Padernacht is here for all of us

To the editor:

(re: “Haller now out-raising Dinowitz in city council race,” Jan. 21)

I am not at all surprised that Dan Padernacht remained local in his expenditures, and spent more money in our community than any of the other candidates combined.

As a former member of the P.S. 81 parent association — and a former fundraiser for our amazing elementary school — I am simply not at all surprised Mr. Padernacht kept to his local roots.

At our functions, he was ever-present. He not only responded swiftly to any invitation I extended to him personally, but often had been the only community leader who had shown up (and stayed the evening, instead of a handshake and a smile for the camera).

Believe me, it was not for a lack of trying either — Mr. Dinowitz never, ever responded to any invitation I extended myself. Other leaders not running currently for this coveted seat were also no-shows.

Non-responsive.

Only Dan Padernacht would arrive, and with a genuine interest in speaking with all of us in the room.

Additionally, when we had an ongoing and heated issue with the corner crossing and the West 256th Street hub next to our school, Mr. Padernacht not just hosted the Community Board 8’s traffic and transportation committee’s meeting — a board at which he is extremely active and approachable — at our P.S. 81, but he showed up to our parent association committee meetings prior to the meeting. (Never any cameras for those meetings, by the way.)

I am writing with anecdotes here, of course. However, his local stewardship matters to me.

Mr. Padernacht always will have my vote, and I urge anyone locally to vote for him as well. You will be heard, respected and addressed by him, because I know from my own experience in living locally as a parent, this man genuinely takes the time to be “there” — and well, more importantly, “here” — in Riverdale.

Betsy Friedman

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