EDITORIAL: For State Assembly.(Editorial)

Publication: Newsday (Melville, NY)

Bookmark this article Print this article Link to this article Email this article Digg It! Add to del.icio.us RSS

COPYRIGHT 2006 Newsday

Oct. 24--New York legislators face a broad array of big issues, from reducing the property-tax burden to assuring fair education spending for all the state's children. Here are Newsday's endorsements for the 11 Assembly districts in Suffolk County. Tomorrow: Nassau Assembly endorsements. 1st DISTRICT North Fork, Riverhead, Brookhaven

Democrat Marc Alessi's victory in last year's special election in the 1st Assembly District was an upset. Democrats don't usually win in this East End district, once the home base of former Republican Assembly Speaker Perry Duryea. But Alessi, 30, of Manor Park, who had run the Long Island office of State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, won by working hard and staking out reasonable, moderate positions. That's the profile he has carved out in his first year in the Assembly.

He's being challenged by Republican Daniel Panico, 28, of Ridge, who has worked for Suffolk Legis. Ed Romaine. As with most challengers, he's running on a platform of reducing taxes and the high cost of living on Long Island. He suggests, for instance, ending the practice of allowing second votes on rejected school budgets. Alessi got off to a quick start in Albany. He's been a vocal critic of the Long Island Power Authority and he wants property-poor Long Island districts to share in any settlement of the New York City lawsuit mandating more school aid. The two differ strongly over the utility of the Community Preservation Fund, a vehicle for collecting revenue to preserve land on the East End. Panico is against it, Alessi in favor. We believe Alessi is right on this issue and others. These are two bright, upcoming young politicians. Newsday endorses Alessi. 2nd DISTRICT South Fork When the future of Southampton College was in jeopardy, incumbent Republican Assemb. Fred Thiele Jr. (R-Sag Harbor), an alumnus, immediately began working to keep the doors open, playing an important role in the school's takeover by the state university system. It was another example of Thiele's steadfast efforts over the past 10 years for his district, which also included negotiating to keep the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard at Westhampton Beach. In this rematch of the 2004 race, Thiele is again challenged by Democrat M. Treewolf West, 36, of Hampton Bays. West is a...

Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.