Get the facts right

To the Editor:

Your article “Primary race heats up” (Aug. 5-11, 2010) gave readers a very incomplete picture of my efforts on behalf of our schools.

Of all the money I have secured, writer Alex Costello wrote only that: “Specifically, he directs money to special education programs...” What? Since I took office in 1989, overall state education aid to our local schools has increased by 86 percent due to my advocacy. On top of that, I have steered approximately $1 million in discretionary funds to public schools. Those funds have supported PTA projects, gifted and arts programs, summer enrichment activities, life-saving defibrillators for every school and a multitude of other valuable initiatives — many of which would be diminished or nonexistent without my efforts.

In the same article, my opponent, Jeff Toback, is quoted as saying that I “do a bad job” of bringing state aid to the schools in the 20th Assembly District. Not only is his statement misinformed, it is particularly galling coming from a man who has already cost the taxpayers in the Oceanside School District more than $40,000 in his pursuit of a personal appeal, as reported in this newspaper in January.

My opponent promises to deliver (or "fight for") so many things he never bothered with as a county legislator. While I'm pleased to see that Mr. Toback has finally been motivated to "fight for" something, his entire record on the county Legislature belies his campaign promises. The people of the 20th Assembly District deserve better than a host of empty promises.

Harvey Weisenberg

Representative, 20th State Assembly District