In the 7th, Toback deserves two more years

Democrat Jeff Toback, the 7th District’s legislator since 2000, was part of the team that brought Nassau County back from the brink of bankruptcy, which is just one of the reasons we believe he should continue his tenure in the Legislature.

Toback supported many measures that have improved the county’s neglected infrastructure since he first took office, including the Woodmere Pond storm water quality project and the Cedarhurst Park sprinkler park in 2008, the Five Towns Community Center gymnasium improvements this summer, and the baseball field renovations at Cedarhurst Park and Oceanside’s School No. 2, a project funded by the county in partnership with the district. Toback also negotiated for the long-awaited Branch Boulevard sidewalk project in Woodmere, which will get under way this fall — included in the 2009 capital plan — and helped provide funds for Island Park to install surveillance cameras in its downtown to curb crime.

Most recently, Toback was the lead sponsor of the county’s calorie menu labeling legislation. He was a key contributor to the text messaging ban law and others that have made Nassau County a safer and healthier place to live. He has also been a major voice supporting the Lawrence and Cedarhurst sewer consolidation project and the upgrades to the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant. He is clearly trying to do what is best for the 7th L.D, though he may need to be more sensitive when it comes to dealing with members of the Bay Park community, because what is good for Lawrence and Cedarhurst is much less popular in Bay Park. Toback needs to make it clear there that the upgrades will not have a negative impact on the quality of life.

His opponent, Republican Howard Kopel, on the other hand, has not taken a strong position on the sewer consolidation, even though it trails only taxes and spending in the passion of the debate. Kopel has offered no specific solution, but called Toback “unreasonable” for his support of consolidation.

Kopel, a longtime Lawrence resident, an attorney and the chief financial officer of a Valley Stream-based company that provides real estate transaction services, has raised some good points during his campaign against high taxes and spending. He says he has proposed ideas and solutions that would result in reductions in the tax burden, but at this stage of the game he can’t create a line-by-line budget. When he talks of cuts, he’s too general and vague, providing too few real solutions beyond cutting patronage jobs in order to reduce costs. That’s just not good enough for someone who has been campaigning for two years.

Also, Kopel should know about the specific issues and concerns of constituents in every area of the 7th, from Oceanside to Island Park and from Valley Stream to East Rockaway. He shouldn’t focus only on issues of concern to the Five Towns and Bay Park. He said that if elected, he would get to know other areas better, and we don’t doubt that, but he should have made that effort during the campaign.

Toback has a 10-year record of success and experience. While some complain that he is not as active in their communities as they would like, he lives in Oceanside, maintains a law office in Hewlett and gives constituents his cell phone number so he always has a finger on the pulse of the district. He has worked hard and made the district a better place to live during his five terms in office. We endorse his re-election to a sixth.