Race for the 18th Assembly District seat

Albeit quietly, the race for the 18th Assembly District seat, currently held by Hempstead Democrat Earlene Hooper, is on. The 22-year incumbent is facing Republican challenger Derek Partee, a retired county cop who unsuccessfully campaigned for a seat on the county Legislature last fall.

In a recent interview with the Herald, Hooper said she is focused on the issues affecting constituents in her district, which includes parts of Lakeview, West Hempstead, Baldwin and East Meadow. Among them are what Hooper called indiscriminate approval of PILOTs — payment in lieu of taxes — ever-growing school taxes and the state’s $16 billion dollar deficit.

According to Partee’s website, www.electderekpartee.com, there are three key issues that must be addressed in the state Legislature: cutting taxes, controlling spending and restoring integrity. More specifically, Partee lists his top priorities as real tax relief, bringing fiscal sanity to Albany and tough ethics reform.

Reforming the PILOT approval process is an important part of tax relief, according to Hooper, who said the Town of Hempstead’s and the county’s process need more oversight and input from local legislators and community leaders. Hooper said PILOTs, when approved indiscriminately place financial burdens on neighboring property owners without giving them a say in the matter. She has introduced legislation, which passed in the Assembly and is pending in the Senate, that would require the governing body to solicit input from the community on potential PILOT approvals.

Taxpayers suffer further burdens every year as school taxes go up and tax bills get higher, Hooper said. That’s why she supports placing a cap on annual school-district spending.

“School districts need to live within their budgets,” Hooper said, adding that she does not support unfunded mandates. “We have to learn to live within our means.”

The concept applies to the state as well, Hooper said. The Legislature, like the society it governs, is plagued by greed and instant gratification, according to the assemblywoman. The state deficit, she said, has grown out of mismanagement that began nationally and trickled down.

“I call it ‘conspicuous consumption,’” Hooper said, “and it has brought us to a near depression. … We have to manage government as we do our own finances — pay as we go.”

As part of his proposals to cut taxes, Partee — who ran in the three-way race for the Nassau County Legislature’s 2nd District seat in October 2009 and was defeated by Democrat Robert Troiano — writes on his website that would vote to repeal the MTA payroll tax, cap property tax increases and restore the STAR property tax rebate program.

Among plans to bring fiscal sanity to Albany, Partee writes that he would work to cut state spending because “we can’t spend money we don’t have,” eliminate legislator earmarks and pass a timely budget, according to the website.

Partee writes that he wants to enact real ethics reform for state legislators, which includes implementing complete financial disclosure requirements. As part of that reform, Partee writes on the website, legislators must “put the needs of Nassau families ahead of the special interests and the NYC political bosses.”

When asked about dysfunction in Albany, Hooper acknowledged that a perception of such exists, but that it is inaccurate. The state legislators work hard, she said, adding that the poor judgements of several do not reflect the legislative body as a whole.

“When we say ‘dysfunction in Albany,’ I want to emphasize that we in the state Legislature do accomplish a great many things,” Hooper said. “It might appear to be totally dysfunctional, but we do accomplish many important [pieces of] legislation that have serious impacts on the community.”

There will always be people who behave unprofessionally and do unethical and illegal things, Hooper explained. “Since the Legislature is comprised of human beings, you are going to find that,” she added. “I do not condone that kind of behavior, but I do take issue with [calling Albany] ‘dysfunctional.’”

Although she defended her fellow legislators, saying they work long and hard hours, Hooper said people elected officials must hold themselves accountable for their actions, to their constituents and to their own own moral compasses. They have to remember their purpose, she said.

The assemblywoman, who was elected in 1988 and is serving her second term as deputy speaker, said she follows her own advice. “My mantra, my goal is not to forget my roots, my humble beginnings, and to empathize with my constituents who approach me when they have problems,” Hooper said. “I have a moral compass that certainly keeps me focused, assuring that anything I do, any decisions I make … I want to make sure that it is in the interest of the majority of the people, but do not forget those who do not have a voice.”

When Partee ran for the 2nd District seat, one of his priorities was giving a voice to the county’s youth. Partee had highlighted the importance of devoting more of the Legislatures’ attention to social issues as they closely correlate to criminal activity.

“We’re losing a whole generation of young people due to violence and gang activity, and we need to develop more programs and initiatives that encourage our youth to become more active members of society,” the retired police detective had said.

Partee did not respond to repeated requests for an interview with the Herald.

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