More than 25 candidates omitted from Koch survey

More than 25 candidates vying for State Senate and Assembly seats on Long Island were omitted from a government reform survey led by former New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch, records show.

Koch, through his good-government group New York Uprising, released lists Thursday of how candidates responded to his call for legislative district boundaries to be drawn by a nonpartisan commission, tougher governmental ethics rules and a better budget process.

Candidates were asked to sign pledges. Koch labeled those that did "heroes of reform" and non-signers "enemies of reform."

On the Island, all 30 incumbents were polled but only 16 of 42 challengers were. Newsday determined the number of challengers based on records from the Nassau and Suffolk election boards and news articles.

Of those covered by Koch's survey, five did not sign pledges - all Assembly Democrats.

Asked about the omissions, Koch said Friday they were unintentional and due to limited staff and money. There's still time for the overlooked to embrace his agenda, he said.

"We did the best we could to find out who was a challenger - but we are doing it on a shoestring," he told Newsday. He said New York Uprising has two paid employees and $120,000 in the bank. "If we didn't reach out to them, they should have reached out to us," he added, citing publicity about his reform Albany initiative.

Some candidates were taken aback by Koch's comments.

Democrat John Capobianco of Farmingdale, running against Assemb. James Conte (R-Huntington Station), said he twice phoned Koch's group only to get the brush-off. "In a press release, they said they contacted every candidate. No, they didn't," said Capobianco. He promised to consider signing.

George Sava, the Woodmere lawyer seeking to unseat state Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), signed Friday morning after reading news reports. The Democrat wasn't upset at being overlooked. "I agree with what . . . [Koch] is trying to do."

Koch plans to work for the defeat of those who haven't signed. Next month, he'll hold events in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, and hopes to come to Long Island. He wants to raise $280,000 to buy campaign advertising.

WHO SIGNED AND WHO DIDN'T

STATE SENATE

1st District:

Incumbent Kenneth LaValle (R) - signed

Challenger Regina Calcaterra (D) - signed

Challenger Greg Fisher (D) - signed

2nd District

Incumbent John Flanagan* (R) - signed

3rd District

Incumbent Brian X. Foley (D) - signed

Challenger Lee Zeldin (R) - signed

4th District

Incumbent Owen Johnson* (R) - signed

5th District

Incumbent Carl Marcellino (R) - signed

Challenger Lawrence Silverman (D) - signed

6th District

Incumbent Kemp Hannon (R) - signed

Challenger David Mejias** (D) - signed

Challenger Ethan Irwin** (D) - signed

7th District

Incumbent Craig Johnson (D) - signed

Challenger Jack Martins (R) - signed

8th District

Incumbent Charles Fuschillo* (R) - signed

9th District

Incumbent Dean Skelos (R) - signed

Challenger George Sava (D) - signed

ASSEMBLY

1st District

Incumbent Marc Alessi (D) - signed

Challenger Daniel Losquadro (R) - signed

2nd District

Incumbent Fred Thiele Jr. (I) - signed

Challenger Richard Blumenthal (R) - signed

3rd District

Incumbent Dean Murray (R) - signed

Challenger Robert Calarco (D) - signed

4th District

Incumbent Steven Englebright* (D) - signed

5th District

Incumbent Ginny Fields*** (D) - signed

6th District

Incumbent Philip Ramos*** (D) - did not sign

7th District

Incumbent Michael J. Fitzpatrick* (R) - signed

8th District

Incumbent Phil Boyle* (R) - signed

9th District

Incumbent Andrew Raia* (R) - signed

10th District

Incumbent James Conte* (R) - signed

11th District

Incumbent Robert Sweeney* (D) - did not sign

12th District

Incumbent Joseph Saladino* (R) - signed

13th District

Incumbent Charles Lavine (D) - signed

Challenger Robert Germino (R) - signed

14th District (open seat)*

Dermond Thomas (D) - signed

15th District

Incumbent Michael Montesano* (R) - signed

16th District

Incumbent Michelle Schimel* (D) - did not sign

17th District

Incumbent Thomas McKevitt (R) - signed

Challenger Thomas Devaney (D) - signed

18th District

Incumbent Earlene Hooper*** (D) - did not sign

19th District

Incumbent David McDonough* (R) - signed

20th District

Incumbent Harvey Weisenberg (D) - did not sign

Challenger Jeffrey Toback (D) - signed

Challenger Joshua Wanderer (R) - signed

21st District (open seat)***

Notes: *challenger in the November general election not contacted by New York Uprising, **some candidates in the September primary election not contacted, ***some candidates in both the primary and general elections not contact. Data is as of 5:30 p.m. Friday.

- Compiled by James T. Madore

SOURCES: New York Uprising, Nassau and Suffolk Boards of Election, Newsday research