Virginia Salow (c.), a member of the Queens Colony Civic Association, says eastern Queens has been divided into three state Assembly districts for the 30 years she has lived there. Photo by Rich Bockmann

Flushing resident Sunny Hahn voices her opinion on redistricting. Photo by Rich Bockmann

Leaders from more than a dozen eastern Queens civic groups met in Bellerose last week, demanding their communities be united by the state task force that will redraw the area’s legislative lines for the coming decade.

The state Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment is expected to release its first-draft maps within the next few weeks, and the members of Eastern Queens United stressed the importance of seeing their neighborhoods represented by one state Assembly district.

Currently, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Bellerose, Floral Park and Queens Village are represented by Assembly members David Weprin (D-Little Neck), Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) and Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village).

“It’s difficult to get any of them to come to my civic association because we are on the fringe,” said Nagassar Ramgarib, president of the Queens Village Civic Association, in the auditorium of the Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and the Sciences.

Bob Friedrich, president of Glen Oaks Village, said all of these neighborhood share common quality-of-life issues and that the different civic groups all work together.

“It’s important that whoever represents us understands that when our civics speak, their words are backed up by tens of thousands of votes,” he said.

The group invited a number of politicians to the meeting, asking them to pledge their support for its cause, testify at public meetings and pledge to vote “no” on any map that divided the community.

Before leaving to attend a personal engagement, Weprin said he “fully supported keeping the communities united” and would testify at the public meeting that will be scheduled once LATFOR releases its map.

When Friedrich asked the assemblyman to make the pledge, Weprin replied, “I can’t commit to voting ‘no,’” which drew boos from a handful of the approximately 150 attendees.

“I didn’t like that he wouldn’t commit,” said Charlie Vaicels, of the Queens Colony Civic Association in Bellerose. “He probably has commitments to other people.”

Braunstein was attending an event in Whitestone that evening, and Clark did not respond to an invitation, Friedrich said.

“It goes to show you, if you’re on the periphery of their district, they don’t care,” he said.

Eastern Queens United also wants to be represented by one state Senate district.

“I’ll go to those hearings and scream my head off, but the issue will be decided behind closed doors,” said Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who affirmed Friedrich’s pledge.

City Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens), who used to hold his brother’s Assembly seat, wrote a letter to the heads of LATFOR urging the task force to create a district that resembled the one he represents in the council.

He said the real problem is that the current process is set up so that each political party can keep its majorities in the two legislative houses.

“Independent redistricting is important today because people don’t respect the government,” he said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would veto any map not created by an independent commission, sending the decision to the courts to be decided.

“That might be the best way to go,” the councilman said. “I like that I can say, ‘The politicians didn’t do it.’”

State Sen. Frank Padavan (second from r.) points out his colleague's lack of a tie to the delight of Philip Sica (from r.), James Trent and Dan Halloran. Photo by Christina Santucci

Former state Sen. Frank Padavan was his usual self at a Queens Village Republican Club dinner held in his honor Sunday after the political veteran suffered a minor stroke at his home late last month.

Padavan spoke toward the end of the evening and doled out many thanks to his friends and family, along with a few good-natured jabs.

“To quote America’s greatest humorist, the rumors of my demise were grossly exaggerated — personally, political or otherwise,” he said to boisterous applause after taking the stage at Antun’s in Queens Village.

The former senator has not lost any of his toughness.? He cited a 1996 New York Times article that referred to him as “the curmudgeon of the state Senate.”

“I want to explain that,” he said. “It’s because I don’t take crap from anybody.”

But Padavan offered plentiful thanks to the people who have supported him throughout his 38-year stint as the Republican senator for the 11th District, which covers a large swath of northeast Queens. “To all of you, in so many different ways, thank you so much,” he said.

Republicans who praised the former senator from the borough and beyond included Sen. Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn).

Padavan even garnered bipartisan support in the form of state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village), who thanked him for his service and for helping her with a bill problem before she entered politics.

“You’re the big ‘R.’ I’m the big ‘D.’ But that’s OK. We were both representatives of people in this room and in many parts of the community, and we worked very well together,” she said.

After the speeches concluded, Padavan said that he would not step out of the world of politics entirely.

