New York State Senate
Eric A. Ulrich, 15th SD (Queens), has been endorsed by Jewish organizations in the district; as a member of the New York City Council he has been instrumental in getting financial aid to Jewish-oriented service agencies even though his district does not have a large Jewish constituency. He is also committed to tax credits and mandated services for parochial schools, key issues in our community. In our interview with him he impressed with his grasp of the issues and determination to make a difference. Simcha Felder, 17th SD (Brooklyn), has become a household name in our community by dint of his service as a member of the New York City Council for eight years and currently as deputy New York City comptroller. In a political world defined by self-aggrandizement, hyperbole, demonstrations and histrionics, he has been a model of self-effacement, understatement, hard work and competence – and has always championed the issues that are important to us. He would be an important addition to the New York State Senate. Martin J. Golden, 22nd SD (Brooklyn), has paid serious and faithful attention to the needs of his Jewish constituents and been an important “go to person” both in the State Senate, where he has served since 2002, and before that as a member of the New York City Council. He has visited The Jewish Press on many occasions and always speaks with passion of his plans for meeting the community’s needs. As a senior Republican senator and leader he plays an important role in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Judiciary
In the race for New York State Supreme Court for the Tenth Judicial District (Nassau and Suffolk) we endorse Judge Leonard B. Austen for reelection. He has been a member of the supreme court bench since 1998 and for the past three and a half years has had the added distinction of having been appointed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the Second Department, the busiest appellate court in the country. It is noteworthy that appellate division judges are chosen from the pool of sitting supreme court judges. This speaks not only to the esteem in which he is held but also to the fact that he must be reelected to the supreme court in order to continue to serve on the appellate court.
Judge Austen is widely respected by attorneys and colleagues for his scholarship and knowledge of the law, his talent for legal analysis and above all for a judicial demeanor consistent with fairness and open-mindedness. In the course of his judicial career his decisions and opinions have had a significant impact on the development of the law in several areas. It is important that he be reelected in order to continue his important service.