Queens County has the ability to turn the status of power in the State Senate this year and Joseph Addabbo can be a part of that change. He is one of two Democratic Councilmen running for higher office, including Jim Gennaro who is running against Frank Padavan in the nearby 15th District. Addabbo is considered to have a good shot at throwing out the incumbent Serphin Maltese and was out to prove it at their debate last night.
From The Queens Chronicle:
What Addabbo didn't mention is that when the Senate has a Democratic Majority, Serphin's longevity in the Senate won't amount to a hill of beans. Being in the minority is a huge disadvantage to any politician, whether they're in there for thirty days or thirty years.
Addabbo positioned himself as an agent of change, arguing that his city council record, along with his energy and fresh ideas, would allow him to reinvigorate the 15th Senate District. He cited as an example his “Adopt-A-Station” plan, similar to the “Adopt-A-Highway” program already in place, which he had proposed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to allow local businesses “to help beautify the A and J lines.”
The debate heated up when Maltese emphasized the advantages of being a 20-year incumbent. “Councilman Addabbo would come in as a new man, a neophyte, somebody that would not command the authority and funds that I do,” he said. “He would come in as sixty-second out of 62 senators, and that’s not going to command a great deal of attention for any plan he may come up with.”
Addabbo responded with one of the many one-liners he delivered that night: “At least I have a plan.… You don’t need seniority to have confidence in working with the MTA.”
Also according to the Chronicle, Addabbo was cheered by the immigrant community for opposing Maltese's legislation that promoted racial profiling after 9/11. In the most diverse areas of the country, the old ways of thinking about immigrants should not be tolerated in our 21st century society, whether that be at the Presidential level, or on the State Senate side of things.
The article also focuses on whether a train station smells of urine or not and the seriousness of going to check out the problem as soon as possible, which adds for a little humor to the debate.
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