Public Employee Press

Social Security battle
Staten Island activists press local pols

DC 37 Staten Island activists mobilized to urge local political leaders to torpedo President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security.

During a March 30 meeting at the College of Staten Island, City Council member Vincent Gentile and state Sen. Seymour P. Lachman opposed Bush’s proposal.

Local 420 retiree Bernice Robinson, part of a DC 37 contingent led by Marilyn Charles of the Political Action Dept., said they were disappointed that U.S. Congress member Vito Fossella didn’t show up. Fossella previously claimed to oppose privatization but has also said he is open to creating private accounts with money taken from Social Security.

His representative told the Staten Island Advance that he didn’t attend because he questioned the credibility of the event’s sponsor, In This Together, a group opposed to privatization.