Longtime state Sen. Frank Padavan died, according to an announcement from the Queens County GOP Tuesday morning. Padavan died of a heart attack at New York Presbyterian Hospital, according to a source.
A Republican, Padavan went to Albany in 1972 as the state Senator from the 11th District, a seat he would hold for 38 years representing a wide swath of Queens, including Bayside, Bay Terrace, Queens Village, Bellerose, Flushing, Whitestone, Little Neck, College Point and Jamaica Estates.
Padavan fought hard for mental health patient rights, education, and fairness in the criminal justice system before losing to state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) in the November 2010 general election.
11 comments:
Rest in peace. Thank you for your service to Queens.
it's nice to read a good hearted sentiment like that which I will echo. rip.
Only the good die young. My condolences.
I still remember him from when I was young and starting to get involved in politics. Rest in Peace.
Frank Padavan: The last class-act of the Queens GOP. RIP
He successfully opposed part of the Cross Island/LIE interchange construction - the part that would have continued the westbound service road across the Cross Island (eliminating the loop through Douglaston). That was the best part of the project. He opposed it because the homeowners on the service road in Bayside didn't want the traffic. This was a bad decision for commuters living east of Bayside, and I wrote him about it. He sent me a thoughtful letter saying (among other things) that the homeowners were his first concern, not commuters from Nassau and Suffolk. I still think he was wrong, but he stood up for his immediate constituents, and he had the clout to see it through. Honorable.
He successfully opposed part of the Cross Island/LIE interchange construction - the part that would have continued the westbound service road across the Cross Island (eliminating the loop through Douglaston). That was the best part of the project. He opposed it because the homeowners on the service road in Bayside didn't want the traffic. This was a bad decision for commuters living east of Bayside, and I wrote him about it. He sent me a thoughtful letter saying (among other things) that the homeowners were his first concern, not commuters from Nassau and Suffolk. I still think he was wrong, but he stood up for his immediate constituents, and he had the clout to see it through. Honorable.
Padavan's opposition to the interchange construction at the LIE/Cross Island was also due to the fact that the DOT was going to have to cut down a number of giant Tulip Poplar trees that were several centuries old. With the elimination of the Douglaston Loop, he also had Alley Pond restored (which the loop built by Robert Moses had obliterated).
While I didn't always agree with his politics, Padavan had an excellent environmental record and cared deeply about northeast Queens. His legacy is impressive and will be remembered for a long time.
Who wants to speak ill of the dead? But in around 30 years in the State Senate, I'm only seeing one person with a comment that attributes one project to his legacy. Sorry but I just don't remember him as being that effective as a State Senator for his District. And he was beaten by Tony Avella, who is certainly no better; maybe worse and now the prospects of Liu taking that seat. I guess I have to admit that if I could get him back in office, given what we are looking at, I'd take Padavan any day. Rest in Peace, Frank!
Anonymous must've been living in isolation to never hear of Mr Padavan's successes.
Queens Farm Museum
Preller ballfield
The High School complex named after him.
The Criminal Asset Forfeiture Law
Several anti-graffiti laws
Cease and Desist regarding real estate solicitations
...and a whole lot more.
They're ALL creeps. They say to vote, but we are voting for an entrenched politically failed leadership that have only continually worsened our quality of life and standards of living that have been in rapid decline since the days of an honest Dick Nixon. That's why oily politicians like Frank Padavan (and the entirely entrenched political machine), are paid far greater than their rank-and-file counterparts (of a people who actually work for a living), and the quality of life has steadily declined as their paychecks go up, and everyone else's petrified paychecks remain static and borderline starvation wages.
Padavan was a counterfeit, just like the rest. Just another entrenched example of bread and circuses that devalue honesty itself!
They're ALL creeps. They say to vote, but we are voting for an entrenched politically failed leadership that have only continually worsened our quality of life and standards of living that have been in rapid decline since the days of an honest Dick Nixon. That's why oily politicians like Frank Padavan (and the entirely entrenched political machine), are paid far greater than their rank-and-file counterparts (of a people who actually work for a living), and the quality of life has steadily declined as their paychecks go up, and everyone else's petrified paychecks remain static and borderline starvation wages.
Padavan was a counterfeit, just like the rest. Just another entrenched example of bread and circuses that devalue honesty itself!
Um, while I agree with the general direction of your rant, the NY State Assembly and Senate electeds make $79,500 per year. Compare that to the NYC Councilmembers, who make $148,500 per year.
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