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Cohen’s GOP opponent opens up on issues

By Tien-Shun Lee

Faced with what he said were poor chances of winning the Nov. 5 election against state Assemblyman Michael Cohen (D-Forest Hills), Todd Bank, the 31-year-old Republican candidate in the 28th A.D., openly expressed what he admitted may be unpopular views on education, rent control, smoking and prostitution.

“I’m not really expecting to win the race, so there’s no harm in my being very open,” said Bank, who is running in a largely Democratic district which includes parts of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, Glendale and Middle Village.

Bank, an independent lawyer who lives in Kew Gardens and grew up on Long Island, favors abolishing rent control, enacting a school voucher program, legalizing prostitution and allowing restaurants and bar owners to determine their own smoking regulations.     

“I’m very pro-capitalist,” he said.     

Cohen, on the other hand, said one of his top priorities was to renew rent regulations. Other top priorities include expanding and building more schools, improving sanitation, and improving police services, especially in the 104th Precinct, which covers Glendale and Middle Village.

“To me it is unthinkable the prospect of rent regulations not being renewed. What that would do to the population in my district?” said Cohen, 53, who lives in Forest Hills. “Just try to picture someone who pays $300 in rent, and they’re asked to pay $1,500. What’s going to happen to these people?”

Bank criticized Cohen for accepting campaign contributions from corporations outside of his district and for crossing party lines to endorse Republican Gov. George Pataki this summer.

“When you accept a donation, in reality you owe them something,” said Bank. “It’s one thing to owe something to somebody in your own district. It’s another thing to owe anything to someone outside the district. I would only take contributions from individuals who reside in my district.”

Cohen defended his actions, saying that the donations he accepted were a result of his political philosophies, not the other way around.

“The money does not come first, and then the legislative position. The legislative position comes first,” said Cohen. “I don’t see an issue as long as the money does not influence your judgment.”

In response to Bank’s statement that his opponent was “philosophically confused” for supporting a Republican governor, Cohen said “So everybody that does not vote for the candidate of their registered party is philosophically confused?”

Cohen said he was supporting Pataki because he believed that he was clearly the best candidate for governor. He praised the governor for having the foresight to establish a “rainy day fund” prior to Sept. 11 in spite of state legislators like himself urging him to spend more.

On the issue of schools, Cohen said he was working toward reducing class sizes. He is currently trying to build three new schools on an empty lot on the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard. A foundation has agreed to front the money to build the schools, he said, but the transaction has not yet been approved by the city Department of Education.

Cohen, whose four children all attended public schools in Queens, said he was not in favor of the school voucher system because he believed private schools could not accommodate even one tenth of the children in the public school system. In addition, he said he was not aware of any localities where the school voucher system has worked.

Bank said he welcomed a debate with Cohen “any time, anywhere.” However, no political debates have been scheduled as of yet.

    Reach reporter Tien-Shun Lee by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com, or call 229-0300, Ext. 155