The Torch interviewed City Council candidate William Horowitz onthe campaign trail this October. Results from last night’selections were not available as of the time the Torch went toprint.
William Horowitz is looking for a job – specificallyCouncilperson David Weprin’s job. “I’ve been looking for afull-time job since I graduated,” said 23-year-old Horowitz, whograduated from St. John’s University in 2001 with a degree injournalism. “Since the economy is not doing good, I figured that ifNewt Gingrich can go from Speaker of the House to a commentator onFox News, so could I.”
Horowitz entered the race for 23rd councilmanic district afterseeing an advertisement in the Queens Village Republican Clubnewsletter last May, calling for candidates to run in localelections. “When I saw that my party needed me, I thought it wouldbe a great way to get some exposure, maybe meet some people whocould help me win or even help in getting a job,” Horowitzsaid.
This will be Horowitz’s first attempt for public office, thoughhe says that he has always been political. “I grew up in a familywhere we always knew what was going on,” said Horowitz, who creditstalk radio as his major political influence. “The more I listenedto the Republican side, the more I thought, ‘This makes a lot ofsense.’ The more I listened to the liberal side, the more Ithought, ‘This doesn’t make any sense. How can people believethis?'”
Horowitz hosted a talk radio show in 2001 on WRED, the St.John’s campus station. Political life at St. John’s wasfrustrating, however. “When I first came to St. John’s, I learnedthe unfortunate lesson that half of college students don’t knowwhat’s going on, don’t vote, or aren’t even registered to vote,”Horowitz said. “I got involved with the college Republicans, but,to my disappointment, they weren’t very political.”
Horowitz’s present political life consists primarily of speakingengagements and door-to-door campaigning, which he has foundsuccessful. “When I first agreed to run, I didn’t think I had achance. The more people I talk to, the more they tell me they’refed up with my opponent.”
Nevertheless, he does not expect to win in November. “It wouldbe wonderful if I got 40 percent. It would be a miracle if I won,”Horowitz said. “I’m young, I probably won’t win, but that doesn’tmean I won’t win in the future. I can use my position to educatepeople. If you agree with me, great. Register Republican and voteconservative. If you disagree with me, great. Register Democrat andvote liberal.”
Horowitz, who is running as a Republican is broadly anti-tax.”Life is expensive enough,” Horowitz said. “My basic feeling ontaxes is that you cut taxes. That means people have more money. Themore money they have, the more chance they’ll spend it. The moremoney they spend, the more they’ll grow the economy. That createsjobs and government revenue goes up.”
Horowitz also advocates cutting government spending byabolishing welfare. “Who in their right mind doesn’t want to helpthe poor? But there are responsible people and irresponsiblepeople” Horowitz said, arguing that the irresponsible people hadcaused too much waste in the program. “For someone like a drug useror drug pusher, you can give them all the money in the world and itwouldn’t help them. Cut them off.”
Horowitz currently lives with his parents in Flushing and is theprimary caregiver for his grandmother. After the election, he planson enrolling in a Master’s program for a degree in broadcastjournalism.
