Elaine Phillips

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Elaine R. Phillips

| image =

| term_start = January 1, 2022

| office = 15th Comptroller of Nassau County

| predecessor = Jack Schnirman

| successor =

| term_start2 = January 1, 2017

| term_end2 = December 31, 2018

| district2 = 7th

| predecessor2 = Jack Martins

| successor2 = Anna Kaplan

| state_senate2 = New York State

| office3 = Mayor of Flower Hill

| term_start3 = January 1, 2012

| term_end3 = December 31, 2016

| predecessor3 = Charles W. Weiss

| successor3 = Robert McNamara

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|12|03}}

| party = Republican

| spouse = Andy Phillips

| children = 3

| residence = Flower Hill, New York, United States

| alma_mater = Pennsylvania State University

| website = {{URL|https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/elaine-phillips|Official website}}

}}

Elaine Phillips (née Reidman) is an American politician who currently serves as Nassau County Comptroller, with a term beginning in January 2022. She was elected to the position in a landslide victory, defeating Democrat Ryan Cronin 61%-39% to succeed retiring incumbent Jack Schnirman.{{cite web|last=Campanile| first=Carl|title=Bail Reform backlash spurs Republican Election Day red wave in Long Island|url=https://nypost.com/2021/11/03/republican-candidates-for-district-attorney-in-nassau-and-suffolk-win-elections/|work=New York Post|date=November 3, 2021}} Phillips previously represented the New York State Senate's 7th district, and had previously served as the 18th Mayor of Flower Hill, New York. She is a Republican. Phillips was elected to the Senate in 2016 but was defeated in her 2018 re-election bid.

Life and career

Phillips was born and raised in Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of John Reidman, a steel worker who died when she was 12, and Betty Reidman, who worked as a cook at a local American Legion post.{{cite web|last=Pinchot| first=Joe|title=Ex-local resident wins seat in New York Senate|url=http://www.sharonherald.com/news/ex-local-resident-wins-seat-in-new-york-senate/article_fe9628b5-6541-5141-a85e-84b503ab2cbf.html|work=The Herald (Sharon)|date=November 28, 2016}} Phillips attended Penn State University, where she earned both her bachelor's degree in political science and an M.B.A. in Finance. A former financial analyst, Phillips worked for large financial institutions for over 20 years, including Met Life and JP Morgan Securities. She later served as a vice president in Institutional Sales at Goldman Sachs.

{{cite web

| title = Elaine Phillips kicks off State Senate campaign - Newsday

| url = http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/elaine-phillips-kicks-off-state-senate-campaign-1.11991066

| accessdate = 2017-01-16

}}

Phillips and her husband, Andy, are the parents of three daughters.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/elaine-phillips/about |title=About Elaine Phillips | NY State Senate |access-date=2018-11-13 |archive-date=2018-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113125335/https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/elaine-phillips/about |url-status=dead }}

=Mayor of Flower Hill, New York (2012–2016)=

Phillips served as the mayor of Flower Hill, New York from 2012 to 2016. During her tenure as Mayor, she cut taxes and stabilized the village's finances (which, under her predecessor's management, were criticized by the New York State Comptroller's Office).{{cite web|last=Smirti| first=Steve|title=Phillips Kicks Off Senate Campaign|url=http://liherald.com/stories/Phillips-kicks-off-Senate-campaign,81579?|work=Elmont Herald|date=July 12, 2016}} Phillips also implemented an environmental policy to expand the number of trees in the village, an effort which led the Village to be named Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Committee.{{cite web|last=Goldstein| first=Linda|title=Meet Flower Hill's Mayor|url=http://portwashington-news.com/meet-flower-hills-mayor/|work=Port Washington News|date=May 13, 2015}}

Phillips was the first female in Flower Hill's history to hold the position.{{Cite web|title=Village of Flower Hill » Village History|url=https://villageflowerhill.org/village-history/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=villageflowerhill.org}}

=New York State Senator (2017–2018)=

In 2016, State Senator Jack Martins decided to run for Congress, foregoing re-election to the Senate to do so. Phillips announced that she would seek the open Senate seat and was supported by Martins.{{cite web|last=Roy| first=Yancey|title=Nassau GOP set to back Phillips to replace Martins in State Senate|url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle/gop-set-to-back-phillips-to-replace-martins-1.11813716|work=Newsday|date=May 18, 2016}}

Phillips ran on a platform which included cutting taxes, combating the heroin epidemic and strengthening state ethics laws in response to corruption scandals in Albany.{{cite web|last=Brodsky| first=Robert|title=Elaine Phillips kicks off State Senate campaign |url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/elaine-phillips-kicks-off-state-senate-campaign-1.11991066|work=Newsday|date=June 30, 2016}} Phillips was unopposed for the Republican nomination. With the Seventh district being one of the most competitive districts in the state, the race was projected to be close. In the end, Phillips defeated Democrat Adam M. Haber by a 51% to 49% margin.

{{cite web

| title = Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 07 Race - Nov 08, 2016

| url = http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=822953

| accessdate = 2017-01-16

}}

{{Cite web |url=https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/2016Senate.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-11-13 |archive-date=2017-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921204418/http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/2016Senate.pdf |url-status=dead }} She was sworn in on January 1, 2017.

{{cite web

| title = Senator Elaine Phillips Gets To Work - Manhasset Press

| url = http://manhassetpress.com/senator-elaine-phillips-gets-to-work/

| accessdate = 2017-01-16

| first = Elizabeth

| last = Johnson

| date = 15 January 2017

}}

In 2018, Phillips lost her re-election bid to Democrat Anna Kaplan.{{cite web|url=https://theislandnow.com/politics-99/election2018/kaplan-trumps-phillips-as-democrats-seize-state-senate/|title=Kaplan trumps Phillips as Democrats seize state Senate - Election 2018|first=Janelle|last=Clausen|date=7 November 2018|publisher=}}{{cite web

| title = Elaine Phillips To Run For New York Senate - Port Washington News

| url = http://portwashington-news.com/elaine-phillips-to-run-for-new-york-senate/

| accessdate = 2017-01-16

| first = Elizabeth

| last = Johnson

| date = 19 June 2016

}}

= Nassau County Comptroller (since 2022) =

In November 2021, Phillips was elected the first woman to serve as Nassau County Comptroller with 61 percent of the vote.

Election results

November 2016 general election, New York State Senate, 7th Senate District{{cite web |url= http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/Senate_11082016_Amend12212016.pdf |title= General Election Results, State Senate: November 8, 2016 |publisher= New York State Board of Elections |date= December 22, 2016 |accessdate= January 1, 2017 |archive-date= January 5, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170105000617/https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/Senate_11082016_Amend12212016.pdf |url-status= dead }}

class="Wikitable"

| Elaine R. Phillips (REP - CON - IND – REF)

...

69,438

Adam M. Haber (DEM - WFP - WEP)

...

66,029

November 2021 general election, Nassau County, New York, Comptroller{{cite web|url= https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/571/Election-Results |title= General Election Results, County Comptroller: November 2,;2021 |publisher= Nassau County Board of Elections |date= December 22, 2021

|accessdate= January 1, 2022}}

class="Wikitable"

| Elaine R. Phillips (REP - CON –

...

163,146

Ryan E. Cronin (DEM - WFP -

...

114,349