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Gennaro runs aggressive campaign for state Senate seat

By William Lewis

The state Senate race in the 11th District is moving into high gear with City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) running an active campaign against state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose).

Gennaro and Padavan have never lost an election, which gives the contest added interest. Gennaro first ran for the City Council in 2001 and won an upset victory running as an insurgent against the organization candidate in a Democratic Party primary. At that time, he had former Mayor Ed Koch and Robert Kennedy's, son of the late U.S. senator, endorsement. They were supporting him based on his stand regarding environmental issues.

Gennaro emphasizes that his constituents will be better represented if the Democrats gain a majority in the Senate. He believes state government as it is now organized does not treat city residents fairly.

He indicated that Gov. David Paterson and legislative leaders make decisions without sufficient input from legislative members. He also mentioned that of the tax money going to Albany from the city, we get back between $11 billion to $12 billion less in tax revenue.

On that basis, he said the city is not getting its fair share of state funds. He is also critical of what he termed “school underfunding” from the state government. He wants to see more state funds made available for city public schools.

Gennaro opposes upstate gas drilling that could potentially pollute the city water supply. He believes that project could mean a possible contamination of city drinking water. He has further expressed opposing a new state law passed in July that approved upstate drilling.

Gennaro has called for a moratorium on gas drilling until an environmental review is completed. He is opposed to offshore drilling, due to environment concerns, and favors alternative forms of energy.

Regarding services provided for senior citizens, he has called for the state and city to guarantee an amount of funding in each year's city and state budgets. He does not want senior citizens to be concerned about how future economic factors may affect senior citizen funding projects. Gennaro has pointed out that presently there are no laws calling for a fixed rate of senior citizen funding.

As we size up the election, Gennaro is nearly one of the most aggressive campaigns in the 36 years that Padavan has represented his district. Gennaro began his campaign by using an 84-second, online video about his career. He announced his campaign Aug. 22 and is doing everything associated with a hard-fought campaign, including setting up a phone bank, meeting voters and distributing campaign literature.

Gennaro is meeting potential voters at train stations in the morning and visiting voters at their homes in the evening. He has chosen to maintain an office headquarters in a commercial building on Francis Lewis Boulevard instead of a large storefront. Gennaro has reported that his campaign has raised over $600,000.

Gennaro has a young, enthusiastic campaign staff that seems dedicated and is putting forth a tremendous effort.

He has an advantage in terms of political party enrollment in the 11th District, with it showing 82,000 Democrats registered and only 31,000 Republicans. In a statement to the voters of his district, he said, “I urge the voters of the 11th State Senate District to join me in changing forever the governance and politics of New York state.”

Pertaining to endorsements, Gennaro has listed on his campaign literature only one organization: the New York League of Conservation Voters, an environmental policy-making organization. There are no endorsements from law enforcement groups, labor unions or community organizations.

He has listed as endorsing him present and former Democratic elected officials, not including Koch or Kennedy, both of whom had endorsed him in his first campaign seven years ago.

As for the state Senate race in western Queens between state Sen. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) and challenger City Councilman Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), the candidate who wins the 15th State Senate District may determine which party controls the state Senate and its legislative process for the next two years.