Padavan To Seek 18th Term; Queens Dems Honor Spitzer

Citing his successes in bringing "millions of state dollars" to his Northeast Queens district over the past 34 years, state Senator Frank Padavan last week announced that he is running for re-election this year for his 18th term.

The Republican-Conservative lawmaker, one of the senate's most powerful members, stated in his announcement:

"My seniority and experience have given me the stature in Albany to get results for my district, and to work to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. I'm grateful to the residents of the 11th Senate District for continuing to trust me as their representative in Albany, and I look forward to serving them again during the 2007-2008 legislative session."

At this point, there have been no indications as to who among the borough's Democrats would challenge such an intimidating record in a career which started in 1973. Queens Democratic leaders have made no secret of their desire to win the elusive seat, one of only two Republican-held state legislative posts in the borough.

Several months ago, the borough's Democratic leaders floated the idea of asking City Councilmember Tony Avella (D-Bayside) to challenge Padavan. Avella demolished his Republican opponent in winning re-election last November.

Recently, Avella took himself out of consideration for the run for the soon-to-be vacant 25th Assembly District seat in Flushing, which he could win easily. In an interview on Monday, he stated: "I've decided not to run for either the Assembly or the senate. I think it's important to consider my work in the council over the next few years and to consider running for mayor in 2009."

The only other Republican seat in Queens is held by state Senator Serphin Maltese and together Padavan and Maltese have balanced the power of the Democrat-dominated Assembly. Together Padavan and Maltese have used their positions to push much needed New York Cityoriented legislation through the senate and Assembly.

Padavan pointed this out in his announcement, saying he had brought millions of state dollars to the district for parks, museums, seniors, libraries and other purposes.

Further, he noted, his independence and leadership had resulted in billions of additional state dollars to operate New York City schools.

In addition, he said, he successfully fought for state funding of the long-term school capital program sponsored by Mayor Michael Bloomberg which will produce more than $13 billion for school construction.

"This is a record increase for the city of New York, an increase that should help put our parents and children at ease," he declared. "This is the funding that our schools need now and it also sets up continued additional support in the years to come."

Padavan continued, "Independence from the constraints of political expediency and a willingness to work in a bipartisan way have been the hallmarks of my service in the senate. On issues of gambling, housing costs or education,

I've bucked members of my own party and party leaders. When it comes to issues of taxes, crime and punishment, I've been willing to fight against those less willing to fight for the rights of law abiding citizens. It's about doing what's right, not what is the politically smart thing to do."

Padavan's sprawling district stretches from Bayside, College Point, Whitestone, Flushing, Douglaston, Glen Oaks and Little Neck to Hollis, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Queens Village and Floral Park.

SPITZER QUEENS DEMS'HONOREE: Queens Democratic Party Chairman Thomas Manton and his organization are honoring the man they hope will be New York state's next governor-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer-at their annual spring dinner-dance tomorrow night at Antun's catering hall, 96-43 Springfield Blvd. in Queens Village. Tickets are $300 per person. Co-chairs of the affair are Anne Marie Anzalone of Long Island City and Francisco P. Moya. It should be a sellout.

CROWLEY-MALONEY FOREIGN INVESTMENT BILL: Following up on the Dubai-ports controversy, Congressmembers Joseph Crowley and Carolyn Maloney filed a bill last week that recognizes the importance of foreign investment to the U.S. economy and provides a way to be more friendly to overseas businesses.

The bill provides a way to protect the nation's interests in respect to both terrorism and business, but in a non-threatening manner. The measure would subject a deal to congressional notification, but only after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) completes its review, which would reduce the chance that politicking could scuttle the deal.

The bill from Crowley (D-Queens/The Bronx) and Maloney (D-Queens/Manhattan) is seen by some as better than a bill pending in the Senate. This bill would mandate that Congress be notified whenever CFIUS starts reviewing a deal in which the purchasing company is controlled by a foreign government. It also would rank foreign companies as to how desirable they might be as investors from a U.S. point of view.

The Crowley/Maloney legislation underscores the point that, no matter how sensitive the involvement of a foreign interest or running a U.S. company may be, we can't lose sight of how important foreign investment is to our economy.

MINARIK TO QUIT? Reports that Stephen Minarik is ready to quit his post as Republican Party state chairman should come as no surprise. Ever since he was appointed, with Governor George Pataki's support, he's had nothing but problems getting GOP party leaders around the state to back his decisions. At the top of the list is his failure to round up the votes necessary to make William Weld, the governor's choice, the party's candidate for governor.

Particularly harmful to Minarik have been the positions taken by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and former United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato. D'Amato's beef against Weld goes back several years when, as a U.S. attorney, Weld was influential in bringing charges against D'Amato's brother, Armand, who was cleared. Lately, the ex-Senator has been saying nice things about the Democratic frontrunner in the governor's race, Eliot Spitzer.

Bruno, meanwhile, sabotaged Minarik by, among other things, calling for an open Republican primary for the nomination for governor. This hurts Weld's chances by projecting his rival, John Faso, even further into the race. Faso, former Assembly minority leader, already has Conservative Party support. Bruno hasn't endorsed Faso officially, but it's easy to read that into his remarks and actions that have furthered Faso's candidacy.

WEPRIN HEADS OFF MTA: Assemblymember Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck) claimed victory recently when the state legislature eliminated the $12-a-year fee imposed by the MTA on its customers. Weprin, who launched the legislative effort to drop the charge soon after it was adopted, stated:

"The $12 a year that the MTA was charging represented an unjust hardship to the very people who are the MTA's best customers- advance payers-many of whom have no alternative to using the bridges and tunnels to travel to and from work. The fee was even more of a burden to the occasional customers who use EZ Pass only a few times a year." The fee will be dropped as of June 1, Weprin said.