“We’ll try to be as helpful as we can to everybody,” he said, referring to any community organization and fellow Republicans. “Many have already called for one reason or another.”

The evening was emceed by City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), who was an Eagle Scout when he first met the former senator.

“He’s been my senator for my entire life,” Halloran said. “When I decided to run for office, he came and guided me throughout. He still does.”

Padavan, who lost a fierce race for re-election against now-Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), leaves behind an important legacy, according to Halloran.

The former senator fought hard for education, mental health patient rights and fairness in the criminal justice system, he said.

Councilman Peter Koo (R-Flushing) also spoke glowingly about the senator, but drew laughs from the crowd. He was encouraged to enter politics by Padavan three years ago, but heard that the senator was “very mean.”

Padavan’s loss in November was a loss for the Republicans as well, but Halloran said the party can bounce back in the future.

“I think the Republicans need to look at winnable seats,” he said, mentioning the seat of Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) and Padavan’s former seat as possibilities. Serphin Maltese, former head of the Queens Republican Party, lost the seat to Addabbo in 2008.

Ruben Wills (c.) greets potential voters on Sutphin Boulevard Tuesday morning. Photo by Christina Santucci

Ruben Wills won the special election to fill the Council seat held by Thomas White with a modest lead over Nicole Paultre-Bell, unofficial election results from New York 1 said.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, the longtime activist and political aide had about 31.2 percent of the total vote with 3,347 votes in the election for the District 28 seat, according to NY 1. Paultre-Bell, the fiancée of police shooting victim Sean Bell, had roughly 25.3 percent of the total with 2,721 residents choosing her at the polls, the station reported.

Albert Baldeo came in third with 1,512 votes, or about 14.1 percent, followed by former Councilman Allan Jennings, with 1,068 votes, or 9.95 percent; Charles Bilal, with 925 votes, or 8.6 percent; Harpreet Toor with 728 votes, or 6.8 percent; and Martha Butler with 436 votes, or 4.1 percent, according to NY 1.

The city’s Board of Elections said there were problems at polling stations in southeast Queens, which delayed the count for the election.

In other southeast Queens races, state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) won his bid for another term in Albany with 17,801 votes, roughly 74.1 percent of the total, and defeated GOP opponent Samuel Benoit, who had 5,089 votes, or about 21.2 percent of the total, and Conservative candidate Everly Brown, who had 1,146 votes, or 4.8 percent, according to NY 1. Only 72 percent of the precincts reported their results, NY 1 said.

State Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) and state Assembly members William Scarborough (D-St. Albans), Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village), Michelle Titus (D-Far Rockaway) and Vivian Cook (D-Jamaica) all ran opposed in the general election and will be serving another term in Albany this January.

Wills, who was supported by state Huntley and City Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), said he was positive that he would pull through to capture the seat.

“I look forward to working with the diverse neighborhoods of the 28th Council District to address the challenges we face together,” he said in a statement.

Paultre-Bell, who was backed by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) and Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton), could not be reached for comment.

Wills’s backers said he had proven himself for years during his work with Huntley and Comrie as well as community groups.

“I like that he lives in the community and has been part of the community for years,” said voter Evelyn Rucker, 40, after she cast her ballot at August Martin HS.

Voters choosing Paultre-Bell, who had to move into the district last month, said her fresh face in southeast Queens politics gave them confidence in putting their trust behind her campaign.

“I figured she’s new so they didn’t have a chance to corrupt her,” said Bernie Williams, a 59-year-old voter from Jamaica.

But others thought that her naivete would hinder her from getting positive results for the neighborhood.

“She has a reason, she has a cause, but we need a leader who knows what to do,” said Abigail Thomas, 22, who voted for Wills.

The special non-partisan election was held following White’s death in August. Seven candidates from all over the district, which includes the neighborhoods of Jamaica, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Rochdale Village, threw their hats into the ring following the election’s announcement.

The large number of candidates on the ballot and the short time they had to get their message out on the streets made some voters a little confused about whom to choose.

“I was interested in the race, but I didn’t have any of the histories on them,” said a Jamaica voter who would only identify herself as Johnnise.

The 38-year-old said she ultimately omitted that race on her ballot.

“I would have made a choice, but I didn’t see them do anything for the community,” she said.

