Richard Nicolello

Presiding Officer Nassau Legislature

Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) is not just the top-elected member of the Republican-led Nassau County Legislature. He’s also one of the legislature’s few remaining original members, having served more than 20 years in the panel since its formation, so his is a rare perspective that includes a sense of history that is key in his role. Having recently taken the reigns from his predecessor, Norma Gonsalves, who opted against seeking re election last fall, Nicolello is now tasked with being the lone GOP check on Democratic control in the offices of county executive, comptroller and district attorney. Since it’s still early in Laura Curran’s administration, Nicolello has exerted his power fairly and not thrown his weight around. But judging by his willingness to jump into the fray when the legislature breaks down into a shouting match, as it so often does, Curran knows that she too needs to play nice if she has any chance of getting the legislature in the hands of the opposing political party to approve her agenda. So long as cooler heads prevail, Nicolello and Curran can prove the power if bipartisan compromise and start checking off some of the pressing issues on the county’s dauntingly long to-do list. With that power in his hands, only time will tell how he exerts it.