Toscano's Crystal Ball
To The Editor:

Once again, "Queens Main Stage For State Senate Control Battle In 2008" (I On Politics by John Toscano, July 25) was a crystal ball into the political future by one of the best reporters in town. This dovetails with the past Queens County Democratic Party fundraiser earlier this year honoring their very own New York State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, a crystal ball into the future political demise of Republican State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and the ascendancy of Queens Democratic State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith into becoming the new state Senate majority leader after the 2008 general elections.

The future careers of Queens GOP Senators Frank Padavan and Serf Maltese, as well as all members of the current Republican state Senate majority, will be on the line.

Each year Republican Senate Majority Leader Bruno and Democratic Assembly Speaker Silver continue giving out several hundred million dollars worth of member items (state pork) to their loyal followers who vote as directed by the leadership. The Democratic senators and Republican Assemblymembers who are the minority in their respective chambers are lucky to get table scraps. The leadership believes that funding these projects greases the wheels of re-election for their respective members. Those few representing marginal districts who face real challengers receive extra helpings! Albany leaders including Bruno and Silver on a bipartisan basis historically use this as a vehicle to maintain control, including their own leadership positions.

Bruno's strategy of staying in power by cross-endorsing Democrats continues to fail. Under his leadership, the GOP lost three seats when Senators Hoffman, Espada and Mendez switched from Democrat to Republican and lost. They also lost the seats of Republican Senators Vellela (The Bronx), Goodman (Manhattan), Spano (Westchester County) and most recently, the Special Election to fill the seat of former Nassau County Senator Balboni.

Democrats continue licking their lips with joy that the GOP senate caucus recently reelected Bruno as their leader. This keeps Senator Bruno around as a political piñata for Democrats who currently need only two more seats to take control the senate, which is the last New York GOP bastion.

This will be just another inheritance left behind by former GOP Governor [George] Pataki and Senate Majority Leader Bruno condemning their party to permanent minority status in the great Empire State at all levels of government.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
Great Neck