Page 329 - Demo

^ -%u00bb %u2022 tf-%u00bb M -ms* *-\\ M ^kju vcr nut oC/l/1y^ M /7 T n1 1 / / / J C U / / / U I / /m t M / T %u00bb M / 7\\ ^ t / / / / r / / u u uC / f / m r %c Jrt%u2022 ^ 1 1 I ' l l I %u00bb |y v jr j i iBeneath a portrait of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, Rep.Stan Lundine (right) talks about his candidacy, flanked by Borough President HowardGolden. (Phoenix/Taylor Photo)BY ROB TAYLORWalking into a third-floor conference room at the Brooklyn Bar Association, Congressman Stan Lundine is barely noticed by the reporters gathered to talk about his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor. He appears to be a little shy and somewhat reserved; a sharp contrast to the commanding presence of his running mate, Mario Cuomo.But, the Governor personally chose the five-term U.S. Representative from upstate New York to run for the second highest position in state government and Lundine is now trying to reassure the public that he is the right person to succeed Cuomo if he decides to run for president.Despite his experience as Mayor of Jamestown and as the first democrat since the Civil War elected to Congress from the state%u2019s 34th District, Lundine%u2019s nomination was criticized by many Democrats because of the perception that he has a conservative voting record. He calls the notion %u201cludicrous%u201d and prefers to label himself a %u201cprogressive pragmatist%u201d trying to convince voters in the city that he is from the same mold as the Queens-bred Cuomo.%u201cI have never been an upstater that makes fun of the City of New York,%u201d said Lundine during a meeting with the Brooklyn press, July 9. %u201cIt is not true that all of upstate is Republican, about half of the representatives are Democrats.%u201dMuch of the criticism about Lundine%u2019s voting record is based on his support of the Gramm-Rudman legislation that could implement automatic federal spending cuts if the White House and Congress are not able to meet certain deficit reduction targets. Cuomo opposed the legislation claiming that it could further slash the domestic social programs that he supports. Lundine says %u201cit is a question of tactics.%u201d%u201cWith the President calling for increased military spending,%u201d he explained, %u201cI felt Gramm-Rudman would give us more leverage with saving domestic programs.%u201dThe Congressman also favors the homeporting of nuclear vessels on Staten Island and said it was %u201cregrettable that the New York delegation did not stay together%u201d on the issue.On social issues, however, Lundine hasbeen a consistent supporter or medicaid funding for abortion, has opposed the death penalty except in cases of treason and was an early advocate of civil rights. He was also one of the authors of the legislation creating the Urban Development Action Grants, a federal program that many of Downtown Brooklyn%u2019s construction projects hope to draw fluids from.With this experience, though, Lundine does not yet appear comfortable with the possibility that he could some day be the State%u2019s governor. His decision to run with Cuomo was reported to have been difficult. Lundine wasbuilding some seniority on the Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee, chairing a sub-committee on International Development, and had to give up the influence to run for Lieutenant Governor. As Cuomo%u2019s sidekick, the Congressman is betting that the Governor will be in the White House in 1989. Otherwise, life in Albany as the Lieutenant Governor could be pretty dull. Lundine denies that possibility, however.%u201cI am not taking it hoping for another job,%u201d said Lundine in a slow, but well-rehearsed manner. %u201cThe Governor offered me an opportunity that was unique in letting me runH r r \\ r \\ P 1 \\ i nM -* I 1/ \\J > # V *J /r g ithe state in a partnership.%u201d%u201cHe has flattered me by saying that he thinks I would make a good governor,%u201d he added later in the press conference.LEARNED FROM REPUBLICANS While Lundine might lack the confidence for which New York governors are known, his strengths seem to lie in the lessons he learned representing a historically Republican district. To hold on to the seat, Lundine learned the art of political survival and worked on district projects important to his constituents. He also picked up the skills of compromise, knowing that if he was going to be able to get any results, he could not steadfastly hold to any political philosophies He readily admits, however, that %u201cIt%u2019s a long way from running a bus system in Jamestown to the subways of New York, but the principles are the same.%u201dExperience with these principles is what Lundine hopes will gain him the public%u2019s respect. With little knowledge of the state legislature, the Congressman is now only agreeing with state policies in principle before passing judgment on how they have been implemented. When asked about state limits on the number of homeless individuals housed in shelters, Lundine said he supported state consultations with community members on the issue. He also said he did not believe that the Board of Regent%u2019s Education Action Plan goes far enough to help the quality of public education in the state, though he did not comment on any particular aspect of the plan.Lundine%u2019s lack of state government experience did not deter New York%u2019s Democratic Party from overwhelmingly endorsing his candidacy. He entered the primary race with 96 percent of the Party%u2019s Convention delegates supporting him.He is opposed in the primary election by New York developer Abe Hirschfeld who has said that he will spend $6 million or. his campaign. Lundine said he expects to raise about $1 million. He says he is concerned about Hirschfeld%u2019s spending but with theGovernor%u2019s support, be appears to be confident of victory.