Assembly hopeful holds small-biz meeting

Jeff Friedman, a Rockville Centre resident who plans to challenge Brian Curran for the newly remapped 21st Assembly District seat in September, began making his case earlier this month. The redrawn 21st A.D. will include most of Baldwin.

On May 16, Friedman, 43, a non-practicing attorney who will run as a Democrat, held a Small Business Meet-and-Greet at CleanSweep Global Services. Attendees at the meeting spoke in detail about the struggles local businesses are facing in Baldwin, and Friedman offered ideas about what Albany could do to help.

“Revitalizing Baldwin’s downtown is essential,” Friedman told the business owners. “And the first step is to revitalize local businesses.”

He also took aim at his opponent. “Brian Curran considers himself a proprietor of ‘fiscal leadership,’ but he simply hasn’t been outspoken on the needs of our local economies,” Friedman said. “If Baldwin is on Curran’s list of priorities, his administration has been ineffective.”

The focus of the meeting eventually turned to Baldwin business, and conversation shifted to strategies for local businesses surviving difficult economic times. A wide variety of local establishments were represented, including caterers Delicious Moments and Amused Designs.

Several business owners expressed concerns about the deterioration of Baldwin’s downtown and local government’s stagnated aid efforts. Several members of the Baldwin Civic Association’s Baldwin Needs Revitalization committee spoke at length about the need for government involvement in ongoing beautification projects.

“I don’t need to tell you how many storefronts are closed and boarded up here,” Friedman said. “It’s simply unacceptable how little has been done to help this community. It has been the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. Our middle-class communities are in need of help, and nobody is listening.”