In the 7th state Senate district, which encompasses all of the Town of North Hempstead and extends as far as Elmont and Franklin Square, Balboni has been a staunch supporter of not only what he believes in, but what his constituents need. He has authored legislation on issues ranging from affordable health insurance and job development to clean water, as well as tougher penalties for child sexual abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse, gang violence, stalking and terrorism.
It is with the last issue that Balboni has made a serious mark of late. His realistic approach toward community-based homeland security has been a refreshing departure from the often confusing policies of the Department of Homeland Security. His focus on combating cyber-terrorism and agri-terrorism before they became hot issues should be applauded.
This is not to say that Balboni has no faults. Like many New York politicians, he can fairly be accused of not doing enough to alleviate the logjams in Albany. But while he is part of what an NYU Law School study described as "the most dysfunctional state legislature in the country," Balboni has demonstrated that he is his own man.
The most convincing demonstration of his political acumen in recent memory was the December 2002 vote on the Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Act. After the bill spent 31 years in limbo, 13 Senate Republicans crossed party lines to help pass it, ensuring that no one, hetero- or homosexual, would have to face discrimination in New York state over housing, employment or public accommodations. Balboni ignored the political threat of losing the Conservative Party endorsement and did the right thing. He was the only one of Nassau County's five senators to do so.
Balboni's Democratic opponent, former assistant district attorney and longtime community activist Martin Marshak of Great Neck, has the talking points down pat. Fix Albany. Restore responsibility. Do the right thing by the people. While his points are valid for Albany on the whole, Balboni's record points to a man who can and has stepped up when he has had to, and the Herald believes he will continue to do so.
The only caveat to endorsing Balboni lies in his attention to the formation of the district itself. While Elmont and Franklin Square share many of the attributes (and a high school district) of their immediate Town of North Hempstead neighbors, New Hyde Park and Floral Park, Balboni obviously must concentrate his efforts in North Hempstead. This leaves Elmont and Franklin Square in a bit of a representational bind in the Senate. We only ask that Mr. Balboni spend some more time in our lovely neighborhood.
