OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS 174-15 Horace Harding Expwy. Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 (voice) (718) 357-7400 fax (718) 357-9417 email news@queenspress.com The PRESS of Southeast Queens Associate Publisher
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Editorial Sad Tale Of The Big Fish We had been waiting for some time to see if the net Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was casting to catch people in the scandal-plagued State Comptroller’s office would be wide enough to land the biggest fish of all – former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi. That question was answered last week when Hevesi admitted wrongdoing in taking free trips – with family and co-workers – to Israel, Italy, California and other locales, all on the dime of a campaign donor who, in return, received hundreds of millions of dollars in state retirement funds to manage, and the hefty fees that went along with those funds. Hevesi will be required, we assume, to return any ill-gotten gains he may have acquired during his time in office. The former Assemblyman and City Comptroller fell from grace four years ago when it was discovered that he used a state car and driver to chauffeur his wife around town, and when we reached out this week to speak to those who knew him from before the scandal, aside from a casual joke about his basketball ability, nobody wanted to talk. Alan will likely go to jail, and it seems that those who knew him before the scandal broke are keeping their distance from him now. We knew Alan back then, and we know today that his family is hurting. We wish his loved ones peace in what is assuredly a difficult time for them.
Shiek Mohamed
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To The Editor: The contentious rhetoric and widening ideological divide have raised the stakes in the upcoming election. The myths, fables and distortions heaped upon us by the media only serve to confuse and not enlighten. Now more than ever it is imperative that we stay informed, check facts and search for the truth. Falsehoods and half truths have become so pervasive we no longer question the premise on which they are based. When someone claims that all students have a right to a free education and a free lunch, the reality is that public schools are not free but are funded by tax dollars which must
be extracted from taxpayers. We should all have learned by now that “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” We are constantly told that Social Security is secure and that it is a form of savings and an investment for the future. The facts are that it is neither a savings account nor an investment but a Ponzi scheme, a crime for which Bernie Madoff went to jail. Google “Galveston Social Security” and compare benefits and results. The media’s “blame game” consists of comparing the socalled Bush deficits with Clinton surpluses. Most people are not aware that presidents cannot create either a deficit or a surplus. All spending bills originate
Letters in the House of Representatives and are voted into law by Congress. Democrats controlled both houses of Congress before Barack Obama became president. The deficit President Obama inherited was created by a Democratic Congress of which he was a member. The truth is that President Clinton’s budget surplus, the first surplus in over 25 years, was the result of a Republican controlled House of Representatives. In our search for the truth and competent honest representatives, let’s question with boldness, listen carefully, apply reason, check the facts, check the premise. We must re-establish the supremacy of the Constitution; it is not “We, the Congress” but “We, the People” who are in charge. I urge you to read the Constitution, then go out and vote! Ed Konecnik, Flushing
No Convention To The Editor: There is a lot of talk lately about having a Constitutional Convention. The purpose of this is to revise the U.S. Constitution. While many people may be in favor of this, it can be very dangerous. While the Convention can be called to consider a specific agenda such as term limits or a balanced budget, there is no effective way to limit its actions. Our Constitution could be abolished in its entirety during a Convention. James Madison was present at the first Constitutional Convention and he personally
witnessed the difficulties and dangers of that Convention and he shuddered to think what a second Constitutional Convention would bring. Our Constitution is considered a “miracle” by some of its authors and it is still relevant today, if Congress would only obey it. If it needs to be repaired, it could be dealt with by specific amendments. Our Constitution should remain as it is and all attempts at a Constitutional Convention should be avoided. Janet McCarthy, Flushing
None Of The Above To The Editor: I am proud to have the Conservative Party endorsement for the NYS Assembly in the 24th AD. The Conservative party recognized that my strong financial credentials as a fiscal conservative and an accountant could help reform Albany’s addiction to spending that is out-of-control. That addiction is being fueled by ever increasing taxes and fees that are pushing middle class taxpayers out of their homes. On Oct. 1 the squeeze got even tighter when a sales tax was imposed on all clothing purchases. Minor party candidates are rarely elected without major party support. Since a Democrat and a Republican candidate are already in this race, I expect most voters in our district to choose between them. Therefore, I plan to redirect my energies from campaigning to again working alongside my fellow civic leaders. Bob Friedrich, Glen Oaks
Padavan And Avella Get Ready To Rumble
A Personal Perspective By MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE
Frank Padavan is a wanted man. Well, not so much Padavan the man, but the State Senate seat he represents. It seems every state election cycle lately has seen an opponent vying for the seat he has held since 1972. Padavan is perpetually fending off opponents to hold onto the 11th Senatorial District, which covers parts of Hollis and Queens Village. He must have the most enticing seat in the Senate. How else do you explain the line of people hungering for it? In recent years, Bangladeshi native Morshed Alam has challenged him, and then two years ago City Councilman James Genarro came “this close” to dethroning him. The nail-biter of an election took months to resolve, with Padavan gaining reentry by the slimmest of margins.
Now this November, Tony Avella, who represented Bayside in the City Council, is his opponent. But here’s one reason for the lust: Padavan is a rare breed in elected Queens. He’s a Republican. His former Senate colleague, Serf Maltese, was beaten two years ago by Joe Addabbo, Jr. and so Padavan’s out there all by his lonesome now. So in the entire borough of Queens, Padavan is the only Republican holding any elected state office at the moment. That is no surprise, given that the overwhelming number of Queens citizens are Democrats. Opponents don’t publicly say they’re chasing after Padavan’s seat because he’s Republican. That would be simplistic. Rather, they say he’s not effective. One supposes the veteran senator must have done a few good things in his nearly 40 years in the office. We know he has been a propo-
nent of education reform and of lowering crime by upping police presence; and of local sports teams such as baseball for youngsters and of healthcare; so the general quality-of-life issues that drive Democrats are his issues as well. Enter Avella. Tony Avella is an interesting guy. He served eight years in the City Council and was known for his plain-spoken ways. He’s a guy of his word. He said if the Mayor got his term limits bill to pass, he would not run for re-election to a third term. It passed and Tony did not run. There were a lot of members out there opposing it, too. They were eating up face time on TV and yet when it passed, they all ran for a third term. Brooklyn’s Tish James even cried a bucket at a City Hall hearing. Bill de Blasio and John Liu said they would not run as well, and they did not. But that’s only because they were running for other of-
fices. Now Avella has set his sights on Albany. Well woe unto those he disagrees with up there. Carl Paladino’s talking about taking a bat to the legislature and Cuomo is talking about reform as well. But should Avella win, he’ll put his own brand of “clean up” in place. He’s a good guy, but makes enemies easily. When he first got to the Council, he vowed not to take a lulu nor a pay raise and he never did. There were those who said they wouldn’t and basked in the good press and in the bosom of the good government groups, only to change their minds when it was safe to do so. But Avella only has one face – like it or not. Now if he should defeat Padavan, he’ll be the same in Albany and Padavan will ride off into the sunset, perhaps meeting up with Maltese and former Councilman Tom Ognibene to reminisce. Election night returns should be interesting.