Letters

As you may know, I am running for reelection to the office of Southampton Village trustee, alongside current Deputy Mayor Gina Arresta. We are running together under the Experience & Integrity Party, reflecting our principled and results-driven leadership style.

I wanted to share a bit about myself and my vision for our community.

Southampton Village has been a part of my life for decades. My family has owned our home on Burnett Street since 1977, and I currently reside there with my family and our new kitten, Oliver.

I joined the Board of Trustees last year when Mayor Bill Manger and the board appointed me after his election. He knew me from my role as chair of the village’s Budget and Finance Committee, where I gained extensive knowledge of village finances and operations.

My career has spanned 50 rewarding years. I spent 28 years in the New York City Office of Management and Budget, leaving as senior deputy budget director. I also worked as chief operating officer at Hunter College and the City College of New York. Additionally, I served as the City University of New York controller and as chief administrative and financial officer for the New York Philharmonic Symphony Society.

Later, I worked for the Suffolk County executive, where I coordinated the county’s COVID Fiscal Impact Task Force, reformed the procurement process, and worked on asset management for county facilities and space issues.

My responsibilities as trustee align closely with my strengths in management, operations and resource allocation. More importantly, I find great fulfillment in working for the village. It has been incredibly rewarding to help establish a more effective and efficient government for the community I call home.

My budget forecasting and transparency efforts helped the village earn a triple-A rating from Moody’s last year. I serve on the village’s Clean Water Task Force, introduced technology solutions like our 311 system (SeeClickFix), and established a new cloud-based solution for ticket writing. I am collaborating with the Planning Commission to address inadequate cell service and improve public safety communications for first responders. I’ve worked with village code enforcement to enhance the quality of life for our citizens and serve as trustee liaison for our Justice Court and Cultural Center.

My campaign focuses on building a sustainable future for our village: fiscal sustainability through responsible budget management, physical sustainability through investments in infrastructure, and social sustainability through responsiveness to citizen needs and fair treatment of village employees.

I humbly ask for your support in this year’s election on June 21. I believe my desire to excel for our residents, my history in the village, and my experience in operations and finance will be a winning combination for our community.

Leonard Zinnanti

Southampton