August 23, 2012
To the Editor:
I do not think that the Gay City News did justice to Brad’s debate win (“Hoylman Longest on Specifics, Repeatedly a Target in Debate With Broad Agreement,” by Duncan Osborne, posted online, Aug. 21). Brad demonstrated a clear understanding of both local community and state issues. He was the first one to bring up the budget, stating his support for raising the millionaires’ tax and for the living wage and sick pay bills. He helped to get Community Board 2 and the Village Independent Democrats to pass resolutions in support of the living wage bill, and as a district leader joined in a unanimous vote for the resolution at the Manhattan Democratic County Committee. Brad's two opponents were nowhere to be found on this issue.
Brad has been front and center on pushing for new schools in the district. He knows the parent leaders and they have endorsed him. It is a good sound bite to say you are for education, but I have never seen the other two candidates at a school meeting or a Community Education Council District 2 meeting fighting for more schools.
As Chair of CB 2, Brad has a good grassroots understanding of the complexities of Pier 40. Two key players on the issue — Assemblymembers Richard Gottfried and Deborah Glick — have both endorsed Brad.
John R Scott
Democratic District Leader
66th Assembly District, Part B
August 26, 2012
To the Editor:
If you are going to sponsor a debate, please try to be neutral. It was obvious that you favored Brad Hoylman by asking him three or four-part questions. The other candidates were only asked single questions. You did not ask challenging or probing questions. The audience and voters deserved more. The community would have been better served if someone else was asking the questions. Why wasn't there a female moderator?
Citizens Union didn't do much better with their questions, and only three questions were allowed from the audience and they were asked in abbreviated versions. As I was leaving, two audience members summed up the evening, “It was boring.”
Carol Demech
Manhattan
WRITE US!
Send letters to the editor, of 250 words or less, to editor@gaycitynews.com or to 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, New York, NY 10013. We reserve the right to edit letters for space or legal considerations.
