Candidate is endorsed by state workers

Republican Lanza gets support of New York State Public Employees Federation

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

By ROB HART

ADVANCE ALBANY BUREAU

City Councilman Andrew Lanza was officially endorsed yesterday by the New York State Public Employees Federation in his state Senate bid.

"I think we go together well, and I support and respect everything you stand for and the people you represent, who are really the salt of the earth and the backbone of the state employee system," the South Shore Republican told union representatives during a vetting meeting last week.

Lanza, who is angling to replace retiring state Sen. John Marchi (R-Staten Island), met Thursday with the group in the GOP's Grant City headquarters, where they pledged their support.

The endorsement was officially ratified during a statewide meeting the union held in Albany yesterday.

The union represents state employees in a variety of jobs, including doctors, nurses, scientists and social workers, according to its vice president, Patricia Baker. She added they have 56,000 members across the state, about 3,000 of them on Staten Island.

During last week's meeting, Dr. Nithia Chatterjie, a research scientist for the Institute of Basic Research, told Lanza, "We always like the way you take an independent stand."

Attorney Matthew Titone, son of the late Judge Vito Titone, is the Democrat in the race.

Rob Hart covers state government for the Advance. He may be reached at rhart@siadvance.com.

 

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