By William Lewis
The Republican candidate for Stavisky's seat is Peter Koo, a businessman who owns five pharmacies in the Flushing area. Koo emigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in 1971, working his way through the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy before coming to New York. In Queens, he has received a long list of community service awards from such organizations as the American Red Cross, Flushing Lions Club and Flushing Rotary Club.Koo indicated he will be an independent voice, directly serving the interests of the people rather than special interests. He said some of the issues he will stress during the campaign will include improving public education, stopping Medicaid fraud, reviving the local economy and improving public safety and traffic control.Concerning education, he feels public schools are overcrowded, smaller class sizes are needed and that the state should provide more financial resources for educational needs. “Education is the key to our community and the foundation of everything else,” he said. “That is why America is so strong, due to access to educational opportunities.”Pertaining to Medicaid, he wants efforts made at the state level to stop fraudulent practices, like double-billing for medical services.Regarding public safety, Koo believes more effort should be directed toward maintaining a safer community – especially at night, when there should be bigger police presence on the streets. He added that if police are more visible, crime will drop. Koo also favors the death penalty for criminals convicted of killing a police officer. He wants more emphasis put on confiscating illegal handguns.As for traffic control, he opposes congestion pricing. He wants more traffic lights and municipal parking areas. He also wants additional bus routes, especially on Saturdays and Sundays and including express buses. He opposes driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.On economic matters, Koo wants taxes lowered for large businesses and an end to wasteful government spending.Koo also believes all American citizens should speak English. As a general observation, Koo expressed his formula for success in life in the following way: “Through hard work, vision and determination.”Dealing with the present political situation, Koo referred to the fact that the Democratic Party has control over most of the elected offices in Queens, including all the state Assembly and U.S. Congressional seats. “I am opposed to a one party state,” he said. He mentioned that if elected, he will be a visible state senator and maintain an active district office open to constituents.Koo's Democratic opponent, state Sen. Stavisky, through a spokesman indicated she is opposed to congestion pricing. She has sent a letter out to the constituents of the 16th State Senate District informing them of her position. She is also opposed to capital punishment in principle, favoring life in prison for criminals convicted of taking the life of a police officer. Regarding denying driver's licenses to undocumented aliens, she would not favor that and seems to support some kind of system where undocumented aliens could receive some form of driver's licenses.In other state Senate races, most of the interest this year in Queens has been the challenges against state Sens. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) and Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose). In Koo's case, we have a challenge to an incumbent Democrat. Queens needs more competitive races like this one for public office so voters will have a choice.
