George Sava: Dean Skelos Asleep at the (LIRR) Switch
By Mike Connery on 08/31/2010 @ 02:26 PM
Geoge Sava, a military veteran and lawyer on Long Island, is running against thirteen-term incumbent Dean Skelos. Like so many in Nassau County, decades of rising property taxes are pricing George out of his community, prompting his run against long-time Albany politician and Republican "Leader" Dean Skelos.
Yesterday, George Sava called out Dean Skelos for his part in creating the current problems with LIRR that have caused crippling delays.
“Skelos has been asleep at the switch and ignoring the LIRR”s outdated equipment in dire need of replacement for the 10 years he oversaw MTA capital spending.”
Skelos, as Sava points out, never spoke up about the potentially dangerous outdated parts. He should have fought to replace the switches installed decades ago.
“Skelos can’t evade responsibility for the management - or mismanagement - of the railroad. We never heard him sounding the alarm about the perilous state of the railroad’s equipment.”
As Sava points out, Dean Skelos has had the opportunity to do something about the state of the LIRR while he oversaw MTA capital spending. Instead, he did nothing. What does this say about Skelos’ dedication to his constituents who travel on the LIRR daily?
Daily Campaign Roundup: Democrats On The Offensive; GOP Busy Attacking Its Own
By Mike Connery on 07/30/2010 @ 03:43 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias fights for fair wages for health care workers. Democratic Candidate George Sava calls out Dean Skelos on fiscal hypocrisy. SRCC attacks one of its own.
- Dave Mejias criticizes his opponent for opposing $1-per-hour pay hike - Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias attacked his opponent, 21-year incumbent Kemp Hannon, for opposing a $1-per-hour pay raise for Nassau health-care workers . Mejias denounced Hannon’s position, saying: “A guy who has an extra $60,000 to loan his campaign telling workers they don’t deserve a $1 an hour raise is outrageous. 34 years in Albany has made Kemp Hannon quite comfortable, and he obviously doesn’t care what it’s like to try to feed a family on $20,000 a year.” Hannon has received $19,500 in campaign contributions from the Health Care Providers PAC since 2005. After the representatives from health care providers industry failed to provide evidence that the pay raise would hurt health care providers, an attempt to block the raise was unanimously rejected by the Nassau County Legislature on July 26.
- Democratic Candidate George Sava attacks Dean Skelos over wasteful spending and excessive taxes - After 26-year incumbent and Bruno-successor Dean Skelos criticized Democrats for holding an extra legislative session, George Sava hit Skelos with the sad truth of some hard facts. Sava responded by saying: "Skelos is the expert when it comes to wasting tax money. After all, he voted to double state spending over 14 years, stuck taxpayers with a bill for over $1.2 million to fund his office last year, and allowed property taxes to rise 320 percent since he was elected. Nassau County tax payers are suffering. We need public servants who don't just point the finger but come up with real solutions."
- Senate GOP attacking one of their own - Republican Greg Ball is running for the GOP nomination in SD-40, where Democratic Candidate Mike Kaplowitz has been running a stellar campaign. One major problem for Ball -- the SRCC is actively working to derail his campaign. In response to his organizing a “Women for Ball” event, the SRCC issued the following statement: “This is a tired rerun of what happened two years ago when news first broke that Greg Ball had been hit with an order of protection for stalking his ex-girlfriend. The facts are the facts, and Greg Ball stands accused of groping a waitress at an Albany bar, an account several eyewitnesses confirmed. Today, he trots out a woman whose mother is on the payroll of Ball political ally Steve Katz to spread lies. Those accusations are slanderous and are subject to legal liability. The residents of Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties are tired of the distractions, tired of the conspiracy theories and tired of all of the excuses. You can’t take anything Greg Ball says seriously.” For once, a statement well put by the SRCC.
Daily Campaign Roundup: Sava Campaign Garners Attention
By Mike Connery on 07/01/2010 @ 02:44 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. George Sava receiving press. Sen. Darrel Aubertine provides support for New York's farmers.
- Democratic Candidate George Sava’s candidacy profiled by Long Island media - George Sava, who is running against Minority Leader Dean Skelos in Nassau County, - was profiled by the Long Island Herald. “I’m running for one main reason: Like so many of my friends and neighbors, I’m getting priced out of Nassau County,” said Sava, who is an Army reserve veteran. Sava cited numerous tax-hikes from Albany as a major motivator for his candidacy.
- Sen. Darrel Aubertine pushes legislation that will help farmers - Legislation co-sponsored by Senator Aubertine to increase the amount of linked deposit loans an eligible farm business may receive from $1 million to $2 million and extend the term of linked deposit from four to six years passed the Senate yesterday. “By making more money available and extending the length of loans we are giving farmers greater financial incentives to reinvest in their business,” said Sen. Aubertine. “These capital improvements will increase productivity, cut energy costs and create and maintain jobs.”
George Sava to Challenge Dean Skelos in Nassau County
By Mike Connery on 06/02/2010 @ 09:14 PM
Celeste Katz at Daily Politics breaks the story that George Sava, a father, local lawyer, and former JAG is challenging Minority Leader Dean Skelos for the 9th Senate District seat in Nassau County.
Sava received the official nomination of the Nassau County Democratic Party at last night's county convention. Moments later he sat down for a brief talk about his candidacy, property taxes, and why Nassau County can't afford another two decades of Dean Skelos:
Change Albany Now: Senate Class of 2010
By Mike Connery on 05/26/2010 @ 05:01 PM
Earlier today at the State Party Convention, Senator Sampson introduced the Democratic Party, and all of New York, to the Senate Class of 2010. You can read his full remarks here (video coming soon).
As Senator Sampson noted in his address, these are the women and men in whom we are investing our hopes for the future. They are challenging Republican incumbents across New York State - from Monroe County all the way out to the tip of Long Island. They are running to Change Albany Now. But they need your help.
They need your help to get our candidates on the ballot. They need your help to staff the phone banks and stuff the mailers. They need your help to knock on doors and rally Democrats around this state.
And with your help, they'll win in November and bring real change to Albany.
Meet the Democratic Senate Class of 2010, and listen to their vision for a reformed New York. Then go out into your districts, recruit your friends and family, and help make that vision a reality.
