Rose Marie Walker has announced her candidacy for the Nassau County Legislature. Walker, current councilwoman in the Town of Oyster Bay, will be running for the 17th District seat being vacated by Edward P. Mangano, who is seeking to unseat County Executive Tom Suozzi.
First elected to the town board in 2003, Walker has been an outstanding advocate for the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay. During her tenure in office, Walker has worked to improve the town’s bond rating, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars; held the line on taxes; crafted legislation to create the Town of Oyster Bay Veterans Service Division; expanded services and programs for seniors, most notably at Hicksville’s William P. Bennett Community Center; protected the environment by expanding open space and parks; and created workforce and affordable housing for young adults.
Walker said she’s looking forward to working with Mangano as they begin the process of putting Nassau County on the right track toward a better and brighter future for all of its residents. As county legislator, Walker said she will continue the work she started at the town level, and expand her goals to include: repealing the unfair Home Energy Tax; fixing Nassau’s broken assessment system and providing relief to beleaguered property taxpayers; cutting wasteful spending; and creating jobs and opportunities so Nassau County is once again a destination for families and young professionals.
Walker, a lifelong resident of Hicksville, attended both public and parochial schools. She earned a bachelor of arts in education from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. She has taught nursery school and was a substitute teacher in the Diocese of Rockville Centre and the Hicksville School District as well as a teacher’s assistant at Hicksville High School.
According to Walker, she has an impressive record of commitment and service to her community and has demonstrated a special dedication to education and youth activities. She served on various PTA committees, chairing many of them. Walker also served in many officer positions including president of the elementary school, middle school and high school as well as the PTA Council.
Walker is a former trustee of the Hicksville Board of Education and was a founding member of the Hicksville Athletic Booster Club. She has coached the Parkway Swim Team in the Town of Oyster Bay/Town of Hempstead Joint District LSA Program and the LSA Nassau County Swim Conference Team. She has volunteered for the Hicksville PAL Lacrosse, Hicksville Baseball Association, Levittown Red Devil Football League and Hicksville Crusaders Football.
Additionally, she is president of Irish Americans in Government and, as an active member of Holy Family Parish, has served on the Parish Council, taught confraternity and is past president of the parish’s Rosary Society. Walker was the recipient of many honors for her dedication to our youth and the community, including the PTA’s District Founder’s Day Honoree, PTA’s Honorary Life Award and the (former) Assemblyman Marc Herbs Community Service Award.
