Advocate Underdog Takes A Few Bites Out of Labor

The Chief-Leader/Daniel Perez
INSTEAD OF UNIONS, FLOW CHARTS: Alex Zablocki, the Republican candidate in the Public Advocate Race, demonstrates how he would reform the office’s responsibilities with a flow chart. Speaking to reporters outside City Hall, he said he was worried about the undue influence of those backing his opponent, Bill de Blasio. ‘Let’s not let money decide this race, let’s not let unions or special interests decide this race, let’s let the people decide this race,’ he said. You don’t need to tell Alex Zablocki, the Republican candidate for Public Advocate, that he’s an underdog. “I’m an Eagle Scout, I was always told to be prepared, so I’m prepared for this, and with that said, I know what I’m up against. I know the registration edge, I know the realities of this race,” he said on the steps of City Hall Oct. 7.

Mr. Zablocki, who works as Director of Land Use for Staten Island State Sen. Andrew Lanza, has been campaigning for months, as the only Republican brave enough to buck Democrats’ huge registration advantage and run for the office. But since Councilman Bill de Blasio’s victory in the Democratic primary Sept. 29, Mr. Zablocki wants to make sure people are aware there’s still one more election left to go.

‘Let the Voters Decide’

“You’re talking about a community, an area of Manhattan or Queens or The Bronx, that could decide the next person in the Public Advocate’s office,” he said, referring to the 7-percent turnout of Democrats on Sept. 29. “Let’s not let money decide this race, let’s not let unions or special interests decide this race, let’s let the people decide this race.”

It’s a stance born of necessity: even if he weren’t a monumental longshot in the Nov. 3 general election, Mr. Zablocki’s positions on labor guarantee he won’t get many union endorsements.

Like some of Mr. de Blasio’s opponents and newspaper editorial boards, he says he is alarmed by the clout that the Working Families Party displayed in the September primaries.

“The Working Families Party and unions clearly were out there. Unions have every right to be out there, but clearly the WFP was out there in force. It’s a pull operation. . . I would say the majority of people that voted in the runoff don’t even know who they voted for,” he alleged. “I think that’s scary. The WFP and this Data and Field Services is really controlling the process, because people are not going to the polls, because people are not voting.”

Wants Future Pensions Cut

He also noted that he supports pension reduction legislation, despite having a mother and a sister who are both public school Teachers. “As a state employee, I have to say we have it pretty good,” he said. “If we don’t do it now, those same people will wind up getting laid off five years from now. Consider it an investment in their future.”

Citing evidence of what he believes is undue influence, he notes legislation sponsored by Mr. de Blasio in 2007 that was vetoed by the Mayor but overturned by the Council banned corporate contributions to political candidates, but not union contributions. “Why didn’t we limit those contributions?” Mr. Zablocki asked.

“Once a union supports you, they can create multiple accounts and give in multiple names, and direct people to give to you,” he said. “They shouldn’t be storming our elected offices to scare us into supporting or opposing legislation.”

“I’m not afraid to talk about unions,” he insists. It’s a perfect example of Mr. Zablocki’s approach to the race: he’s excited to talk about the issues, while at the same time acknowledging that he can be so candid because of his outlier status.

At 28 years old, Mr. Zablocki’s key asset is his youthful energy, and he sounds passionate and engaged when talking about the issues the Public Advocate faces. Its budget was recently slashed by 40 percent, and Betsy Gotbaum’s quieter approach to the role for the last eight years has diminished its importance in the public’s eye.

“We need somebody running for this office that is optimistic, who’s willing to take the bull by the horns, who’s willing to say, ‘how do we make this office work for New Yorkers?’ ’’ Mr. Zablocki said. He insists that with reform, the city’s ombudsman could have real influence at City Hall.

First on the list is that “the Public Advocate needs subpoena power,” he explains. The office lacks the auditing powers of the City Comptroller and cannot force city agencies to respond to its investigations. “We need to get that information from them, to enforce accountability,” Mr. Zablocki said.

Wants Budget Independence

He also believes that the office’s budget should be made independent of the Mayor and the Council, to avoid drastic cuts like the one made in July as well as any hint of the Public Advocate making backroom political deals with the “people it’s watching over.”

While these are reforms that Mr. de Blasio could well support, Mr. Zablocki has other plans to de-politicize the office, including removing it from the line of succession and having the Comptroller take over Mayor should the incumbent resign or die in office.

“The skill-set of the Public Advocate are not the skills that the Mayor has and we don’t know all of the moving parts of city government, like the Comptroller would know,” he said. He thinks “the office should have more powers. But that doesn’t mean that some powers shouldn’t be eliminated.”

While Mr. de Blasio has not ruled out a run for Mayor in 2013 and has been accused of viewing the Public Advocate position as a springboard into higher office, Mr. Zablocki seems more interested in policy reform and making the Public Advocate interact with constituents more efficiently.

Endorsements to Be Shunned

He decried Mr. de Blasio’s swift endorsement of Democratic Mayoral nominee William C. Thompson Jr., thumbing his nose at the idea of a unified party “ticket” in the November elections, despite the heft that Mayor Bloomberg, who is running on the Republican line, could provide with an endorsement.

“Here we are talking about an office that is an independent watchdog over the Mayor and the City Council. If you go and endorse the person you want to be future Mayor, and Bill Thompson endorses your candidacy, it seems like you’re in bed together,” he said. “I am not looking for the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.”