%u201cI don%u2019t see how people could support the chairman of the Democrats for Reagan,\said referring to Hirschfeld.Drug Forum PlannedAssemblymember James Brennan (51st AD) whose district includes Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park, has scheduled a community forum on neighborhood crime and drug prevention, July 21. Brennan has asked Elizabeth Holtzman, Brooklyn District Attorney, Brooklyn Assemblymember Mel Miller, Chairman of the Committee (hi Codes, and officers of the Brooklyn South Narcotics Unit to speak.The forum is scheduled to begin at 7pm and will be held at the Marien-Heim Senior Citizen Home, 4520 4th Avenue. For info call 718-788-7221.Women Pledge FundsThe Brooklyn Women%u2019s Political Caucus has pledged to contribute $5,100 to women candidates running for local office in the 1966 primary and general elections.At its July 2 meeting, the caucus agreed to contribute $2,000 to State Senator Vehnanette Montgomery%u2019s bid for re-election in the 22nd District. Montgomery is being challenged by the district%u2019s former senator Anna Jefferson.Yvonne Lewis, running for Civil Court Judge in the Second District is the first judicial candidate endorsed by the caucus. Lewis will receive a $1,000 contribution.Assemblymember Eileen Dugan from the 52nd A.D. covering Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Heights will receive a $400 contribution for her re-election campaign against Anthony LoBella in the primary and Republican Diane Picucci in the general election.The remaining money was split between Beatrice Jones who is running againstAssemblymember William Boyland in East New York, 55th A.D.; and Assemblymember Rhoda Jacobs from the 42nd district in Flatbush.The caucus also endorsed six other female and ten male candidates, none of whom received contributions. Criteria for endorsement included the candidates%u2019 records on abortion, publicly-funded child care, ERA and gay rights.League Aids VotersHie League of Women Voters has announced a series of training workshops throughout the city on voter registration drives hoping to make headway in minority registration.The workshops will include a video-tape presentation on the accurate use of voting machines, training manuals and all the registration forms, pamphlets, flyers and posters needed to conduct a registration drive.The workshops will be held at the League office in Manhattan, 817 Broadway. Two-hour sessions will be held August 2 ,10am, August 6 ,10am, and 6pm, and on August 9,10am. Call 677-5060 for more details.CB6 Needs FundingCommunity Board Six has sent letters to the borough%u2019s elected officials in Washington, D.C., expressing concern about federal budget proposals to cut allocations of Community Development Agency (CDA) fundsby 10 perm it.In a letter dated June 24, Board Chairman Louise Finney pointed out that there are 10 community agencies in the CB6 district thatrely upon CDA for their existence. CB6 includes the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Red Hook and Park Slope. The agencies provide services such as housing, advocacy and placement, tenant organizing, day camps, income tax assistance and senior citizen programs. The board asked the officials to maintain the present funding levels.Since President Ronald Reagan arrived in Washington, he has tried to dismantle tee project program, asserts the letter. Congress has consistently refused and might be able to again maintain the program with tee passage of H.R. 4421 that authorizes a fouryear continuation of the grants. While some community members had been afraid that the Gramm-Rudman Deficit Reduction Act could have caused some reductions in funding, the recent Supreme Court decision returned budgetary decisions back to Congress.In a letter to CB6, Congressman Stephen Solarz from Brooklyn%u2019s 13th District said, %u201cEveryone who is struggling under shrinking budgets to provide desperately needed services on the grass roots level must do whatever they can to hold on until a more sympathetic attitude develops in Washington.%u201dLocals Intro BillThe State Assembly and Senate have both passed legislation that requires utilities to offer Time-Of-Day (TOD) metering to their residential customers. The bill, introduced by State Senator Velmanette Montgomery from uuwniowu Brooklyn's 22ml DLauict auu Assemblymember Jim Brennan from tee Slope/Terrace area needs only to be signed into law by Governor Cuomo.%u201cTime-Of-Day rates work to conserveenergy and save consumers money,%u201d said Montgomery. According to the State Senator, customers pay higher rates for usage during peak daytime hours and can save money by redirecting their energy usage to off-peak evening hours.The legislation was endorsed by Citizen Action of New York, The Environmental Planning Lobby and Citizens to Replace LILCO, and was supported by bi-partisan groups of legislators from New \\brk (Sty, Long Island, and Orange and Rockland Counties.Montgomery claims that utilities now build %u201cexpensive excess generating capacity, such as the Shoreham plant, to accommodate a few high demand hours%u201d and pass the cost onto rate payers. %u201cInstead of working to open more nuclear plants, utilities such as LILCO and Con-Ed should aggressively market measures to aid their load management,%u201d she said.Towns Charges FedsNorth Brooklyn Congressman Ed Towns (D-llth District) has signed a letter to the General Accounting Office accusing a former high-level member of the U.S. Department of Commerce of %u201cunethical conduct%u201d during negotiations with foreign textile manufacturers.Asking for a formal investigation of the charges, Towns says that Walter Lenahan, the former chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, met on three occasions with the Washington law firm which represents Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China. Lenahan has tjincc left oCvcrninent 1c ^ %u00ab Kndm>cc venture with the same law firm and is advising the Hong Kong government on how to negotiate textile issues with the United States.July 17,1906, THE PHOENIX. Page 23