His challenger, long-time civic activist Mara Jacobowitz, a Republican from North Woodmere, is trying to unseat him in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election.
We believe that voters should return Toback to the seat for a third term so that he can help the county continue its dramatic fiscal turnaround. Its deficit, once thought to be insurmountable, has been reduced, and the county's bond rating has gone up once and is poised to be upgraded a second time. This is due mainly to the conscientious efforts of County Executive Thomas Suozzi and the Democratic-led Legislature, in which Toback is a major player.
In his first two terms in office, Toback, an attorney with offices in Hewlett, has shown the ability to work with colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, to get the job done. His work on traffic safety improvements in the Five Towns and Oceanside is admirable. Alleviating traffic congestion and freeing up parking in the Seventh District, particularly the Five Towns, remains his top priority for his next term. With the ingenuity he has demonstrated, we have no doubt that he will be able to tackle some of the more pressing traffic issues in the district.
With no prior experience in elected office, Jacobowitz is to be commended for her enthusiasm in seeking a seat in the Legislature. For some 20 years she has been fighting for improvements in District 14, whether they be traffic upgrades or additional street signs, so that schoolchildren and residents are better protected. As for her priorities for the county, she has listed responsible and affordable child care and affordable housing, which are noble goals, and we applaud her for that.
We believe, however, that Toback should be given another two years to finish some of the work that needs to be complete in the Seventh District and in the county. Ever since he defeated the popular Republican Bruce Blakeman for the seat four years ago, he has proved that he knows his way around the county ropes and is willing to learn more about county government to be an even more effective legislator.
Now that Toback has four years under his belt, we encourage him, once he is re-elected to a third term, to take the next step and really make his voice heard in the county legislative chambers. We are counting on him to do an even more effective job in his next term.
Return Toback to the Seventh District seat.
