White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Matusow Receives <i>Lewisboro Ledger</i> Nod.

WPCNR NEWSREEL. From Barry Malvin. September 6, 2003: Barry Malvin of Assemblyman Naomi Matusow's campaign reports that the Lewisboro Ledger has endorsed Ms. Matusow for reelection, prior to Tuesday's September 10 primary. Herewith are the Ledger's comments, reprinted with permission:

Used with permission, The Lewisboro Ledger, Sept. 6, 2002:

Give Matusow your vote

Assemblywoman Naomi Matusow has served the 89th state assembly district well, with five consecutive terms for the past 10 years. Voters should give her another two: Choose Naomi to run a sixth term.

Mrs. Matusow is running on her record, and she should. It's a good one. She has worked to ban assault weapons, to require fingerprinting for school employees, and on numerous conservation issues. When asked about the most important issue in this campaign her answer is education, particularly at the local level. This issue resonates with all residents and Mrs. Matusow has worked tirelessly for the local school districts, helping to obtain an extra $20 million in funds during her tenure.

Mrs. Matusow's experience has also translated into concrete results for Lewisboro, in the form of the more than 100-acre Houlihan property, which she worked to preserve as open space.

Mrs. Matusow's career has been one of diligent service. She has constantly campaigned from door to door and at train stations. She has connected with people in the local area and has given them a voice in Albany.

Her opponent, Adam Bradley, has said that local residents need a new voice in Albany. And his tenure as the chair of the White Plains Democratic City Committee offers a nice background to rely on for a first foray into politics.

However, Mr. Bradley is a man first and foremost of White Plains, where he is an attorney and a political figure and where his policies seem more suited.

In terms of his major campaign issues, he wants to tax people who shop in White Plains and reform the Rockefeller drug laws. The first will adversely affect those in the Lewisboro area and the second is more of a concern for the White Plains voter, remote to the consciousness of Lewisboro residents.

It's ironic that Mr. Bradley has denounced Mrs. Matusow for her use of rhetoric because he has been the candidate more dependent on it. He's claimed that she has been late in responding to resident concerns about Indian Point, but she has a record of involvement with the issue since before 2000. He's criticized her for wanting to reform the Rockefeller drug laws, but her decision was based on concerns laid out in a report by the district attorney's office. Mrs. Matusow has in fact gone on the record for decommissioning the power plant and for reforming the Rockefeller drug laws.

But what's been most disturbing about his campaign is how it's handled the 'issue' of Matusow's mailings. These mailings are to keep constituents informed. It's unfortunate for challengers that incumbents benefit from the extra contact with constituents but the mailings are a necessary part of the political process. Mr. Bradley's campaign has created this issue to gain traction in his long-shot bid for office.

But what has been even worse for his campaign is that Mrs. Matusow has the advantage of experience and holds nearly the same position on Mr. Bradley's two key issues: Indian Point and the Rockefeller drug laws.

She also offers an attention to smaller towns and the issues they face that seems foreign to the White Plains-based Bradley.

As Mrs. Matusow says, he's been grasping at straws and it's a mistake for him to think the White Plains voting districts are enough to carry this election.


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