18 THE COURIER SUN • OCTOBER 31, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com politics Arcabasio outlines his plans if elected Will face off against Melinda Katz BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com Aurelio “Tony” Arcabascio, Republican candidate for Borough President, said he has been painted as a Republican “one percenter” throughout his campaign. “I drive a Honda, my parents are immigrants. Who is this one percent you’re talking about,” he asked. Arcabascio, a project manager for North Shore-LIJ Health System, will face off against Melinda Katz on Tuesday, November 5. Over the months leading up to the general election, Arcabascio has been going to community board meetings, civic meetings and more. “You have to talk to people. You have to let them know who you are and that you’re not just a name on the ballot,” he said. Although he does not have political experience, he said his small business background, healthcare work, management experience and knowledge of his would-be constituents create a recipe for success. Arcabascio talked to The Courier about many current, pressing issues in the borough. Regarding education, he said he is against co-locations, not a fan of charter schools and an advocate for building new schools. School and n e i g h b o r h o o d safety were also a concern. A r c a b a s c i o me n t i o n e d P.S. 232 in Lindenwood, and said speed bumps need to be put in around the school’s busy area. “What you need is somebody to say, ‘I want a speed bump there before something happens, because when something happens, I’m holding you responsible,’” he said. He also hopes to revamp health care in the borough, and believes his experience at North Shore-LIJ will help him do so. For his staff, if elected, he would hope to appoint a Democrat as his Deputy Borough President. For small businesses, he hopes to provide incentives for them to survive the fated fi rst year, such as using Borough Hall to expedite city permits and applications. “If we don’t get businesses open, they don’t hire people, they don’t get sales, we don’t collect taxes,” he said. “It’s a vicious cycle. Our job is to make them survive.” He is for a soccer stadium in the borough, but not in Flushing Meadows- Corona Park. He also pledged to “work four years” to eliminate the toll going into the Rockaways. “We need a change in this offi ce,” he said. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y , when you look at it, it’s been 20 years of malaise in Queens.” THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan Aurelio “Tony” Arcabascio is on the campaign trail, hoping to come out on top as B o r o u g h President. Weprin, Crowley miss union endorsement BY MELISSA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com Two City Council incumbents from Queens were not endorsed by the city’s largest public employee union because they did not apply for the nod, the union said. DC 37 released its endorsements for the November general election last Wednesday, which included multiple sitting councilmembers in the borough and candidates who won primaries in September. Left off the Queens list were Speaker-hopeful Mark Weprin and Elizabeth Crowley — both who are Democrats, facing fairly easy challenges for re-election in a blue-dominated borough. The pair joins a handful of city incumbents who were not endorsed because they did not apply to be part of DC 37’s longestablished screening process, according to Wanda Williams, the union’s political and legislative director. The list includes City Council incumbents Dan Garodnick, Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Annabel Palma, Brad Lander and David Greenfi eld. “The lack of an endorsement should not be construed as a commentary on their performance but as a refl ection of their decision not to submit themselves to our rigorous screening process,” Williams said. “Only the kind of transparent and rigorous screening process we have adopted assures we give all candidates a fair hearing they have initiated,” she added. Weprin said he was unaware of the union’s screening policy. He was also running unopposed until August. “We didn’t really reach out since I didn’t have an opponent until the summer,” he said. “This year, I certainly would have loved their endorsement. They are certainly a valuable and important union to me. I don’t take offense at it. I just wasn’t aware of the process. No hard feelings.” Crowley did not comment. Contested Queens incumbents who enjoy the union’s backing this year include Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Eric Ulrich, Ruben Wills and Donovan Richards. DC 37 also endorsed unchallenged incumbents Julissa Ferreras, Danny Dromm and Jimmy Van Bramer and primary winners Paul Vallone, Rory Lancman, Daneek Miller and Melinda Katz. The municipal workers’ union, which has 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees, said it sends out an army of volunteers to work phone banks and do door-to-door “Get Out The Vote” operations. Photo courtesy of Bill de Blasio campaign Photo courtesy of Kevin Ryan Lhota, de Blasio ON THE QUEENS CAMPAIGN TRAIL Mayoral candidates Joe Lhota and Bill de Blasio made some last minute campaign stops in Queens ahead of the general election. Republican Lhota held a meet ‘n’ greet and Q&A with locals at O’Neill’s restaurant in Maspeth on Friday, October 25. Democrat de Blasio visited Breezy Point on Sunday, October 27, where he discussed efforts to rebuild after Sandy and met with residents and community leaders. Mark Weprin Elizabeth Crowley THE COURIER/File photos
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