By:Jeff Lipton
County Republicans have tapped Merik Aaron, a deputy attorney for the Town of Hempstead, as their candidate to regain control of the Seventh Legislative District, which was won by Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) two years ago.
Aaron, 54, of Hewlett Harbor won the Republican nomination May 24, during the party's county convention. Aaron has served as deputy town attorney for seven years, mainly dealing with zoning issues and negligence. He also works as an adjunct faculty member in health and physical education at Nassau Community College.
This is Aaron's second attempt at political office. He made an unsuccessful bid in 1996 for the 20th A.D. seat held by state Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), in which Aaron won just over 30 percent of the vote.
He believes the story will be different in November when he goes head-to-head against Toback in the Seventh L.D., which encompasses the Five Towns, Oceanside, Island Park and Bay Park. The district has about 17,000 registered Republicans, 15,000 registered Democrats and 10,000 residents who are unaffiliated.
"I don't think he has done anything for our community, instead of trying to raise taxes," Aaron said of Toback in a telephone interview the morning after he was nominated.
"I'm really excited about it," Aaron, who is also Republican leader for North Woodmere, said of winning the party's nomination. "It's going to be terrific."
He described himself as a positive person, who will try to work with Republicans and Democrats to improve the county's quality of life. Toback, he said, harps on the negative and often is "divisive instead of conciliatory."
"I have a ton of friends who are Democrats and others who are Republicans," Aaron said. "I'm willing to work very hard on both sides of the aisle to get things done. I'm more likely to get everyone together to get it done.
"It's a district that can be won by us," he said.
Toback challenged Aaron to produce one example in which he has not worked cooperatively with legislators.
"I know he's a nice man, a loyal Republican soldier and he works for the Town of Hempstead," Toback said. "The last thing Nassau County can afford is one more Republican in Mineola. I hope with my hard work and the good things that I've been able to do over the last 17 months, it won't be him."
Aaron pointed out that when Toback ran against Bruce Blakeman two years ago-and then defeated Blakeman, who was the presiding officer, in a stunner-Toback said he would clean up the county's fiscal mess without raising taxes. But, Aaron said, Toback supported a Democrat plan to raise taxes 15.4 percent in the first year before the Legislature settled on a 23 percent tax hike over four years. "People in the county are not looking for negativism, they are looking for answers. That's what people want," Aaron said.
Toback said he never promised that straightening out the county's financial crisis would mean steering clear of a tax hike. "The mess that we inherited and the mess the Republicans left us with was at least 10 years in the making," Toback said.
If he were elected, Aaron said, he would "take the county apart top to bottom" to determine how much is being spent and on what. "But it will not be on taxpayers' backs," he said. "I would see what works and what doesn't work and then streamline the government."
One dilemma the county continues to face is with tax certioraris or claims of over-assessment. Aaron said the county is losing $100 million in revenues per year from the countywide reassessment program. "We have to move more quickly on reassessment and strive for a more fair and equitable solution," he said.
He called the county's Parking Violations Bureau "a mess" and said, if elected, he would propose setting up five or six satellite offices, including in the Five Towns and/or Oceanside, to make it more convenient for the payment of fines.
Toback, an attorney in general practice with an office in Hewlett, said he is glad to see that Aaron supports many of the items he has already voted for. "I worked to change the reassessments and put an end to the $100-million-a-year drain on Nassau County," Toback said. "The Republicans did nothing but perpetrate it. I'm glad he supports my vote to change the system."
Under the reassessment, the first tax bills will go out in October 2003.
Aaron said the Seventh District can be retaken by the Republicans. "I am happy that they sought me for the position," he said. "When I ran against Harvey in 1996, it was a good race and I was able to raise money and they realized that many people liked me."
"Also, I'm so active in the community in different aspects and I really know Oceanside and the Five Towns."
Aaron is past president and life member of the Five Towns Kiwanis; vice president of the Woodmere Merchants Association; a former supervisor of the Science Department for Lawrence Public Schools; treasurer of the Nassau Lawyers Association and chairman of the Fee Conciliatory Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association.
Vincent Grasso, executive director of the Nassau County Democratic Party, said he doesn't know much about Aaron but said Toback "has accomplished an enormous amount of work in the district. He has made a name for himself with the voters in the Seventh. Contrast that with what the Republicans have done since the Legislature was formed and Toback has earned the confidence of voters there."
As for the tax increases, Grasso said, "the Democrats are simply paying a bill that the Republicans charged up."
He said Toback has led the fight for open government and now more meetings are being held before the public. Toback also helped lead the fight for a fiscal oversight board.
"It'll be a tough race, but we'll continue to get our message out there," Grasso said. "Jeff's record will speak for itself and that says a lot."
Town Councilman Anthony Santino (R-Hewlett) said Aaron "has a great background. He's an attorney, an educator, very active in the community and has run previously and done a very credible job. We expect him to wage a very aggressive, positive, issue-oriented campaign."
Toback said, "I really think I represent the people. I have worked hard and I only know one speed and that's full speed."
