Suozzi’s leadership credentials set him apart

Replacing a Washington, D.C., mainstay like U.S. Rep. Steve Israel is no easy task. Not only was he a key Democratic voice in the New York congressional delegation and a strong advocate for Long Island for 15 years, he was also the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, responsible for recruiting candidates to run for the House of Representatives.

Israel’s retirement presents a golden opportunity for the Democratic Party to solidify a seat that might very well be vulnerable in November. Long Island Dems are fortunate to have five very good options to choose from in the 3rd Congressional District primary on June 28 – Jonathan Clarke, Jon Kaiman, Anna Kaplan, Steven Stern and Tom Suozzi – whose positions on key issues such as education, job creation and environmental protection, as well as their dedication to public service, are virtually indistinguishable.

However, with the political climate as fractured as it is in Washington, where bipartisan cooperation is scarce and government inertia is the new normal, Long Island Democrats need a seasoned voice as their nominee this November, someone who will shake up the status quo with bold ideas. That is why we are endorsing Tom Suozzi in the Democratic primary.

Suozzi’s credentials as a former mayor and Nassau county executive help separate him from the pack, but even more impressive is his uncompromising perspective on what it takes to govern in an increasingly polarized environment. At a time when the two political parties are shifting further to the extremes, Suozzi’s political philosophy – a self-described moderate – is a helpful reminder of how much tougher it is to achieve legislative goals while governing as an ideologue. Suozzi pointed out that, as county executive, he faced continual opposition from the Republican-controlled county legislature, but rather than allow petty political differences to slow the machinations of government, he managed to find enough points of agreement to pass balanced budgets.

Suozzi has also been at the forefront of several major, fiscally responsible measures in New York that could help curry favor with colleagues on the other side of the aisle when it comes to finding rare areas of bipartisan compromise. Suozzi was an early proponent of a Medicaid spending cap as county executive and, as the head of a commission on property tax relief in 2008, proposed a statewide property tax cap. Both proposals were adopted and instituted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and are largely seen as a success in reining in state spending and providing relief to businesses and homeowners.

But arguably the primary role of a congressional representative is to bring resources and money back to their district to invest in jobs, programs and infrastructure. Suozzi demonstrated that he has a firm grasp of this job requirement, and spoke eloquently about how New York is a “net donor” to the federal government in tax revenue but receives little in return. Suozzi’s commitment to a more equitable tax policy and revenue sharing with the goal of bringing some of those tax dollars back to his district should be music to the ears of his potential constituents.

Each Democratic candidate in this race has qualities that voters should look for in their representative, and all should be encouraged to continue in public service in some capacity. In Tom Suozzi, Long Island Democrats have a responsible, experienced candidate who will help bring an end to the partisanship that has plagued Congress.