Editorial
Editorial: Elect Elton McCabe in 18th Assembly District
Photo credit: David Pokress | Elton McCabe, Republican candidate in the 18th Assembly District. (June 22, 2012)
Newsday's endorsements for State Assembly
Newsday's endorsements
Viewsday: Analysis and opinion
Earlene Hooper wants a 13th term, which is no surprise, because she seems to really like Albany. Her travel reimbursement filings show she spends more time there than other members and earns even bigger paychecks, too.
Besides her annual salary of $79,500, Hooper gets a leadership stipend of $25,000. And since she is officially retired from the job, she collects an $81,858-a-year pension. Meanwhile, state records show her travel expenses are always among the highest. For 2010 and 2011, Democrat Hooper, 73, of Hempstead, received a total of $61,592 in per diem reimbursements.
Meanwhile, Hooper's leadership position allows her to stop any legislation involving Nassau County, sometimes for no apparent reason.
PHOTOS: Newsday's endorsements for State Assembly
MORE: All State Assembly endorsements | Other races
Republican challenger Elton McCabe, 46, of Uniondale, is running on many of the same issues he did in his campaign for the Nassau County Legislature, reducing crime and the poor quality of life caused by illegal accessory apartments. The soft-spoken McCabe, an engineering inspector for the Town of Hempstead, is passionate about helping people. Open to new ideas, he's a breath of fresh air.
Newsday endorses McCabe.
