Additionally, Presiding Officer Peter J. Schmitt announced that Kopel would serve as the new Vice Chairman of the Rules Committee, the new Chairman of the Budget Review Committee, and continue his work as Chairman of the Government Services and Operations Committee as well as the Vice Chairman of the Public Works and Parks Committee. 

Legislator Kopel will also serve as a member of the Towns, Villages and Cities Committee and the Economic, Community Development and Labor Committee. 

“I was honored to be sworn in for my second term this week.  I can’t express enough thanks to all my neighbors – the working families and seniors of District 7 – who overwhelmingly supported my re-election bid.  My Majority colleagues and I share a number one priority: lowering County taxes while maintaining and improving government services.  As the new Majority Whip of the Legislature, you can be rest assured that no one in the Majority will forget that,” said Kopel.

Said Presiding Officer Schmitt: “Legislator Kopel works tirelessly for the families and seniors of his District – as well as all Nassau residents.  His dedication and diligence in addressing the problems at the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant has been remarkable and has reversed years of neglect.  Legislator Kopel will greatly contribute to the Legislative Majority as Alternate Deputy Presiding Officer and I look forward to continue working with him on behalf of the residents of Nassau County.”

The Five Towns Patch has an excellent election re-cap article.

Kopel Tops Moser for Second Term as Seventh District Legislator
Voters agree with incumbent’s record on taxes and spending cuts
By Stephen J. Bronner, fivetowns.patch.com
November 9, 2011

Howard Kopel handily defeated Adam Moser on Tuesday and gained a second term as legislator for the seventh district.

Kopel, of Lawrence, ran his campaign on the Republican line of keeping taxes low and slashing spending, which was supported by residents of the Five Towns.  Kopel recently approved a 2012 budget that will privatize the county’s bus system, close two police precincts and save about $51 million with potential union layoffs and about $80 million more in concessions.

“It’s very satisfying,” Kopel told Patch. “It was an ugly, nasty campaign by the other side. I’m very gratified that people have good sense and saw that we’re trying to do good things. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

With all precincts counted, Kopel received 6,312 votes to Moser’s 4,347, or 59.17 percent to 40.75 percent, according to the Nassau County Board of Elections.

Many Five Towns voters interviewed at the polls approved of the job Kopel and his party has been doing since being elected in 2009.

“[Republicans] have my best interests at heart,” said Sherry, of Woodmere, who did not want to give her last name. “The cost of living is really high. I can’t afford a tax increase.”

Norman Ross, of Woodmere, reflected those thoughts when he said he voted down the conservative line.

“Government has to cut back on spending, and Democrats don’t know how to do that,” he said. “You have to live in a budget.”

David Graber, of Cedarhurst, said he didn’t like how Moser ran his campaign/

“I’m looking for a legislator who doesn’t knock the opponent,” he said. “Moser was not standing for anything and just knocking Kopel.”

Andrew Shilling contributed to this article.

“Howard Kopel voted to eliminate the tax on heat and electricity and voted for two no-tax-increase county budgets. Voting for his opponent, Adam Moser, is asking for a high increase in taxes…[i]t is our right, but is also our obligation to elect a Legislator that will fight for us, with us.

“The Five Towns.info endorses Legislator Howard Kopel.”

KOPEL FOR LEGISLATURE
November 4 – 11, 2011
The South Shore Standard

It is a rare thing these days (or anytime for that matter) to find politicians who actually live up to their campaign promises. Howard Kopel is that rare individual and we in The Five Towns are very fortunate to have him as our representative in Mineola.

When campaigning two years ago against an entrenched 10-year incumbent machine politician who had aspirations to a lifetime sinecure in this job, Mr. Kopel pledged to vote against any tax increases and to vote for the repeal of many existing onerous taxes and surcharges. He has done both. He helped eradicate the Democrat-instituted energy tax at a time of oppressive heating costs for our homes. He was front and center when it came to eliminating the raft of multi-year, double-digit property tax increases which the formerly Democrat-controlled County Legislature had in store for us – the kind of tax hikes that would make the difference for many area residents struggling to stay in their homes.

Moreover, Mr. Kopel was been forthright and foursquare in his voting record and in his pledges to not support any new taxes of any kind, notwithstanding a wholly disingenuous effort on the part of his opponent to disseminate disinformation alleging the contrary. He has also been at the forefront of cutting county expenses, consolidating redundant agencies and services and paring down the county’s bloated workforce. We also know that as part of the legislative majority, he will fight to ensure that the NCPD’s Fourth Precinct stays right where it is in Hewlett. A good way to bolster Mr. Kopel’s efforts in that regard is to send him back with both a high voter turnout and a substantial margin of victory.