The winner will serve a term that lasts until Dec. 31, 2011 and will have to face another election next year to retain the Council seat.

Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (r.) campaigns outside IS 192 with district leader Henry McCoy (second r.). Photo by Christina Santucci

Experience was the deciding factor in the key Democratic primary races as both state Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) and state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) were returned to office, according to unofficial results.

Huntley defeated Lynn Nunes, 25, with 6,885 votes, or roughly 70 percent of the tally, with 80 percent of the precincts reporting. Nunes captured 2,970 votes, or about 30 percent of the vote, according to the results carried by NY1.

“Sen. Shirley Huntley has been delivering results for her community for almost four years, and residents showed up at the polls today to say thank you by overwhelmingly voting for her,” said Lisa King, Huntley’s spokeswoman.

Nunes, a small business owner from South Ozone Park, could not be reached for comment as of press time Tuesday.

Clark bested Clyde Vanel in her race, with the incumbent collecting 1,206 votes, or 65 percent, with 46 percent of the precincts reporting, compared to her challenger’s 662 votes, or 35 percent, NY1 said.

Neither Clark nor Vanel, 35, an attorney who owns a private practice in Manhattan, could be reached for comment as of press time.

There are no Republican challengers for either race, which means both Huntley and Clark have been re-elected.

Since 2007 Huntley has been the representative of the 10th Senate District, which includes the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and parts of Forest Hills. Nunes had attempted a run for the late City Councilman Thomas White’s seat last year, but lost to White in the primary.

At the polls throughout southeast Queens, voters said they went with the Huntley because of her years of work in the community.

“I’ve been following her. She’s been trying hard,” said Chanttale Santana, 25, of Jamaica, who voted at PS 140 at 166-00 116th Ave.

Nunes had been gaining strong support from gay rights groups who decried Huntley’s no vote on the gay marriage bill last year. That issue did not seem to affect voters in the area, as many said they did not think Nunes had enough experience to lead in Albany.

“I didn’t know a thing about him,” said Dorit Bodden, 89, of St. Albans, who voted at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center on Linden Boulevard.

Over in eastern Queens, voters were more mixed about their choice for the Assembly candidate.

Clark represents the 33rd Assembly District, which includes the neighborhoods of Queens Village and Cambria Heights and parts of Bellerose and has been in the Assembly for more than 20 years. Vanel was popular among voters who said they wanted a change in Albany.

“I don’t think she’s doing a good job,” said Jim Douglas, 54, an accountant who voted at PS 147 in Cambria Heights. “There is always room for an improvement.”

Some, however, believed that Clark was performing well as a state legislator and would continue to work hard for constituents.

“She did a good job so far,” said Alexander Smith, 61, of Cambria Heights, who also voted at PS 147.

Clyde Vanel (far l.) and Lynn Nunes (far r.) are aiming to shake up the status quo in southeast Queens by challenging state Sen. Shirley Huntley (c. from l.) and state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark. Photos by Ivan Pereira

Next week’s Democratic primary will be pitting two of southeast Queens’ veteran members of the state Legislature against two challengers hoping to make their mark on the borough’s political scene.

State Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) and state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) have been campaigning over the summer to remain in their offices for another term. Both Lynn Nunes, who is taking on Huntley, and Clyde Vanel, who is challenging Clark, have been using the same time to get their names out to voters around southeast Queens.

The 10th Senate District, which includes Jamaica, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and parts of Forest Hills, since 2007. Huntley, who previously worked as the president of Community School Board 28, has focused a lot of her efforts in Albany on improving the schools in her district and helping residents with the foreclosure crisis.

She has received a lot of criticism from gay rights groups over her no vote on gay marriage last year. Many of those groups, such as the Human Rights Campaign and the Empire State Pride Agenda, and gay rights activists, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), have given their backing to Nunes, a 25-year-old small businessman from South Ozone Park.

Huntley has the backing of the Democratic party and many of her state colleagues have rallied to her side during the campaign.

Nunes has been taking a low-key approach to his campaign using his reputation from his run against City Councilman Thomas White last year as his main fighting point. The challenger came six votes shy of knocking out White in last year’s Democratic primary, a feat that Nunes said shows voters want a change in the status quo.

