Talking with Jeff Toback and Harvey Weisenberg

Harvey Weisenberg, the incumbent representative for the 20th State Assembly District, is being challenged this year in a Democratic Primary by Jeff Toback, former Nassau County legislator. The Herald sat down with both candidates and asked their views on various issues. The primary election will be held on Sept. 14.

If you are elected, what are you plans?

Jeff Toback: The government is broken and it needs to be fixed...I’m too experienced in this to promise anyone anything in the first 100 days or perhaps in the first two terms...What I would aim to do over time is reform the government. With nonpartisan districting, I think it would bring new people out. I think we need to reign in spending...From my experience in Nassau County, I could only imagine that the work force is overstaffed, and we would really need to do a top-to-bottom analysis, justify every job, try through attrition to streamline the government. We need to break down this school aid formula that has become a burden to the people on Long Island.

Harvey Weisenberg: I want to do the best we can to be able to provide the quality of life that we're entitled to. And the only way to do that is to work on a bi-partisan basis and to make people aware that during difficult times, difficult decisions have to be made, but we're going to do the best we can. All levels of government have to work together and try to get the financial resources that we're entitled to to provide the quality of life that we deserve. In difficult times, we have to cut back. But we have to do it without devastating the quality of life for people to succeed.

What do you plan to do to lower taxes on Long Island?