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Sen. Owen Johnson faces opposition from James McDonald of DP Jim McDonald walked through the crowds who gathered in Farmingdale to hear President Bill Clinton. McDonald, a Democrat, had his green and white campaign posters tucked under his arm and talked to anyone who would listen. But while he was among fellow Democrats, his name was not among those that Suffolk County Democratic leader Richard Schaffer told party loyals they should get the vote out for. "That's okay," said McDonald who has been around the political block a few times in the 30- plus years he has been involved in campaigns. "I didn't expect him to recognize me." McDonald is running against incumbent Senator Owen Johnson (R-Babylon) and got his name placed on the ballot after he heard that the Democrats were not putting up a candidate against Johnson. He walked door to door with petitions and a handful of supporters and won the line, saying that he believed the voters should have a choice at the polls. What he did not win, however, is the support of Schaffer, his party leader, nor that of Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone both of whom have said publicly that they are going to vote for Johnson because he has shown he can put politics aside when necessary, and has the power and influence in Albany to get the job done for Babylon. "That's okay too," said McDonald about the snub. "I think most of the people in the party applaud that I am running. New York State has serious problems and nothing is going to change unless someone demands that something happens and says enough is enough." Johnson offers that he's been part of reform in Albany and has the experience and clout needed to do even more. "Over the years I have been able to accomplish more and more for the people of my district," said Johnson who is seeking his 18th term in office and is chair of the states finance committee. Johnson said reform is hard to come by, but that he's shown he can put the pressure on to bring about positive change. In the two years that he has been chair of the finance committee, the state budget has been on time after more than 20 years of delays. And, he's taken the lead in helping to bring about Medicaid reform, while New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer has ignored the problem for years. "I exposed the problem a dozen years ago, but it was only after a newspaper reported on the fraud and waste that he (Spitzer) did something about it," said Johnson. "Now the problem is so big and growing so fast that he could no longer ignore it." McDonald sees it differently, saying all state lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation, work together to ensure their own reelections. They gerrymander districts and burden the budget with member items that keep them in office. "The state treasury is nothing more than a grab bag and the legislature is spending billions to make state Senators and Assemblymen look like heroes in their districts," said McDonald. "Meanwhile, they say they are cutting taxes, while they are passing along unfunded mandates that hit the taxpayer hard locally. If the state paid for the mandates they create, they would have to take a hard look at member items and cut them." McDonald lives in Deer Park since 1964 and worked on numerous campaigns in Babylon, including those of former Babylon Town Democratic leader Sondra Bachety. "I have nothing against Owen Johnson," said McDonald, who ran against him in his first campaign almost 20 years ago. "He's a very nice man, but we cannot allow the system to be exploited this way. No one should get a free ride." If elected, McDonald said he would fight for fiscal accountability in Albany, the elimination of gerrymandering and establishment of a system of transparency to the state's budget process. "Many of the items in the budget are buried, particularly the member items, and it is difficult to find out where the money is going," he said. "This is nothing more than reelection insurance for a handful of Senators, but is never talked about." Johnson said he has been instrumental in helping to protect Long Island's fragile environment and wants to do even more. He helped pass the Ocean and Great Lakes Conservation Act, and was a driving force behind the establishment of the Pine Barrens, which protects Long Island's drinking water supply. He recently worked to have the state set aside 800 acres of land at Pilgrim State facility for the Oak Brush Plains, another move to protect the groundwater. The land is also the site of an educational center, and walking trail and is under the state's environmental management. "I have also been working on solar energy projects and bring more tax credits for solar water and electricity," said Johnson, adding that navigating the state legislature to accomplish things for constituents is a job that requires experience. While Johnson is a proponent of alternate sources of energy, he has major concerns about the proposed LIPA wind farm and supports, instead, retrofitting, which will not only generate significantly more electical power but also help improve air quality, is the way to go, he said. "The windfarm will not save us that much in oil, especially when you consider that LIPA will have to have back up generators for the times when the winds die down," said Johnson who has publicly opposed the plan. But McDonald believes that nothing will change, and that taxpayers will continue to be abused by the system unless they put new faces in the state legislature. "It's all about money and about getting reelected," said McDonald of the current legislative body. "And unless someone stands up and says
enough is enough,' nothing is going to change."
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