The weather outside was damp and chilly, but inside the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council building on Thursday night, community members gathered for a lively, sometimes heated, debate between the six candidates in the Council District 30 special election.
Community Board 5 Chairman Vincent Arcuri, who introduced the night’s proceedings, emphasized the importance of the coming election. He noted that whomever wins could have a valuable extra year of experience from finishing City Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s term — if he or she is re-elected for the full term next year.
“Choose wisely and think of the future,” Arcuri said, “because we will have a lot of influence.”
Gallagher’s, last day in office is slated for April 18, and the special election to fill the seat for the remainder of his term — which expires in January 2010 — could be held as soon as early June.
Gallagher will re-sign as part of a plea bargain reached last month, having admitting to two counts of sexual misconduct.
Joseph Suraci, former president of the Middle Village Republican Club, was the first speaker — whose unanticipated presence added a sixth candidacy to the race.
Born in Sunnyside, Suraci said he had moved to Middle Village almost 22 years ago, and had practiced law since 1976, having done pro bono work for groups like the Middle Village Property Owners/Residents Association. He ran for office once before, losing to Democrat Catherine Nolan for the 37th Assembly District, and said he was a former adjunct professor at Dowling College.
Calling for “a new moral climate” in area politics, Suraci addressed corruption and overdevelopment — the latter of which, he said, was ruining the area’s character. “This is not the area that my wife and I moved into when we moved here 20 years ago,” he said.
On what was otherwise a predominantly collegial night, Suraci opened the evening with a bit of mudslinging, taking aim specifically at fellow Republicans Anthony Como and Thomas Ognibene.
Suraci called Como “a nice guy” before drawing attention to a home Como is building in the area that he called out-of-character, begging questions about Como’s commitment to community zoning concerns.
He called Ognibene “another nice guy,” but brought up 2001 allegations that Ognibene had accepted bribes from a buildings industry consultant.
“I’m not going to characterize the other candidates,” Ognibene said in opening his speech, emphasizing that “anyone can make allegations,” and that the corruption charges had been dropped.
Broadly, Ognibene portrayed himself as the candidate of experience, citing his 10 years on the City Council for District 30.
“I know I have the leadership and experience that makes me ready to serve on day one,” Ognibene said, noting, with a touch of humor that he didn’t understand why everyone always talked about wanting “new blood” at elections.
“I’ve got 11 stents and have had a few blood transfusions,” he said. “So I’ve got new blood, too.”
Democrat Charles Ober was next in line, and said he would bring a “unique resume and an intensity” the district needed. He cited his post-grad education in finance and quantitative analysis, his success as a financial executive, and his involvement with multiple civic groups over the last seven years — from the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association to the Ridgewood Democratic Club.
The centerpiece of his speech was children, specifically addressing cuts to after-school programs. “We have to have the moral fortitude to protect the most vulnerable in our society,” he said.
Another recent entry to the race was 23-year old Michael Mascetti, who said he is running because of the “clubhouse politics that are destroying the community.”
Although the least experienced of the candidates, Mascetti outlined specific policy actions more than most. Among them was a proposal to hire a staff of law students as part of a work-study program to establish non-profit organizations around the community.
Como, fresh from having received the Queens County Republican party endorsement, opened with a salute to his parents who were in attendance — Italian immigrants who ran a grocery store in Ridgewood while he was growing up.
Like Ognibene, he cited his experience in public service, including such roles over the years as commissioner of the Queens Board of Elections, counsel to state Sen. Serphin Maltese and Queens assistant district attorney.
“You have to fight for what you believe in,” he said, going on to address issues of crime and pending cuts to senior programs like Meals-on-Wheels.
Regarding Suraci’s criticism, Como said he has “no qualms” about the house he is building for his family, calling it a sign of his commitment to the area. “If that’s what you have to come at me, then you’re going to need a lot more,” he added.
Democrat Elizabeth Crowley, who has since been endorsed by the Queens County Democratic Party, was the final speaker of the night. She began by describing her family’s deep roots in the area, with two parents having served on the City Council, and a cousin, Joseph Crowley in Congress. “We are invested. We’re here to stay, and we want to bring about positive change,” she said.
Like some others, she talked about zoning, citing her Masters degree in City and Regional Planning and work for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, as background. She promised to bring City Planning Commission Chairwoman Amanda Burden into the area to address problems of underground infrastructure and flooding.
She also emphasized her role as a parent, with two children in public schools. On “day one,” she said she would work to meet with every principal in the district.
Following the speeches, audience members took turns asking questions and grandstanding, on issues like flooding, congestion pricing and mayoral control of schools.
Don Desmond, a Glendale resident, expressed the sort of wary optimism that has already come to characterize this race.
“We've got a real mix” of candidates, he said. “It's going to be interesting.”
Anthony Como (R)
• Experience: Commissioner for the Queens Board of Election; counsel to state Sen. Serphin Maltese; former Queens assistant district attorney.
• Talking points: Opposed to mayoral control of schools, congestion pricing, and cuts to senior programs; “know(s) how to fight crime.”
• Quote: “You have to fight for what you believe in. That’s why I’m here, that’s why you’re here.”
Elizabeth Crowley (D)
• Experience: Masters in City and Regional planning; currently a project director for the Consortium for Worker Education, a post she plans to vacate once the special election is officially announced.
• Talking Points: Calls city’s 20-year plan to fix area flooding “not acceptable;” advocates compromise between mayoral control and school board systems.
• Quote: “I’ve been supported by hundreds of people in the community. They know that I will make a difference.”
Michael Mascetti (D)
• Experience: Paralegal for a private law firm; founded charity that helps underprivileged kids get into top schools like Stuyvesant, his alma mater.
• Talking points: Wants to bring non-profits to the area; thinks three-year teacher tenures foster less responsible teaching.
• Quote: “My friends and family encouraged me to get out there and talk about the clubhouse politics that are destroying the community.”
Charles Ober (D)
• Experience: Graduate education in finance and quantitative analysis; success as business executive; member of civic groups like Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association and the Ridgewood Democratic Club.
• Talking points: Opposes cuts to schools and senior programs; conditionally supports congestion pricing.
• Quote: “We have to have the moral fortitude to protect the most vulnerable of our society.”
Thomas Ognibene (R)
• Experience: Held District 30 seat from 1992 to 2001; was minority leader for seven years.
• Talking points: Against congestion pricing; for making English language official language of New York; emphasizes past service of “proven results” and “proven leadership.”
• Quote: “When I left, I was proud of what I did. ... I would like to step up and finish what we planned.”
Joseph Suraci (R)
• Experience: Former president of the Middle Village Republican Club, legal counsel to the Middle Village Property Owners/Residents Association.
• Talking points: Against the “overdevelopment” and “McMansions” of the area; against congestion pricing; advocates responsibility at home for student success; wants a “new moral climate” for district.
• Quote: “What we need basically in the area is a change. ... What we need is a clean sweep.”
