Yes, you must vote

Rarely has our community seen an election as important as the vote for state Senate in the 34th senatorial district. In fact, it’s kind of rare for our community to see an election for this office at all.

Even when Republican state Sen. Guy Velella was under indictment, the opposing party declined to run anyone against him.

This time, we have a real choice in the Democratic primary. State Sen. Jeff Klein has been an energetic legislator and he has used his considerable power as the co-leader of the state Senate to bring much-needed cash to the district (see chart on page A5).

Not a day goes by, it seems, without another grateful press release arriving at our office from a local not-for-profit group that has been the beneficiary of his “largesse.”

But to gain the clout he has achieved in Albany, he had to pay a price. He agreed to lead a breakaway movement of dissident Democrats and share power with Republican Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre.

That’s why our vote has importance beyond our own district.

Many in Mr. Klein’s own party were so angered by his strategy that they called upon his one-time friend and colleague, Oliver Koppell, to overturn this “deal with the devil.” 

They pointed to the failure of the legislature to pass meaningful campaign finance reform, a sufficient minimum wage increase, women’s rights legislation and a “Dream Act” offering a package of rights to the children of undocumented immigrants.

Others have stated their distrust of Mr. Klein for his opposition to the tactics of the Moreland Commission created — and disbanded — by Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the supposed purpose of rooting out corruption in Albany, for the way he has amassed an distributed an eye-popping $2 million campaign war chest and for personal ethical issues like his use of a residentially-zoned house as a law office. The august New York Times saw fit to throw its enthusiastic endorsement to Mr. Koppell.

Mr. Klein has countered by touting achievements like his brokering of a deal for passage of universal preschool for New York toddlers, the passage of the gay marriage act and other bills that were dear to Democrats hearts and never stood a chance of being introduced — let alone passed — in the Senate as long as Mr. Skelos had sole control. 

Many Democrats are enraged at Mr. Koppell, too, for rocking the boat. 

The leadership of his own club — the Ben Franklin Reform Democrats — has turned its back on him, and after deft negotiation in which Mr Klein promised that his group would caucus with the Democrats, he picked up the support of the governor, the mayor and even that progressive stalwart, the Working Families Party. Others have questioned Mr. Koppell’s negative campaigning, especially his tactic of attacking local agencies that have received Klein largesse, such as the Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt Development Corporation. 

In its 64-year history, The Press has never endorsed a candidate, but we have worked diligently to acquaint you with the issues and personalities in this and other races. Visit our website to view our recent stories or read the candidates own statements on pages A10-11. Then, get out and vote!