of New York...
. Skelos represents District 9 in the State Senate, which comprises the southwest region of Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
. He is the second Long Islander to hold the position of Majority Leader, following Ralph J. Marino
Ralph J. Marino
Ralph John Marino was majority leader of the New York State Senate from 1989 until 1994. He was ousted during the Thanksgiving holiday in 1994 by allies of then Governor-elect George Pataki and replaced by Joseph Bruno....
.
Early life
Skelos graduated from Washington CollegeWashington College
Washington College is a private, independent liberal arts college located on a campus in Chestertown, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782...
with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in History in 1970, and earned a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...
in 1975.
New York State Assembly
Dean Skelos first won elective office on November 4, 1980. Skelos, running on the Republican, Conservative and Right-to-Life party lines defeated Democratic and Liberal party candidate Peter S. Kilcommons, Jr. by a 64% to 36% margin (30,749 to 17,371), to win election in the vacant 19th Assembly District representing Nassau County. The New York State AssemblyNew York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
seat became vacant when incumbent Assemblyman Raymond J. McGrath
Raymond J. McGrath
Raymond Joseph McGrath is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He was a Republican from New York....
decided to run for an open seat in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
due to the retirement of nine-term incumbent John W. Wydler
John W. Wydler
John Waldemar Wydler was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.Wydler was born in Brooklyn. He served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945. He graduated from Brown University in 1947 and Harvard University Law School in 1950...
.
1982
After one term in the Assembly, Skelos gave up his seat to challenge incumbent Democratic-Liberal New York State SenatorNew York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
Carol Berman
Carol Berman
Carol Berman is a New York Democratic Party politician from Lawrence, in Nassau County, New York, United States, who served in the New York State Senate from 1979 to 1984. Berman first achieved attention for her efforts to prevent the landing of Concorde and other supersonic transports at nearby...
. The 1982 reapportionment changed the boundaries of the 9th Senate District, which previously included parts of Nassau and Queens County. The new district, drawn by Senate Republicans, was now entirely within Nassau County and favored Republicans. Skelos was endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties. Berman, running on the Democratic and Liberal party lines won the race by 6,108 votes (55,504 to 49,396). Matthew Doyle, the Right-to-Life party candidate, received 2,520 votes in the three-way race.
The 9th Senate District today includes the city of Long Beach
Long Beach, New York
Long Beach is a city in Nassau County, New York. Just south of Long Island, it is located on Long Beach Barrier Island, which is the westernmost of the outer barrier islands off Long Island's South Shore. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 33,275...
, the villages of Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre, New York
Rockville Centre is a village located in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 24,023. The town is made up of middle to upper middle class residents, most of the wealthier residents residing on the north side of town near the...
, Atlantic Beach
Atlantic Beach, New York
Atlantic Beach is an affluent village off the South Shore of Long Island in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. It is located on Long Beach Barrier Island, one of the outer barrier islands which it shares with Long Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Atlantic Beach Estates, Lido Beach and Point...
, Cedarhurst
Cedarhurst, New York
Cedarhurst is a village in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, in the USA. The population was 6,592 at the 2010 United States Census. The village is named after a grove of trees that once stood at the post office....
, East Rockaway
East Rockaway, New York
East Rockaway is a village in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,818 at the 2010 census.The Incorporated Village of East Rockaway is in the town Hempstead, adjacent to Lynbrook, Hewlett and Oceanside. The primary ethnicities are mainly Italian and Irish...
, Hewlett Bay Park
Hewlett Bay Park, New York
Hewlett Bay Park is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA, on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 404....
, Hewlett Harbor
Hewlett Harbor, New York
Hewlett Harbor is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. The population was 1,263 at the 2010 census.The Village of Hewlett Harbor is inside the Town of Hempstead.-Geography:Hewlett Harbor is located at ....
, Hewlett Neck
Hewlett Neck, New York
Hewlett Neck is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. The population was 445 at the 2010 census.The Village of Hewlett Neck is inside the Town of Hempstead....
, Island Park
Island Park, New York
Island Park is a village located in Nassau County, New York in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 4,655.Island Park is located in the town of Hempstead.-Geography:...