We also believe that Mr. Kopel has The Five Towns’ interests at heart. He lives in our community. He’s done an admirable job, especially for a freshman legislator and after only two years in office he clearly merits another term. We urge you to vote for Howard Kopel in the County Legislature’s 7^th District.

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING FOR HOWARD KOPEL
November 3 – 10, 2011
The Five Towns Jewish Times

Next Tuesday those of us on this part of Long Island will have the opportunity to once again vote into office Nassau County Legislator Howard (Chaim) Kopel. The Republican incumbent is completing his first two-year term in office, during which the Republican majority has taken great strides to restore the county to fiscal responsibility.

Kopel is more though than just our representative in the county governing body. With the continuously expanding and growing Orthodox Jewish community here on the south shore of Long Island, Howard Kopel, as an active member of the community, has been able to effectively oversee vital projects and programs that require extra sensitivity and understanding of the population in the district.

Kopel is being opposed by Democrat Adam Moser, a former appointed judge and attorney whose campaign has essentially focused on criticizing and denigrating Mr. Kopel while failing to put forward any new plans or ideas to assist the county through these challenging economic times.

Howard Kopel has proven to be an astute and innovative legislator who brings dedication and diligence to the office he holds.  Beyond his insight and the forward thinking that he brings to the legislature, Kopel has become the “go-to guy” when it comes to matters that impact specifically on Nassau County’s Jewish community.

It sounds like a simple issue, but with Kopel in office the sidewalks on Branch Boulevard in Woodmere were finally repaired after years of delay and obfuscation. In a time and in an area where people generally drive their cars wherever they go, why would sidewalk repair be any kind of priority? Well, if you possess the simple insight into what walkways mean to Orthodox Jews wheeling carriages and walking to shul on Shabbos, then you understand why a repair of this type becomes a priority.

Kopel is also the first Nassau County legislator to appoint a frum, full-time liaison to assist within our community. This one decision has been enormously beneficial to the shuls, yeshivas, and people in the Five Towns. Mr. Moser, on the other hand, scheduled a paid telephone poll of the Five Towns on Simchas Torah. Perhaps this was an innocent mistake, but it still makes one wonder how much understanding Mr. Moser has of our community.

With the imminent passage of the over $2.5 billion county budget, every legislator will have to hang tough and have especially good relationships with his or her colleagues in the legislature to protect the quality and level of service provided by government to the district.

For example, the much talked about and reported proposed closure of two police precincts in Nassau County is not about reducing the level of security for the citizens of the county. It takes insight and even courage to understand that it is about labor unions and the fashion in which they have exploited taxpayers and government generosity over the years. Economic times have changed, and police unions need to demonstrate flexibility and a spirit of cooperation without sacrificing the level of security in the area.

Howard Kopel understands the intricacies of these and other issues that face our county and legislative district. That’s why it is so vital that on Tuesday, November 8, we go out to vote and reelect Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel.

Re-Elect Legislator Howard Kopel

Adam Moser is the Democratic Candidate for the Nassau County Legislator in District 7 (which encompasses The Five Towns) and he’s challenging one-term incumbent Howard Kopel. Unfortunately, Mr. Moser has seen fit (or his campaign staff at the very least) to try and garner votes through misrepresentation.

In this issue of The Standard and in various other publications, Mr. Moser has in some cases been totally fabricating Mr. Kopel’s position on certain issues and outright imagining Mr. Kopel’s record to suit his objective of besmirching his opponent.

On Page A5 of this issue, Mr. Moser asserts that Mr. Kopel “voted to increase legislative salaries.” This flat out never happened. While in 2009 the Legislature was going to increase the salaries for both the Democratic and Republican leaders (and not for the rank and file legislators) this was immediately rescinded in the wake of the county’s enormous financial problems. In point of fact, Nassau legislators work for some of the most paltry wages of any legislative body in New York, about $35,000 a year and this hasn’t changed in eons. Legislative salaries are a total non-starter as an issue or as an allegation. We’re quite sure it costs Mr. Kopel far more to serve in the legislature than what little compensation he and his colleagues derive from their service.

Mr. Moser charges Mr. Kopel with “supporting a taxpayer funded Coliseum that would have raised property taxes by $400 million.” In point of fact, Mr. Kopel never endorsed this project (as far as we can recall) and moreover was flat out not in New York at all when the vote on the referendum took place and didn’t cast a vote on the issue.

