By Ivan Pereira
City Councilman Joseph Addabbo (D−Howard Beach) picked up a big endorsement for his bid for the state Senate from one of New York’s leading figures Sunday.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D−N.Y.) urged voters in the 15th Senate District to elect the councilman, stating that he believes he is the candidate that will change Albany to better serve their needs.
Speaking outside the Rockwood Park Jewish Center in Howard Beach, Schumer remarked on how Addabbo and his father, Joseph Addabbo Sr., who served in Congress and on the City Council, have worked with the people of Queens for decades.
“I saw the quality of representation that Joe Jr. brought to these communities, just like his dad,” the senator said. “Like his father, he never forgot his roots.”
The 15th Senate District, which is currently led by Republican state Sen. Serphen Maltese, covers much of western Queens, including Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Howard Beach.
Schumer said new Democratic leadership is much−needed in the state Legislature because middle class New Yorkers are the largest victims of the bad economic times. Addabbo said he was particularly most troubled by the high cost of health care.
A report from Families USA, a health care advocacy group, stated that premiums for New Yorkers increased more than 80 percent in the last decade while median wages went up 11 percent.
The councilman blamed the discrepancy on state Republicans for deregulating health care companies and HMOs and promised to make health care affordable if he gets elected.
“We need some oversight,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do, but we can’t do this without certain changes being made on Nov. 4.”
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e−mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 146.
