Ackerman and Lally Square Off Over Taxes By Rob Jennings from Times/Ledger Newspaper

School board elections will be held next Tuesday, but for those who prefer a more bareknuckles brand of politics, let's first discuss the latest verbal slugfest between U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside) and Republican challenger Grant Lally.

This week's main card features their latest war of words over Lally's recent vow to vote against income tax hikes and Ackerman's adamant refusal to do the same. Lally held a Tax Day news conference at the Bayside Post Office -- the heart of Ackerman's turf -- to herald his pledge and blast the Democratic incumbent he publicly labels "a high-tax, big government liberal." Thus began the latest round of pleasantries.

"It's the right of passage to gain entry into the Gingrich freshman extremist caucus," sneered Ackerman of the pledge, a Contract With America staple which has been signed by a host of Republican (as well as some Democratic) congressional candidates and GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole.

"They make all these Stepford extremist Republican wannabes go out and pander to the public," Ackerman sparred. "It's the height of irresponsibility"

Lally then jabbed back with one of the major themes he will pursue in his push to unseat the congressman.

"It's typical of Gary Ackerman that he refuses to even consider ruling out tax increases," said Lally "It's pathetic and very destructive for our area."

Then Lally delivered an uppercut. "Those 'For rent' signs on Bell Boulevard, you can blame each and every one on Gary Ackerman," leveled the challenger.

Ackerman said that while he does not want to raise taxes, he realizes that unforeseen catastrophes can mandate, however undesirably, such an outcome. No honest legislator, he implied, can pretend otherwise.

President Bush, for example, made a similar no-tax-hike pledge that he was forced to abandon while in office, contributing to his eventual defeat.

"We have a responsibility to act and react to problems. There's no reason why one should give away options," argued Ackerman. "You never know what will happen. George Bush didn't know."

"I'm going to be responsible and keep options open," he said. "That's what public life is about, as Lally will find, if" -- at which Ackerman seemed to almost chortle -- "he gets to do some public service someplace."

Most local political races, no matter how bad the blood, maintain at least the public pretense of civility. An Ackerman/Lally race is looking more and more like a bar fight. There is an enmity here which transcends regular politics and should make for much good copy to come.

Getting back to the more timely matter of school board elections, Helene Zaro conveyed some meaningful thoughts on the process last week. Zaro is a good source because of her extensive experience -- she served 16 years on School Board 26, was president of Martin Van Buren High School, JHS 109 and PS 133 and, what's more, she's not running for anything.

How independent is Zaro? Even though she chaired a local committee that endorsed a slate for Board 26, she won't insist, unlike most connected with the system, that the current school board format should remain.

The state Legislature is actively considering abolishing the Board of Education and local school boards, which could render next week's elections moot after the fact.

"For a while I felt frustrated by the chicanery and corruption," said Zaro. "I knew of people buying principals, assistant principals, not here but elsewhere in the city" She urged changes but expressed no preferences beyond suggesting borough boards as a viable option.

And at the recent Town Hall meeting featuring Councilman Sheldon Leffler (D-Hollis) and Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger (D-Manhattan), Zaro spoke forcefully against bilingual education while Messinger, a bilingual education proponent, shifted uncomfortably behind the podium.

"When I was on the school board, I was the lonely voice in the wilderness on this issue," said Zaro, who argued after the meeting that bilingual education hurts students by hindering their advancement

"There are 150 different languages spoken in Queens," she continued. "You tell me how we get different teachers of all these languages. We've spent so much money on that, yet we have more functional illiteracy than ever before."

Zaro drove her point home by quoting President John F Kennedy: "A child miseducated is a child lost."

"Education has become political, but it should be out of politics," concluded Zaro resignedly. "Everything is political today."