One last faceoff

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg and the challenger for his seat, former county Legislator Jeff Toback, squared off at a debate sponsored by the Southwest Nassau League of Women Voters on Aug. 31 at the Hewlett/Woodmere Public Library.

A prior debate was held at the Long Beach Public Library on Aug. 30 and was moderated by the Long Beach League of Woman Voters, where more than 100 residents turned out to hear from the candidates.

The debate on Aug. 31, attended by a crowd of around 50 residents and moderated by a League member, also gave voters the opportunity to question the two Democratic candidates, who are competing in Tuesday’s primary to run for Weisenberg's seat as the State Assembly representative in the 20th District. Sitting behind a table and sharing a microphone, the two discussed many issues that they touched on throughout their campaigns, including school taxes, state aid, a property tax cap and Weisenberg's being paid both a salary and a pension.

"The No. 1 issue people talk to me about is property taxes," Toback said. "What can we do about school taxes?"

In an unusual departure from standard debate format, each candidate was given the opportunity to ask the other a question. Weisenberg inquired about Toback's record in the Legislature, asking him to name five pieces of legislation that he sponsored. Toback could name only two: the Tobacco 19 law, which raised the age to buy cigarettes in the county to 19, and the apprenticeship law, which required all contractors that want to do business with the county on large capital projects to have an apprenticeship program.

But Toback clarified his answer, saying that in his leadership position in the Legislature, it was not always his role to sponsor legislation. "Sometimes when you're in the leadership, you need to take a step back and allow your members to shine," he said. "Everything we did was as a team, and I'm proud of my legislative record in Mineola."

The debate quickly shifted to matters more pressing to voters, including the dysfunction in Albany. Toback said that the political structure of Albany should be torn down and rebuilt. Weisenberg disagreed.

"We can't do that, because that's not how Albany works," he said. "The wrong people are elected to office. They're politicians, not people who care about people."

When the subject turned to taxes, an audience member asked the candidates what they could or would do to lower taxes for residents of the 20th District and if they could cap taxes. Toback said he was in favor of a tax cap because school officials, he said, don't control their spending the way they should.

Weisenberg, however, said he opposed a tax cap. "The responsibility [for capping taxes] is not mine. The responsibility is yours," he said. "Go to your school board meetings, you talk to your school board. They're the people that set the expenditures." He added that the school budget is supposed to be self-supporting, and any money that comes from the state is supposed to be supplemental. However, he said, schools now depend on that money and factor it into their expenses.

"I don't justify people getting $300,000 and $400,000 salaries," Weisenberg said. "I don't do that. But if you let that happen, then it's the people who live in the district. It's your obligation and responsibility."

Toback was asked by an audience member about a question of ethics that was raised in 2004 during his time in the Legislature. At the time, Nassau County was working to close the Oceanside Motel. While working as a legislator, Toback was representing a potential buyer of the motel — an action that delayed another effort to close it, by the Town of Hempstead.

"I did not make a nickel off of [closing the motel]," Toback said. "The case was reported to the district attorney, who found I did nothing wrong. The case was reported to the Nassau County Department of Ethics, that found I did nothing wrong. The motel was closed, I think, in large part due to my action. And that's the story."

Weisenberg was questioned about collecting a pension and a salary at the same time, a practice he defends. "I'm not doing anything wrong," he said. "I earned my pension."

The message Weisenberg repeated many times is that civic participation is important if residents want control over their taxes and government. "If you don't go vote and participate," he said, "you get what you deserve."

The primary is on Tuesday.

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