In 14th Assembly District, vows to clean up Albany

With the incumbent not seeking re-election in the 14th Assembly District, the two men battling for the seat are trying to win voters' trust and support by pledging to clean up Albany if elected.

The race pits a local village mayor with deep roots in the Republican Party versus a political newcomer who hopes to capitalize on his outsider status on the Democratic ballot.

Assemb. Robert Barra of Lynbrook is retiring after winning the seat in November 2000. As of the summer, Republicans held an edge in registered voters, 34,711 to 31,744 Democrats. The district includes Valley Stream, Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, South Hempstead and portions of several other communities.

'Finances and taxes'

Brian Curran, 41, mayor of Lynbrook, is running as a Republican and has the endorsement of the Conservative, Independence and Tax Revolt parties. A civil litigation attorney with the law firm of Nicolini, Paradise, Ferretti and Sabella in Mineola, Curran was a GOP committeeman for 15 years. He received his undergraduate degree in 1990 from Wilkes University. In 1994 he earned a law degree from CUNY Law School.

Voters in Lynbrook elected him mayor four years ago. Curran said his motivation for running is similar to that which made him run for mayor - he didn't like what he saw going on with Lynbrook's finances.

"Finances and taxes," Curran said. "They're the biggest issues on everybody's mind."

When he took office, the village spent too much, Curran said, so he cut taxes 0.25 percent. While only averaging between $10 and $14 per household, Curran said it was "better giving it back to people than sending it back to city hall."

Cutting spending, combining departments and providing incentives for state employees to retire is what state government needs, Curran said.

He said the solution to the state's financial trouble is simple: Cap the property tax increases between 2 percent and 4 percent, which will mean less money available to the government to spend, and less spending will improve the business climate.

"In each year, they've raised spending," Curran said, referring to the Democrats who have the majority in Albany. "They haven't had the courage or the foresight to say we can't sustain this level of spending."

New leadership, ideas

Democrat Dermond Thomas, 34, also is a civil litigation attorney. He works for the Manhattan office of Arnold & Porter Llp and lives in Valley Stream.

He graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts in 1998 and Columbia Law School in 2001.

Thomas' campaign slogan is "New Leadership, New Ideas."

"This is the first time I've run for anything," he said. "I'm an outsider. I can see that Albany needs fixing. It's time for the next generation of leadership."

As a lawyer, Thomas advises companies on merging with and taking over other companies. That gives him insight into how business works and where to cut government spending, he said.

"I understand synergies and efficiencies," Thomas said. "I've shown that in nine years of practice, I'm willing to put in the work. It takes hours and months . . . to really understand the company. I will certainly do that as a public official, really cut government."

Thomas said that if elected, he'd fight for a thorough audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and search for ways to consolidate government authorities to save money.

"I think government needs to play a role," said Thomas, who also will run with the endorsement of the Working Families Party. "We need a safety net, but I don't think people need a handout."

The 14th Assembly District needs someone who can "see things from a helicopter view," not another "entrenched" politician, Thomas said.

Curran countered that any candidate running as a Democrat would try to claim the outsider status because the budget deficits in Albany came about while Democrats were in charge.

"The true problem is the Democratic philosophy of spending more than they take in," Curran said.

The opponents are evenly matched when it comes to financing their campaigns. Curran's election committee raised $23,488; Thomas', $22,620.