He has been making several door to door visits to promote his agenda that includes improving small business.

Campaign finance records show that she and her challenger have spent a lot to make their cases to the voters.

Huntley raised $137,248 and spent more than $104,028 for her re-election bid, campaign finance records show. The largest donations she received were two $9,500 contributions from Senate Majority Conference Leader John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) and state Democrats, according to the records.

Nunes has raised more than $175,607 and spent a little more than $49,562 on his campaign, according to campaign finance records. The majority of the challenger’s contributions came from individual donors with the largest contribution coming from a $10,000 donation from himself, campaign finance records show.

Although Clark and Vanel have not been as visible in their campaigns, both have been raising a lot of money for their races for the 33rd Assembly District seat, which includes the neighborhoods of Queens Village and Cambria Heights and parts of Bellerose.

Clark, who has been in the Assembly for more than 20 years, has raised $8,235 and spent a little more than $10,549, campaign finance records show. Most of the assemblywoman’s donations have come from individual donations and all are under $1,000, according to campaign finance records.

Vanel, an attorney who has a private office that specializes in business law, has raised a little over $3,721 for his election bid, according to the city Campaign Finance Board. Although the board does not list how much he has spent on his campaign, it indicated that his largest donor is his sister, Jessica, who gave $626.03, campaign finance records show.

When the debate began, moderator Leroy Gadsden (c.) only had three candidates to question: Asher Taub (l. to r.), Shirley Huntley and Barbara Clark. Photo by Ivan Pereira

A political debate in St. Albans last Thursday hosted five candidates running for four offices representing southeast Queens, but incumbents and their challengers never once met face-to-face during the forum.

The debate, hosted by the Jamaica branch of the NAACP at the Majority Baptist Church in St. Albans, was supposed to pit U.S. Rep Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) against his Republican opponent, Asher Taub; state Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) against primary challenger Lynn Nunes; state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) against Democrat Tony Avella; and Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) against her primary opponent, Clyde Vanel.

But at the outset of the forum, only Huntley, Clark and Taub were on the stage. Meeks sent word that he could not attend because of a family emergency, and Vanel said Friday that he skipped the debate because he had other community events to go to. Padvan told the TimesLedger Tuesday that he was not invited to the event, despite moderator NAACP Jamaica president Leroy Gadsen’s claim that he sent invitations to all of the candidates.

Under questioning from Gadsden, the candidates who did appear talked about the flooding issues that affect southeast Queens during heavy rains. Two weeks ago, some homes in Springfield Gardens were flooded by torrential rainfall.

Huntley said she has been meeting with representatives from the city Department of Environmental Protection to get more work done on the neighborhood’s sewer system and assured the audience that she would push the city to fix the problem fast.

“I think Queens County gets neglected,” she said.

Taub, a private attorney from Kew Gardens, said the problem was with funding to the state and city and promised that, if elected, he would increase the federal allocation to the district.

“There needs to be more accountability,” he said.

Huntley and Clark were asked about the delayed state budget and what they would do to keep funding for necessary services such as school resources. Huntley said she voted against the governor’s budget this year because there were too many cuts to those services.

“The governor’s budget was bare-bones. Everything was cut,” she said.

Clark said the budget process has become a little more difficult for legislators because of the rising deficit, which this year, fueled by the economic recession, totaled $9.6 billion.

“We never had that deficit before. We had to figure this thing out,” she said.

Lynn Nunes arrived partway through the debate — almost immediately after his opponent, Shirley Huntley, left to attend another event. Photo by Ivan Pereira

After that topic was discussed, Huntley left the forum to attend another event. But the moment she stepped out of the church’s auditorium, Nunes, her Democratic primary rival, arrived and joined the debate without his opponent.

When questioned about how he would improve the economic outlook of the neighborhood, Nunes, who owns a real-estate business, said he would like to increase medical services in the community with new health centers in light of the closing of Mary Immaculate Hospital.

“What we do is create jobs to fill the health-care void,” he said.

Tony Avella, who is running for Padavan’s seat, then showed up for the debate. Avella said that although the 11th Senatorial District covers only a small part of southeast Queens — portions of Queens Village and Hollis — it deserved as much attention as the northern neighborhoods. He said he believed Padavan did not care enough about their needs.

