David Weiss is energized about his campaign against incumbent Neil Breslin for the state Senate’s 46th District seat.
As the president of New York Farmers’ Wind Power, LLC, a community-owned renewable energy development company, Weiss said he is running because the district needs real focus, not just soft, good intentions.
Running for his first public office, Weiss, who lives in rural Rensselaerville, said he plans to bring community activism to the state Capitol.
`As an elected public servant, I will take seriously my responsibility to educate the public and advocate for the common good,` Weiss said. `As an activist, I understand that pressure from citizens is the needed impetus for real change, and that our most important mission is to get people involved.`
Like his fellow Democratic challenger, Charlie Voelker of Delmar, Weiss said he would be a `full-time senator` and freely available to listen to the public, something Breslin, D-Delmar, denies has been an issue during his tenure.
Breslin said he works more than 100 hours a week during session and is `a small, part-time lawyer,` and is always accessible to his constituents.
Running his campaign on energy and jobs, health care, education, reform, and the Rockefeller Drug Laws, Weiss said he hasn’t met much resistance running against the six-term senator and member of the influential Albany County Breslin family.
`I’ve only come across four people who wouldn’t sign my petition,` Weiss said. `Some of his closest friends have signed it and said he’s been there long enough, and it’s time for someone gave him a run for his money.`
And Weiss is just as committed to his campaign as he is about creating affordable energy solutions that will create localized jobs.
`I am doing this to win,` he said. `I wouldn’t be putting my family through this if I didn’t think I could win this thing.`
Growing up in the Woodstock area in Ulster County, Weiss moved to Rensselaerville seven years ago and said the availability and openness of his state senator in Woodstock inspired him to run against Breslin once he moved to Albany County.
`I remember when I lived there we had this Republican state senator named Charlie Cook and every two years he would come to town and hold an open forum,` Weiss said. `When I moved to Rensselaerville and asked who the state senator was and people said ‘Neil Breslin,’ and I asked them if he was a good guy and they said ‘I don’t know, I’ve never met him.’`
Weiss said, `That’s the kind of arrogance I didn’t like,` adding that Albany and Albany County `doesn’t even care about the Hilltowns.`
Weiss’ use of the term `hilltowns` refers to the rural towns of Albany County such as Berne, Knox, Westerlo and Rensselaerville, which make up roughly half of the county.
Weiss, who is 52, points out that Breslin was the same age when he ran for state senate, and Weiss feels he is more prepared for the seat than Breslin was when he won, even though Weiss has no actual experience serving a public office.
`Neil was 52 when he ran and Neil had absolutely no social change experience,` said Weiss. `I came to this way more prepared then he ever will be.`
Weiss touts a long resume of social activism.
In 1973, at age 17, he co-founded The Ulster County Environmental Task Force to oppose the planned construction of four nuclear power reactors in Cementon, a plan that was eventually defeated. Weiss said he discovered that the power plant cooling towers would spread large amounts of PCBs from the 28 million gallons of cooling water taken from the Hudson River each day. He said that became the key reason the `largest proposed nuclear power park was permanently stopped.`
In 1975, Weiss became one of the original members of Greenpeace, which was based in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the time. He helped open the first office in the United States in 1976.
He began working on media outreach in 1986 with Randy Hayes at the newly founded Rainforest Action Network and helped the organization grow from 8,000 members to 45,000 in about two years time.
Weiss remained a key advisor to RAN until 2000.
He also founded the nonprofit organization Rainforest International in 1995 to advocate for rainforest and other environmental issues, which has a mission to promote sustainable, community-based renewable energy projects and educate citizens about the benefits of C-BED legislation (Community Based Energy Development). More can be found about the legislation at www.c-bed.org.
Weiss attended Cabrillo College and the University of California at Santa Cruz to study renewable energy systems, oceanography, and organic agriculture, and lives with his wife, Sarah, and two sons, 5-year-old Miles and 2-year-old Aden.
Weiss, who said he takes no corporate campaign contributions, said there is no reason why the hilltowns cannot provide wind energy for the entire county, plus create sustainable jobs in the process.
He added that he’s ready to take Breslin to task on such issues.
`It’s a hard battle, but I’ve done it before. I’ve battled corporations like Mitsubishi and won,` Weiss said. `There are bigger entities than the Breslins.`
To learn more about Weiss and his campaign, visit www.davidweiss2008.com. “