from the NY Daily News...
Alternatively slinging barbs and touting their records, the two candidates vying for an Assembly seat in Queens made the most of their first and only debate before next week's special election.
Civic leader Bob Friedrich slammed former City Councilman David Weprin as a clubhouse politician, while Weprin dismissed Friedrich as a "perennial candidate" during Monday's hour-long slugfest at the Queens High School for Teaching.
The two face off at the polls Tuesday in a contest for the 24th Assembly District seat.
Friedrich criticized Weprin as a "tax-and-spend" politician, and repeatedly hammered him for signing on to an 18% property tax hike in 2002. Mayor Bloomberg had asked the City Council for a 25% hike to balance the budget.
...the story continues...
"Which firehouses would you have closed?" Weprin shot back. "Which precincts would you close? Which schools would you have closed?"
After being described as a relic of Queens politics past, Weprin charged that Friedrich, a Democrat, cut a "backroom deal" with Republicans. He ran on the GOP line in the Council race after losing the Democratic primary for David Weprin's Council seat.
Weprin's brother, Mark, won that seat. Friedrich is on the GOP line again in the special election.
David Weprin, a Democrat backed by the county party, wants the Assembly seat vacated by his brother.
Weprin argued that his two terms as a councilman make him the most qualified, and said Friedrich went for the Assembly seat only after losing his Council bid.
Friedrich said he has little choice because the Weprin brothers have "shut out" other candidates from running on the Democratic line.
While Weprin is considered the frontrunner, Friedrich received the warmer welcome from the audience. The school is across the street from Glen Oaks Village, where Friedrich serves as president of the co-op board.
When Friedrich was questioned about his lack of government experience, he said it was one of his strengths.
"Thank God," Friedrich said. "The government is broken in the State of New York."
Friedrich said the Weprin family's almost 40-year political dynasty - which dates to their late father, Saul - has gone on too long in eastern Queens.
"I'm not running away from that," Weprin said. "We are good public servants, and we have served the community well."
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written by Daniel Peterson , February 04, 2010
What a joke.
Weprin is part of a family that has always ran for office and NEVER spent REAL time in the private sector.
Friedrich has experience in finance and the private sector and the upper hand here. Albany doesn't need carreer politicans but folks who have actually gotten their hands dirty in the real world.
Weprin's arguments are shallow. It's time for change in Albany and by keeping a family Dynasty in elected office, you are not sending a message of change.
written by David S. Levine , February 04, 2010
It's no accident that the popular television program "All In The Family" took place in Queens. The Democ-rats used to speak about a "Bush Dynasty" all the while maintaining a Kennedy Dynasty which ended for good on Jan. 19, 2010.
It's time to end all dynasties, national and local. Expect the Paterson Dynasty to end on Primary Day and the Weprin Dynasty to end on Special Election Day.
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