Name: Ed Braunstein
Age: 29
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Attorney
Decision To Run: I chose to run because Albany needs a change. Unlike my opponents, I have never run nor held political office before, and I believe the best way to bring change to our state government is to elect new faces with fresh ideas and a real determination to increase transparency and accountability in government. As a lifelong Bayside resident, attorney and member of Community Board 11, I also believe I am uniquely qualified to address local issues such as our quality of life, education and senior services.
Major Issues: The single most important issue facing the constituents of the 26th Assembly District is the embarrassing situation in Albany. The dysfunction in Albany negatively impacts all of the other issues facing the residents of northeast Queens, and I believe our local senior centers, schools and parks should not have to suffer as a result of an incompetent legislature.
We must also protect our seniors at all costs. Our seniors have worked too hard raising families, serving our country and building strong businesses and communities to be shortchanged in their retirement. I will fight to fully fund our local senior centers, reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and put our older adults first when determining our healthcare budget in Albany.
Top Priority: At one time, New York government was a national model. Today, Albany is an embarrassment, and I believe we deserve better. We need new leaders to make the difficult decisions that will force government to start working for the people, not the special interests. If elected as the next Assemblymember, I will push for real ethics reforms that bring much needed transparency and accountability to Albany and restore the people’s faith in government.
Name: John F. Duane
Age: 57
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Attorney-At-Law
Decision To Run: I decided to run for the New York State Assembly because the inability of the legislature to function is causing economic damage to each and every one of us. The budget that passed over four months late once again raised taxes and fees on the middle class and shows that the budget is negotiated by lobbyists and special interests and not by the representatives who should be serving us. When I was in the Assembly in 1983-1984, budgets were passed on time and the state lived within its means. I believe that my Assembly experience followed by the 25 years I spent raising my family makes me uniquely qualified to represent our interests in Albany and pursue reform so that our government operates in a fiscally responsible and transparent manner.
Major Issues: Two major issues are the inadequate senior citizen services in our community and the extreme overcrowding in our public schools. I obtained the initial funding for Services Now for Adult Persons (SNAP) and yet our community does not have nearly enough services for our senior population. The way to reduce overcrowding in our public schools and to provide adequate support for senior services is to institute an oversight mechanism over the public authorities, such as the MTA, which wastes billions of taxpayer dollars with their inefficient, and in some cases, illegal expenditure of public funds.
Top Priority: The first thing I would focus on is the need to radically reform the way our state government operates. I will advocate for non-partisan redistricting so that incumbents are not guaranteed re-election every year. I will focus on campaign finance reform so that our legislators are responsive to us and not to lobbyists and special interests in Albany.
Name: Elio Forcina
Age: 39
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Lawyer
Decision To Run: We’ve seen what downtown Manhattan insiders have done to our state government. They spend, spend, spend, ignoring middle class families in Queens. But how can you blame them? They’re Manhattan liberals, like my opponents, out of touch with our neighborhood.
I’m a moderate Democrat and a working man born and raised here in Queens. I own a small business in the community. I served in the Marines. I’m raising a family here. I know what people are going through. Downtown Manhattan doesn’t understand northeast Queens. I know we need a change, and that’s why I’m running.
Major Issues: I am a small business owner and I was an officer with a successful software company. I know how to create jobs, and I know how hard it is to make payroll with a small business. In the Assembly, I will reduce the burdens on our small businesses and focus on them, not on Wall Street or corporate interests.
As a father, I know how important it is for parents to have education options. I am the only Democratic candidate that supports charter schools. I support them because they work – they yield higher test scores and send more kids to college. I don’t care about special interests; I care about our children and the future of our community.
Top Priority: I’d pledge not to spend another dime in the red, and I’d work with my Democratic colleagues to end the spend-crazy ways of Albany. I’m the only candidate in this race who has run a business. I will handle Albany like a business, cutting services that don’t do the job and working for a government that makes things happen for working people, small business owners and seniors.
Name: Steven Anthony Behar
Age: 46
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Attorney and small business owner
Decision To Run: The failure of our government in Albany calls for a person who is not afraid to take on the special interests and lobbyists in Albany – I am that person.
Major Issues: Responsible Development. I would require all development retain the character of our neighborhoods. I will continue to be independent of greedy real estate developers. Another issue is senior citizen services. I would fight to improve services to our senior citizens and demand the reopening of senior centers and no further cuts in senior services.
Top Priorities: I would focus on cleaning up the mess in Albany by fighting to reform our government. I will promote transparency, accountability and ethics reform.
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