Additionally, Mr. Moser states that Mr. Kopel allegedly “voted to split The Five Towns up” in the GOP redistricting plan. We have Mr. Kopel quoted here in this paper throughout the past several months on the record as stating that he would prefer that District 7 remain within its current configurations. What’s disingenuous about Mr. Moser’s charge is that by law (federal, state and local) the legislature must be redistricted due to changes in census data so that all districts approximately have the same number of residents. We are totally opposed to gerrymandering The Five Towns into two or three districts but it’s unfair to say that Mr. Kopel in any way, shape or form took a leadership position in dismembering The Five Towns or “diluting the strength of the Jewish voting bloc in Nassau County” (as Mr. Moser charges). Why would Mr. Kopel want to reduce the size of his core voting constituency? Common sense here is as clear as daylight.

One of the more specious prevarications in Mr. Moser’s ad is that Mr. Kopel “now supports raising our sales tax.” Mr. Kopel has voted to repeal countless taxes and fees during his term of office and has stated categorically that he is opposed to any tax increases of any kind. In fact, more than 1,000 county workers’ jobs have been eliminated as part of Mr. Kopel’s cost-cutting. Mr. Kopel has told us on numerous occasions that he will not vote for any tax increases and we take him at his word and will hold him to his word.

Lastly, Mr. Moser charges Mr. Kopel of supporting the closure of the NCPD’s Fourth Precinct – something Mr. Kopel has never issued any kind of public statement on whatsoever. While it is true that County Executive Ed Mangano is seeking major cost reductions in the NCPD which could include the closure and consolidation of two precincts, Mr. Kopel has stated that he would be fighting tooth and nail to prevent any closure of the Fourth Precinct.

The bottom line here is that in a bid to have his fledgling campaign gain some traction, any traction, Mr. Moser has resorted to fabrications, fictions and misrepresentations in an effort to smear Mr. Kopel’s record and reputation. This kind of campaigning is beneath Mr. Moser’s dignity and we call on him in the 10 days or so that remain before election day to rescind and repudiate these charges and tactics and instead wage a campaign based truthfully on the record and on the differences between the two candidates.

To the Editor:

I read with interest the editorial in last week’s Herald, “Local elections are all about you,” (Oct. 13 – 19).

In this spirit, come November 8, I will be voting for incumbent County Legislator Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence).

Every time I have written to Mr. Kopel on issues on concern, I received constant communication from both him and his staff, much more than I received from his predecessor.

I was one of the beneficiaries of the Branch Boulevard renovation, and I thank Mr. Kopel for his efforts in this regard. However, imagine my surprise when I received a call from Mr. Kopel’s office and was asked whether or not I thought the trees ought to be replanted along Branch Boulevard. Imagine that; a politician calling me and asking for my opinion, and on such a mundane topic.

I may not agree with everything Mr. Kopel has done over the past two years but I don’t think that I’d ever agree with any elected official totally. Nevertheless, Mr. Kopel has done enough since taking office that he has earned the right to at least another two years.

I know this is just my opinion, but these elections are about me after all, arent’t they?

MIKE FRIED
Woodmere

Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel took charge in addressing a safety hazard on Railroad Avenue between Irving Place and Woodmere Boulevard in Woodmere.

While replacing a series of railroad ties this summer, Long Island Railroad track workers removed a two-block section of chain link fence to gain better access to the work area. They installed a temporary plastic orange mesh they installed to block pedestrian access. At some point, the mesh became detached from the fence poles, leaving the track completely accessible to pedestrians.

“Anyone walking in the area, kids, teens, pets, had total access to the tracks for two blocks. Trains are running on these tracks everyday, not to mention the live electric current,” Avi Fertig, Kopel’s Director of Community Affairs, said on Tuesday. “The danger is incredible, especially considering the tenfold increase in pedestrian traffic we expect as soon as the Jewish holidays begin.”

An area resident called Kopel’s office to report the missing fence. Legislator Kopel immediately sent a letter with pictures to the MTA. “Legislator Kopel wanted the LIRR to replace the temporary fence before the start of Rosh Hashanah. It’s incredibly dangerous to allow the fence to go missing like that, and fortunately they agreed,” said Fertig.

On Wednesday afternoon, soon after receiving Legislator Kopel’s letter, LIRR work crews were onsite replacing the fallen plastic fence. According to LIRR spokesman, Salvatore Arena, “We were notified by Legislator Kopel that the temporary fencing at the site in Woodmere was coming undone, we immediately sent a crew out to replace it with new temporary fencing.”

According to Arena, a new chain link fence connecting to existing steel posts to be put up in its place within the coming days.