Maltese Steps Down As Queens GOP Chair, Replaced By Ragusa

State Senator Serphin Maltese stepped down as Queens County Republican Party chairman last Thursday evening and was succeeded by Philip Ragusa, the organization's vice chairman. Maltese had nominated Ragusa to succeed him and Ragusa was elected without opposition.

Maltese, (R- C, Middle Village), who had held the chairman's position for 10 years, quit that post, he said, so that he could spend all his energies and efforts on his job as state senator for the 15th District.

Maltese won re-election to a 10th term in the legislature last November, but by a surprisingly close margin. He defeated Albert Baldeo, an attorney from Ozone Park, which is in the far southern portion of Maltese's district.

In urging Ragusa's election as his successor, Maltese stated that he has served the party "admirably" and said Ragusa has the right priorities for the party and will work with all the GOP leaders in Queens and throughout the state, especially Republican state chairman Joe Mondello and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

In accepting the county's top GOP post, Ragusa said his most important function would be to help keep the senate under Republican control. Ragusa declared: "Maltese has left big shoes for me to fill. I will work tirelessly with all of you to advance Republican principles. Clearly, we have no greater priority as a Republican organization than to preserve the Republican state senate- that last bastion of Republican principles in New York State."

State Senator Serphin Maltese

Also present at the organization's meeting at its headquarters in Glendale was state Senator Frank Padavan (R- C, Bellerose). He said he wholeheartedly backed Ragusa's ascension to county leader, adding, "It has never been more important to have grassroots leadership and citizen involvement."

Padavan, after praising Ragusa as a fine choice for county leader, also emphasized that the party needed a leader who could devote all his attention to party business.

"I also expect that since [Ragusa] is a private citizen he will be able to focus his energies and serve the GOP organization unencumbered by other responsibilities or concerns, and that is a good thing for

everyone," Padavan said.

The change in the

Philip Ragusa, the organization's vice chairman

Republican leadership

in Queens comes at

a crucial time

for the party.

The senate

majority lost

some strength in last

November's elections,

and Governor Eliot Spitzer indicated he seeks to reduce Bruno's majority control even further.

After appointing Republican Senator Michael Balboni to a position in his administration, Spitzer came out strongly for the Democratic candidate, Democrat Craig Johnson, in his campaign to succeed Balboni. The governor's bold political move greatly irked Bruno, and he poured every resource he had into the campaign of the Republican candidate in yesterday's special election, Maureen O'Connell. (The election was still going on as the Gazette went to press yesterday, so we'll report on the result in next week's edition).

D. WEPRIN, ONORATO LIKE SPITZER'S BUDGET: State Senator George Onorato (D- Astoria) and City Councilmember David Weprin have indicated that they think Governor Eliot Spitzer's proposed $120 billion budget will be favorable to New York City.

Speaking about proposed funding for New York City schools in the governor's preliminary budget, Weprin, council Finance Committee chair, said Spitzer was proposing increases greater than the $1.9 billion minimum ordered by the state Court of Appeals in a landmark school financing case.

Onorato said in a statement that Spitzer's proposed budget is bold and ambitious and addresses many of the issues Onorato has long held as his deepest priorities.

Onorato singled out Spitzer's proposals for funding for New York City public schools and CUNY and SUNY, plans to extend Child Health Plus insurance coverage to almost 400,000 uninsured children and plans to attack fraud and waste in Medicaid.

However, Onorato said he is concerned about some proposed healthcare cuts, but will withhold final judgment until he examines their "ultimate impact" on patient care.

"Our borough is already medically underserved in many ways and is facing the potential loss of healthcare facilities," Onorato said. He intends to make sure that any cost savings proposed do not ultimately make an already serious medical care situation even more perilous for Queens residents.

HIGHEST ENVIRONMENT SCORE: Assemblymember Mark Weprin (D- Little Neck) says he recently was notified that he has once again been recognized as the highest-scoring legislator in the state by Environmental Advocates, a nonpartisan, Albany-based group that monitors voting records on environmental issues.

Weprin said that in Environmental Advocates' 2006 Voters' Guide he received a grade of 100 percent.

"Ensuring that we have clean water to drink and fresh air to breathe is a commitment that we have to make for our children and for future generations," Weprin said.