Let me start by congratulating Julian Schreibman for being elected Ulster County's Democratic chairman for another two years, being elected unopposed..which should not of happened, Democrats deserve a choice and it's not Julian's fault that he didn't have an opponent so I don't fault him obviously.
Julian will be Democratic boss next year in 2011, which I truly feel will be the most important election year in our county's history. So much is at stake for Democrats and we can't afford any mistakes and I assure you that our real party leader Mike Hein, will not tolerate an absent chairman.
Julian has a full time job in NYC and a young family, he chose to run again despite that and our party put faith in him, he must deliver and I wish him the best and vow to give him a fair shake for our party's sake. We need to reelect Mike Hein as county executive, we need to elect Jonathan Sennett as our next District Attorney and we need to desperately take back the county legislature after the new lines are drawn and single member districts take place...mark my words whatever party takes the legislature next year after redistricting will have control for a very long time.
There also is a lot to be done in 2010, we need to make sure all of our countywide races are successful, that Elliott Auerbach serves another term as the County's watchdog, Paul Van Blarcum is reelected as our Sheriff and that Frank Skartados and Kevin Cahill return to the NYS Assembly were they have served us proud, especially Kevin Cahill who is one of the best public servants in Ulster County..actually the best hands down.
Just to clarify Julian's comments regarding the Comptroller's race in the Daily Freeman today where he said this:
Schreibman said the most hotly contested race is shaping up to be between Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach, the incumbent Democrat, and Republican challenger Fawn Tantillo
“The comptroller race is more high-profile,” Schreibman said. “It’s seen more as a political position. It’s new, the role that I think more than any other the voters wanted to see created in county government when they adopted the charter.”
Are you freaking kidding me? Come'on Julian I am trying very hard to like you.
First let me say the office of the Comptroller is not seen as a political position, it's viewed and it is an independent office that watches and oversees county tax dollars, making sure all departments, including the office of Executive and the legislature are running smoothly. Now some people may not like that but no one sees that office as political except maybe Julian and his former boss DA Harvey Dent..I mean DA Carnright.
Secondly the race is hotly contested.. Really, since when? You have Elliott Auerbach who by all accounts is doing a great job, (even Republicans and conservatives will privately tell you they support Elliott) running against an individual that is a former legislator that chaired the jail oversight committee, never holding a single meeting, while taxpayers saw their taxes rise over 39%. An individual that when she left the legislature took a patronage job she was unqualified for, forcing her colleagues to make an ethics law in her honor..the Tantillo law. Not to mention Fawn Tantillo's campaign has no money, so hotly contested...I think not.
Julian made a good point in that Ulster Democrats need to take an interest and an involvement in our statewide races. When Andrew Cuomo ran for Attorney General, he got less votes in this county than Allen Hevesi. With Paladino energizing Republicans and caring Ulster 2:1 in the GOP primary, we need to work hard for Andrew and not take anything for granted. We also need to make sure that the highly qualified Eric Schneiderman is elected Attorney General, upstate will be key to this race.
Democrats in Ulster County have enrollment advantage, a highly energized committee, great candidates and an ivy league educated Chairman...we have all the tools to be successful.