, Lawrence
Lawrence, Nassau County, New York
Lawrence is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 6,483.The Village of Lawrence is in the southwest corner of the Town of Hempstead, adjoining the border with the New York City borough of Queens to the west and near the...
, Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
, Malverne
Malverne, New York
Malverne is a village in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 8,514 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
, Valley Stream
Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
, and Woodsburgh
Woodsburgh, New York
Woodsburgh is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 778 at the 2010 census.The mayor of the village is Susan Schlaff.Deputy Mayor:Edmond MukamalTrustees:Carl Cayne, Edmond Mukamal, Barry Sporer, Lee A...
, and the hamlets of Baldwin
Baldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
, Barnum Island
Barnum Island, New York
Barnum Island is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 2,414 at the 2010 census.Barnum Island is an unincorporated area of the Town of Hempstead...
, Elmont
Elmont, New York
Elmont is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the northwest corner of the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City...
, Franklin Square
Franklin Square, New York
Franklin Square is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 29,320 at the 2010 census...
, Hewlett
Hewlett, New York
Hewlett is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 6,819....
, Inwood
Inwood, New York
Inwood is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 9,792 at the 2010 census.Inwood is included among the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the...
, North Valley Stream
North Valley Stream, New York
North Valley Stream is a census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 16,628 at the 2010 census.-Geography:North Valley Stream is located at ....
, Oceanside
Oceanside, New York
Oceanside is a hamlet located in the south part of the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. The population was 32,109 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, West Hempstead
West Hempstead, New York
Not to be confused with West Hampstead, London.West Hempstead is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 18,862 at the 2010 census...
, and Woodmere
Woodmere, New York
Woodmere is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 17,121 at the 2010 census.Woodmere is one of the Long Island communities known as the Five Towns, which is usually said to comprise the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst, the hamlets of Woodmere and Inwood, and...
.
1984
In 1984, Skelos challenged Berman in a rematch. This time, Skelos, who had President Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
visit the district and campaign for him, defeated Berman in a two-way race. Skelos won 50.7% to 49.3% (67,834 to 65,875).
1986
In 1986, Carol Berman challenged Skelos in their third consecutive state senate contest. Skelos, running on the Republican and Conservative party lines defeated the Democratic-Liberal candidate Berman in a three-way race, winning 53% of the vote (49,761) to 43.7% (41,005). Right-to-Life party candidate, Joan McDermott received 3.2% (2,967) of the vote.In the Senate
He also served as the Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee before stepping down from that post after ten years. While serving as chairman Skelos was credited with authoring the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC), which assists senior citizens in defraying the cost of prescription drugs.Senator Skelos was also instrumental in the passage of the Sex Offender Registration Act, also known as Megan's Law
Megan's Law
Megan's Law is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders. Individual states decide what information will be made available and how it should be disseminated...
, which mandated that convicted sex offenders register with local law enforcement authorities and that local communities be apprised of the presence of all known sex offenders.
As Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Breast Cancer and Pesticides, Senator Skelos helped to draft the Health Research Science Law, which established a Pesticide Registry within New York State.
Intimately involved in events in Long Island, he is also credited with creating the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.
Since 1989, Senator Skelos has been Co-Chairman of the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Apportionment, a position that requires he and his colleagues to redraw the boundaries of Assembly, Senate, and congressional districts within New York State.
In 1993, Senator Skelos was appointed as Chairman of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and Job Development.
He was Deputy Majority Leader of the New York State Senate from 1995 to 2008, and Majority Leader in 2008 after the resignation of Joseph Bruno
Joseph Bruno
Joseph L. Bruno is an American businessman, and Republican politician. He was the Temporary President of the New York State Senate and its majority leader. Most recently he also served as Lieutenant Governor of New York ....
.
In 1998, he was appointed by Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
to sit on the four-member Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
Capital Program Review Board.
Senator Skelos has been a member of the board of directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation since 1998, as well as a member of the National Conference of State Legislators and National Conference of Insurance Legislators.
In addition to his service in the New York State Senate, he is also counsel to Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
External links
- New York State Senate: Dean G. Skelos official website
- Official Campaign Website
- Senator Skelos on Facebook
- Dean Skelos could be the guy to save local GOP. Newsday.com.
- NY State Sen. Skelos wants to set standard for drug-testing students by Heather Fletcher. Long Island Business News. 2005-05-06.