Anthony J. Santino | 4th District Council Member

Anthony J. Santino

(516) 812-3200
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Councilman Anthony J. Santino of East Rockaway was re-elected to his fifth term as a member of the Hempstead Town Board in the November 2009 general election, winning 71.4 percent of the vote. Councilman Santino represents Hempstead Town's Fourth Council District. He was first-elected to a four-year term as a councilman in November 1993 and re-elected in the November 1997, November 2001 and November 2005 general elections. Councilman Santino also won the 2000 special election for town board when the Town of Hempstead switched from an at-large system of representation to the current district system. He is the senior member of the Hempstead Town Board.

Councilman Santino has had a distinguished career in government service. An eight-year veteran of the East Rockaway Village Board, Councilman Santino was elected a village trustee in 1983 at the age of 22. He was re-elected in 1987. He also served as the village's Deputy Mayor for two of those eight years.

Mr. Santino is a summa cum laude graduate of St. John's University. In addition to his service to the Village of East Rockaway, Councilman Santino has enjoyed a varied career in government on the federal as well as local level.

He served for four years as Executive Assistant to then Congressman Norman F. Lent, eventually becoming the congressman's district office manager. Subsequently, he served as a Special Assistant to the Nassau County Board of Supervisors. Prior to his service on the town board, he was the town's Director of Communications for six and one-half years.

Councilman Santino is active in a wide array of religious, charitable, fraternal and community organizations. He is a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. He is also a charter member of the Msgr. Walsh-St. Raymond's Council of the Knights of Columbus, a Fourth Degree member of the Cardinal Mercier Assembly of the Knights of Columbus, the Order Sons of Italy in America, the Kiwanis Club of East Rockaway, and the St. Raymond's Parish Holy Name Society. Additionally, he is a member of Italian-Americans in Government, a non-for-profit organization. Councilman Santino was also honored by the Father John Farrell Council of the Knights of Columbus, which is based at St. Joseph's R.C. Church in Hewlett, at its annual dinner dance in October 2006. He also serves as a lector at St. Raymond's R.C. Church.

In addition, Councilman Santino is a member at-large of the Iroquois District of the Nassau County Boy Scouts of America and serves on the Eagle Scout Board of Review. In June 2009, the Boy Scouts Theodore Roosevelt Council, Iroquois District recognized Councilman Santino for his outstanding contributions to the Scouting program and the community by awarding him the 2009 District Award of Merit.

He is also a member of the St. John's University Alumni Association and the New York #1 Elks Lodge of Lynbrook. Mr. Santino also has the privilege of serving as an Executive Committee member of the American Committee on Italian Migration. An associate member of Division #3 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Councilman Santino was named 2010 Man of the Year by the organization and honored at their annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner Dance.

Councilman Santino's service to the veterans of the community was recognized in 1999 when he was inducted into East Rockaway American Legion Post #958 as a 'Friend of the American Legion.' He is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion.

He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including being named "Man of the Year" by the Georgia Wright Animal Guardian Foundation, the Order Sons of Italy in America, St. Raymonds R.C. Church; the Iroquois District of the Boy Scouts of America and the Shanti Fund -- a charitable organization of Indian-Americans. In 1998, the councilman was the honoree at the Elmont-based Kerala Cultural Center's annual Indian Independence Day celebration. He has also received the Public Service Award from the American Committee on Italian Migration.  In early 2012, Senior Councilman Santino was also pinned as a member of the Friends of Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, New York.

Councilman Santino is also the recipient of the "Champion of Youth Award" of the Link Counseling Center of Lynbrook, New York. He has received the East Rockaway Board of Education's highest educational award, the 'Friends of Education Award' in recognition of his 'tireless efforts on behalf of the school district.' He was also named "Man of the Year" at the annual joint brotherhood breakfast sponsored by Oceanside's Rocky Marciano Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America and Trophy Lodge of B'Nai Brith. The East Rockaway Kiwanis Club named Councilman Santino its "Kiwanian of the Year" for 2002. He was also named "Man of the Year" by the Five Towns Kiwanis Club at its annual golf outing in 2008. The National Council of Young Israel awarded the councilman its Public Service Award in March 2004.

Councilman Santino is an enthusiastic supporter of our community's volunteer fire service. His efforts on behalf of the fire service were recognized on February 8, 2009 by the Woodmere Fire Department when its members named him an honorary member of the department.

He is the author of a landmark measure that brought library service to previously unserved residents of some of the town's unincorporated communities. The creation of the Bay Park Library District was a first-of-its-kind effort to expand library service in New York State through the creation of a library district that contracts with an existing, neighboring library -- this model has been used by communities across Long Island to expand library service to previously unserved communities.

Councilman Santino was honored by the Bay Park Civic Association and presented with its 'distinguished service' award in recognition of his tireless work to establish the Bay Park Library District. In May 2006, he was honored by the 'Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre'.

He was the driving force behind the Town of Hempstead's condemnation of the Oceanside Motel, a community eyesore that was often the scene of illegal activity.

Born in Corona, Queens, Councilman Santino moved to East Rockaway during childhood. A product of the East Rockaway public school system, Councilman Santino owns a home in East Rockaway, his hometown for 42 years.

District Information

The Fourth Councilmatic District of the Town of Hempstead includes Baldwin, East Rockaway, Hewlett, Island Park, Oceanside, Rockville Centre, South Hempstead, and a portion of Lynbrook.