Common Sense: Shaun Marie

The Brooklyn and Queens Conservative Parties held a highly successful joint fundraiser for their respective political action committees last week at Russo on the Bay. The honoree was Shaun Marie, the state party executive director since 1995.

Like in so many organizations, the people who do the most are the last to be recognized. Shaun — among her many responsibilities — is the party’s chief lobbyist in Albany. In this capacity she does a phenomenal job monitoring all 263 state legislators’ voting records as well as presently the party’s positions on issues throughout the session.

Republican -Conservative Party mayoral candidate Joseph Lhota and comptroller candidate John Burnett joined the many elected officials, candidates, and party leaders in attendance. Both Lhota and Burnett gave remarks.

Lhota as a candidate for mayor is often described as the only adult in the room. The newest round of Anthony Weiner’s continued perverted behavior acts as another reminder.

Lhota, in his remarks, talked mostly about the city economy, making mention of Detroit’s recent bankruptcy. The former city budget director and first deputy mayor noted that New York City was a few steps behind Detroit, but the risk was certainly there with increasing government pension costs and health costs, and an economy becoming more and more dependent on lower paying jobs.

Burnett — who also faces the likelihood of running against an ethically, if not criminally challenged individual in Eliot Spitzer — showed once again that he was the best choice for the job as he presented his extensive background in finance and audit.

Neither Spitzer nor Stringer has any credentials in these important areas that one would logically hope to find in a comptroller.

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Joe Lhota campaigned recently at the Bay Ridge Greenmarket with State Senator Marty Golden (whom I serve as chief of staff), Council candidate John Quaglione and members of the Conservative Party. The market was a bit slow on what was one of those recent 90°-plus days.

Nevertheless, Lhota was well received by many who were happy to meet the Republican candidate. Numerous individuals in conversations with Lhota expressed their concern that the city could go back to a time not so long ago when it was unsafe to walk many streets, and it just was not such a great place to live and raise a family.

Lhota’s campaign, despite having to fight for media attention against a field of Democratic citywide candidates more fit for late night TV than City Hall, is active, on message and having excellent success in raising money.

I believe he can look forward to a big win in his September Republican primary and a competitive election in November as a Republican- Conservative against a confused and fractured Democratic Party.

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Despite the security concerns and general focus on everything that Pope Francis does and says, the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day in Brazil was a wonderful time for young people to come together to pray, worship and interact in spiritual manner.

The Brooklyn Diocese sent the largest delegation in the country with over 200 youths from various parishes in Brooklyn and Queens making the trip. They were led by Father Gerard and Bishop DiMarzio.

Many parents, like Bay Ridge’s George Prezioso, advanced the trip and helped chaperon.

As they return, I look forward to meeting some of these young people and hearing about their adventures on what would be a trip of a lifetime.

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