Tommy John Schiavoni, a Freshman Legislator, Heads to Albany Representing the 1st District

After receiving a proclamation from his colleagues on the Southampton Town Board on December 19, thanking him for his service to the town, outgoing Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni, who this week was sworn in as the 1st District’s new state assemblyman, paused to tell a story.

The son of Italian and Irish immigrants, Schiavoni recounted how his Irish grandmother arrived in New York City when she was only 14 years old, alone, with nothing but a small bag. She found work as a maid and a cook with the Wainwright family, who summered in East Hampton, and later helped raise Stuyvesant Wainright II, who went on to represent the East End in Congress during the Eisenhower administration.

“She always took the opportunity to tell me how wonderful it was to be in this country, and the opportunities that we have here,” Schiavoni said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am to be the grandson of that immigrant who was by herself with nothing on the docks of New York City, and now I’m going to be representing eastern Long Island in the New York State Assembly.”

Schiavoni, a Democrat, was sworn in with the rest of the freshman class of legislators on Wednesday, the first day of the Assembly’s 2025 session.

The first order of business was the reelection of Speaker Carl Heastie. “I like his leadership style. He is fair and easy to approach,” Schiavoni said.

In replacing Fred W. Thiele Jr., who represented the district for more than 29 years, Schiavoni knows his district is losing plenty of seniority. Still, he said, he was hopeful that he would be appointed to several key committees.

The first is the Education Committee. “Education is a high priority for me,” said Schiavoni, who is a retired social studies teacher. “I believe in public education as the great equalizer in our society. It is something that should be supported and nurtured.”

He added that his district has 23 different school districts of varying sizes and levels of affluence. Currently, those school districts receive a total of $104 million in state aid, when Riverhead, which receives $61 million annually, is factored in. A small portion of the Riverhead Central School District is included in Schiavoni’s district.

Schiavoni, noting the environmental fragility of the East End, said he also hoped to be named to the Environmental Protection Committee, where he could help provide funding for environmental causes, including the Peconic Estuary Partnership.

He said he would also like to be appointed to the Local Government Committee, noting that his district covers four East End towns and a slice of Brookhaven, but also includes 10 villages, the Shinnecock Nation, and assorted fire districts.

Schiavoni has also requested to be named to the Higher Education Committee, the Transportation Committee and the Libraries Committee, and said he expected to be named to up to five committees.

The first major task of the State Legislature will be the adoption of a budget, which is due on April 1, but which often is not completed until after that date. Schiavoni noted there is a saying in Albany, “Better to have a good budget than an on-time budget.”

In New York State, the legislature has three options, Schiavoni said: accept the governor’s proposed budget, reject it or add to it.

Schiavoni will take over Thiele’s district office in the Burkeshire Court development at 3350 Noyac Road in Noyac. Denise McRedmond, a longtime aide to Thiele, will remain, and Cole Yastrzemski, who formerly served as an aide to County Legislator Ann Welker, will join his staff.

In Albany, Lisa Lombardo, who worked with Thiele, is staying on in a part-time role, and Dan Lee, an environmental attorney, has been hired as a legislative aide.

The session runs from January to June 1, and the governor can call special sessions as required. Schiavoni said he expects to spend time in Albany in the fall as well, when committee hearings are often scheduled.

Although Albany can be a dreary place in the depth of winter, Schiavoni said he was looking forward to at least one thing: The reflecting pools in the Empire State Plaza across from the State Capitol are transformed into skating rinks each winter.

“I’m definitely bringing my skates,” he said.