Michael Balboni's senatorial seat will be up for grabs again this coming November. Elected to the New York State Senate in 1997, he is now serving his third, two-year term in the 7th District, which covers several communities, including Floral Park, Hicksville, New Hyde Park, Westbury, Mineola and Great Neck.

While Senator Balboni is expected to seek re-election this November, according to a source at his Mineola office, Chris Murray of Westbury hopes to change that. At a press conference and rally Thursday, May 9 at the County Supreme Court Building, Murray officially announced his candidacy.

Murray said he chose to challenge the senator because although throughout the 20th century New York State led the nation in providing progressive and compassionate governmental services to its citizens, at the dawn of the 21st century, New York turned its back on residents.

Murray cites prime examples of just how he thinks the state did that, including New York's lack of suitable health care and job training to those who need it. As a father of two young children in the public school system, he is also deeply concerned with the failure to provide adequate state aid. He is concerned with the abandonment of the mentally ill and plans to focus his campaign on New York resuming a leadership role in addressing these concerns.

If not for New York's progressive tradition and its past commitment to public higher education, Murray admits he would not have been able to attend college and graduate from SUNY Albany. This, he said, makes him well aware of the positive impact state government can have on an individual's life.

Graduating with honors from SUNY Albany and the Georgetown University Law Center, Murray is currently a partner in the Garden City law firm of Reisman, Peirez & Reisman, L.L.P. He has served as general counsel for the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, Inc. since 1991 and is also a member of the Nassau County Open Space & Park Advisory Committee.

He serves as a member of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce's board of directors and the New York Civil Liberties Union's Nassau chapter. Murray is also on the Business Advisory Council for the Nassau County Mental Health Association's JOBS + program.

During the press conference, he emphasized the importance for Nassau County residents to elect representatives for the New York State Legislature who would support the fiscal reforms for the county, currently being proposed by County Executive Tom Suozzi.

Drawing on an analogy between New York's current efforts to paper over a budget deficit with fiscal gimmicks to the irresponsible behavior that drove Nassau to the verge of bankruptcy, Murray promised to wage an issue-oriented campaign.

Realizing that Senator Balboni is a conscientious public servant, Murray argued that change is necessary to shift the government's priorities and that he could provide innovative and independent leadership in the Senate.