The loss of Irving Feiner
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- January
- 24
Irving Feiner of Nyack, who stood up for free speech, civil rights, open politics, and tax reform, has died. He was 84. Feiner didn’t hold public office, he didn’t set policy. But he made strides on important issues, and worked to hold his community, and its leaders, to the highest standards. And he wrote one heck of a Community View.
In 2001, he ran unsuccessfully for county executive on the Working Families line, because he couldn’t abide by that high office going unchallenged. He had some fun, using his acerbic wit and underdog status to skewer his opponent and Rockland politics in general. But he also forced County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef into real talk on real issues. Irv considered a run again in 2005, to put issues front-and-center. Here’s what he said in a May Community View:
No, I am too old. At 81 you think a lot about longevity. Recently, I read and studied the ancient Chinese philosopher, Soong Ming Tzu, who convinced me that the secret to longevity is “ecstatic enjoyment and supreme happiness.” Come to think of it, I ecstatically enjoy, and nothing make(s) me more supremely happier, than busting politicians.
Busting politicians, testing the First Amendment free speech rights as a university student, spending the sunset of his years crunching numbers and rallying for property tax reform — that was Irv Feiner. By the way, he busted opinion editors too. I will miss him.
A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday) at the Nyack Center, the corner of Broadway and Depew in the village.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 12:07 pm by Nancy Cutler.
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