By Angela Marshall
Adding to Skelos' advantage is the size of his campaign fund, more than $700,000, as compared to Glassberg's budget of $1,500.
Glassberg said he'll work to overcome the underdog status by pumping a lot of hands and begging the Democratic Party for more palm cards. "It's tough, very tough, but you have to do it," he said.
Glassberg of Lynbrook also has the challenge of convincing voters that as a Democrat he can be effective in the Republican-led Senate. As deputy majority leader, Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) has climbed through the ranks and is considered one of the most powerful members of the Senate.
Glassberg admits getting legislation through would be difficult, but said it can be done. "I think if you have a voice and you keep at it, ultimately you're going to be successful to some degree in getting some of the legislation that you favor [through]."
Right to Life candidate Peg McHale and Liberal Party candidate Roseann Zeoli are also seeking the 9th district seat.
Troubled by state finances
Candidates agree the key issue for this race is the declining health of New York State finances. The terror attacks last year and resulting recession helped create a $7-to-$10 billion state deficit.
Skelos said he will concentrate on getting the state back on track financially if re-elected. He said the state will have to tighten its belt next year, establishing spending priorities. But the senator doesn't consider raising taxes an option. "I think that raising taxes is the worst thing we could do in this state," Skelos said. "We can't raise taxes; we'll scare people away."
Skelos said his funding priorities would be education and preserving both the STAR and EPIC programs. STAR provides a partial exemption from school property taxes for owner-occupied, primary residences and EPIC provides drug help for senior citizens.
Glassberg said some tough questions have to be answered in order to solve the deficit. "Do we have to reduce taxes? Do we have to cut programs? Do we have to increase our already burdensome level of state financing?"
The challenger said the only way to answer these questions is if the budget is examined line by line with a close look at all programs to make sure they work and should continue to be funded. He said no one outside the state government can look into this now because an itemized version of the budget isn't available.
"You really don't know what's going on," Glassberg said. If elected, he said he would pursue making an itemized budget available a priority. He would also work for an on-time budget, putting an end to unfunded mandates and revamping the "antiquated" school-aid system, which he said doesn't give Long Islanders a fair share of the funding.
"School boards have a terrible time trying to put together a budget when they don't know what the state aid is going to be," he said. In addition to his 24 years on the District 24 school board, Glassberg served for 22 years on the Valley Stream Central High School District board.
"None of us are proud of that," Skelos said of the history of late budgets. "The issue that delays a budget is what's available to spend. Once that's agreed upon among the two houses and the governor, budgets come together quickly."
The senator said he supported "crucial" legislation that would give the comptroller power to state how much there is to be spent if a consensus can't be reached. The bill passed in the Senate but not the Assembly.
As for school boards depending on an on-time budget, Skelos said the districts know to expect the delay and have gotten used to budgeting based on the governor's numbers because the final amount usually doesn't go below that.
Skelos also said there have been record increases in aid to education. Since 1995, the state's education budget has increased 49 percent, he said. And, although Long Islanders only make up 15 percent of the state population, its residents receive 31 percent of the state's STAR program benefits. There is "bullet aid" that legislators can give out to the schools in their district.
"Would I like more [funding for Long Island schools]? Yes, of course," Skelos said. But, he continued, the Long Island delegation has to work with the other regions.
When it comes to unfunded state mandates, Skelos said the demands often come from the Board of Regents, which is appointed by a joint session of the Senate and Assembly. Because of the large numbers of Democrats in the Assembly, the appointments are usually made by its majority leader, Skelos said.
"That's unfortunate because they can mandate, but they don't have then to come up with the money," Skelos said.
High cost of auto insurance
Skelos and Glassberg also agree that the rising cost of auto insurance in New York State has got to stop.
Skelos has sponsored a bill aimed at deterring fraud, which drives up the rates for everyone. His legislation would enable law enforcement officials to "aggressively prosecute the street-level operatives that have facilitated the tremendous growth of this cottage industry..."
Glassberg called Skelos' insurance legislation "good" and offered other ideas to lower rates even more. He would like to see insurance fraud designated as a wire-tapable offense to make it easier to catch the perpetrators and he would like to see all doctors involved in insurance fraud barred from participating in future claims.
Skelos goes high tech
Skelos said his proudest accomplishment in the last term was a $50 million biotechnology program. He believes it will bring economic growth and jobs to Long Island, which he hopes will become the Silicon Valley of the bio tech industry.
In addition to state funding, the program is being supplemented by private companies with the hope of eventually attracting millions of dollars from the National Institute of Health.
Skelos said the scientists involved believe this funding will allow them to develop the cure and treatment of breast cancer right here on Long Island.
Glassberg targets HMOs
Glassberg's other main objective, if elected, will be to make HMOs accountable for their actions. He said it's not right that a person cannot sue their HMO if it causes a delay in treatment or denies care.
Skelos and Glassberg will face off in the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The 9th Senate District includes Atlantic Beach, Baldwin, Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Franklin Square, Hewlett, Lawrence, Lido Beach, Lynbrook, Malverne, Oceanside, Rockville Centre, South Hempstead, Valley Steam, West Hempstead and Woodmere.