“I’m running to change that seat and make it more responsible,” he said.

When pressed about their positions on the reconstruction plans for the St. Albans VA hospital, all the candidates slammed the current proposal to privately develop 25 acres of the land.

Taub said the problem was with Meeks, who let the developers take control and ignore the community’s need for more hospital space.

“You can use the ballot box to control this,” he said.

But Clark went to bat for Meeks on this issue and told the audience that during her several meetings with the congressman, he has always been in support of a proposal that benefits the veterans.

“I think he has taken a full position that he wants a full-detail hospital,” she said.

[Updated: The TimesLedger was able to reach Padavan on Tuesday. His comments on not attending the debate were added.]

State Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (l.) is facing a possible challenge from Clyde Vanel.

Election season has been heating up this summer in Queens as several political hopefuls announced their challenges against incumbents in the state Legislature.

The July filing with the state Campaign Finance Board revealed that state Assemblywoman Michelle Titus (D-Far Rockaway) and state Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) will be facing competition during this fall’s Democratic primary.

But political newcomer Okenfe Lebarty, who has been listed in the campaign finance database as Titus’ challenger for the 31st Assembly District, which includes Far Rockaway, Rosedale and parts of South Ozone Park, announced his departure from the race early Tuesday morning.

Okenfe Lebarty (l.) announced the end of his campaign against state Assemblywoman Michelle Titus.

In an e-mail sent out to supporters, Lebarty, a West African immigrant who went to Far Rockaway High School and currently works as the executive director for the University Student Senate for the City University of New York, said his campaign finances had prevented him from continuing in the race.

He raised $3,385 for his campaign so far and spent $4,213, according to campaign finance records. Titus has collected $4,130 for her re-election and spent $3,188, records show.

“Due to lack of resources, we cannot maintain a vigorous and robust campaign, hence our path to victory will not be attainable,” Lebarty wrote in an e-mail.

Huntley, who was elected in 2007, has so far amassed $5,000 in contributions and spent $324 for her re-election bid for the 10th Senate District, which includes Jamaica, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and parts of Forest Hills.

State Sen. Shirley Huntley (l.) will be facing Lynn Nunes in the Democratic Primary.

Records show Lynn Nunes, who was six votes shy of defeating City Councilman Thomas White (D-South Ozone Park) during last year’s Democratic primary, has dwarfed the incumbent in both contributions and expenditures, campaign finance records show. The 25-year-old candidate has received $155,390 in contributions and spent $29,085 on his campaign so far, according to campaign finance records.

Nunes contributed the most to his run with a $10,000 donation to his campaign, according to the records.

Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans), the only one of Queens’ five-member Senate delegation who did not have an opponent listed on the campaign finance board website as of the July 15 filing deadline, has amassed $279,150 in contributions and spent $240,441 so far. The largest contribution came from David Rich, a Manhattan lobbyist for the Greater New York Hospital Association, records show.

Although Clyde Vanel has announced his run against Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) in the 33rd Assembly District, which includes Queens Village, Cambria Heights and parts of Bellerose, he was not listed on the campaign finance database as of press time Tuesday. The Democratic challenger said he has filed with the campaign finance board and is still committed to his run for the Legislature.

Clark has so far raised $900 for her re-election campaign and spent $1,826 so far, records show. Vanel is listed on the city Board of Elections’ list of candidates who have amassed signatures to appear on the September ballot.

In southern Queens, state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) is facing a re-election challenge in the 15th Senate District from former Councilman Anthony Como, a Republican.

The district covers Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Howard Beach, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and South Ozone Park.

Addabbo has raised $126,355 this year while Como has raised $17,657, according to campaign finance records.

The first-term senator has spent more than $70,000 and Como has spent more than $13,000.

Assemblyman Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven), who won a special election last year to replace disgraced former Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, is being challenged on two fronts in his quest to win re-election.

Nick Comaianni, a member of Community Board 9 and Community Educational Council 24, is running in the Democratic primary against Miller and Forest Park Senior Center Executive Director Donna Caltabiano is running as a Republican.

Miller has raised $26,655 this year and Caltabiano has raised $4,875. There were no fund-raising totals available yet for Comaianni.