politics

It's not every year that a local election has at least one issue that might sway voters. With all the attention garnered by the Genesee County Economic Development Center since the last County Legislature election, this November the opinions candidates hold on GCEDC funding and its policies might be an important issue for voters. We thought it a worthwhile public service to get candidates on the record on this issue as soon as they were declared candidates.

In posing the questions to the GOP candidates -- the first group to declare -- we found not all of the candidates agreed with that assessment.

We received objections to answering questions along the lines that it was too soon; wait until the election is closer; "my position is already well known"; and, most surprising, that candidates shouldn't have to answer questions before all of the candidates are declared.

There is apparently some concern that since there's still weeks left for candidates to declare, some candidates thought they shouldn't be asked policy questions until after the filing deadlines. None of the candidates explicitly stated that they fear their answers might prompt another candidate to enter the race. They did express concern that they would be sharing opinions that would be read by potential opponents before those opponents needed to answer the questions.

That's not a line of thinking The Batavian finds terribly persuasive. Any candidate should be willing to speak openly and publicly about their positions without fear of the political repercussions. If an opinion might spur another candidate to enter the race, well, then, that's good for democracy. If a candidate lacks sufficient confidence in a position that it will be easily targeted by opposition, then perhaps he or she should reconsider that position.

The filing deadlines are July 11 for candidates running on an established party line, and Aug. 20 for a candidate running as an independent (creating his or her own party line).

Below are the answers to our three GCEDC-related questions we received from six of the declared Republican candidates, the three declared Democrats and the lone independent to enter the race so far. After the three questions are statements we received from the three candidates who did not answer the questions. 

Question 1: Traditionally, there has been an item in the county budget to transfer money to GCEDC to assist funding the operations of the agency. Last year,  GCEDC received $215,000 in the county budget. Do you support continuing this fund transfer to GCEDC, or should it be eliminated or modified?

Shelley Stein, incumbent, Dictrict 5: The Genesee County Legislature has supported GCEDC at approximately 20% of the GCEDC 2013 approved budget. Moving forward I would support same level of funding to provide for foundational costs of GCEDC operations. Eighty percent of GCEDC’s budget must be derived from providing services and collecting fees for services from business community, grants and contractual annuity payments, not taxpayer dollars. Additionally, LeRoy Business Council and small businesses located in LeRoy are very supportive of the foundational funding of the GCEDC.

Earl Funderburk, challenger, District 5: I do not support the continuation of county budget funds to GCEDC. They have millions of dollars from fees and no longer require funds from the county.

Esther Leadley, incumbent, District 6: Every year the upcoming County budget gets several months of intense scrutiny – by the whole legislature, not just a committee. GCEDC’s funding request is always included in that scrutiny. Please note that State and Federal mandates continually erode the County legislators’ ability to provide a quality of life that Genesee County residents have come to expect.

We legislators have already begun general discussions about the 2014 budget. As we go forward, I am confident GCEDC’s funding request, when it is received, will be one of the topics of discussion. I will weigh all input and make my decision at that time.

Please also note that companies considering making a significant investment in Genesee County want concrete evidence that the County’s leadership has financial “skin in the game.”

Gregg Torrey, challenger (GOP endorsed), District 6: Every item included in the County budget needs be evaluated and that includes the funding which assists the operations of the GCEDC. With the increasing pressure put on County Government by State and Federal unfunded mandates each department must justify its funding request.

I was encouraged to see that the incentive compensation system at the GCEDC was eliminated last year. I am now more confident that the funding is directed to the intended purpose of supporting the economic development mission for the County.

With that being said, the EDC has shown a tremendous return on investment for the County and makes the County money while its funding is only a very small portion of the overall budget (under 1%). The County funding also shows that we are committed to investing in ourselves and the County’s support of the EDC’s efforts which include leveraging other State and Federal money. This support of the GCEDC does not go unnoticed during the attraction process when potential companies are considering bringing investment into our community.

Marianne Clattenburg, incumbent, District 8: My position on this issue is well documented and on the record. This was my first budget vote as a new legislator and I took the opportunity to voice the concerns that many of my constituents have expressed regarding GCEDC funding.  Many opposed the salary and bonus structure of the organization. My position is that public employees who enjoy the benefits of a NYS retirement should not receive bonuses. The second reason I did not support the funding was that I wanted to send a strong message to the GCEDC that redevelopment must also become a priority of the organization. I represent the City of Batavia. We have needs and issues that are different than those of the rural towns around us. If the GCEDC is going to work as the county’s public benefit corporation dedicated to development, then it must strive to improve all areas of the county. I will dedicate my second term to working with the organization to see that this is done. My future support would be contingent upon the organization's willingness to work toward the goals of redevelopment, particularly in the City of Batavia.

William Fava, challenger, District 8: I would support a modification of the amount transferred from Genesee County to the GCEDC Agency. Originally, the agency needed the start up fund support, but now the agency has been successful in meeting yearly goals. The Agency has increased internal manpower to parallel anticipated growth and created sub organizations to minimize potential legal problems for Genesee County. In addition, the Agency continues to look forward (to) bringing in more business growth opportunities to the area…from all points of view, this State/County endeavor appears to be a success for the County. Modifications should be appropriate over the next few budget cycles to bring the annual fund down to a more reasonable amount. In doing this, the Agency can continue to document County support in any advertisement to a potential customer. The appearance of “Lack of County Support” has been mentioned many times during previous discussions concerning a decrease in funding…this is  simply a reduction, not an elimination of the fund. A modification would be a win-win solution for the Agency and the County taxpayer.

Ed deJaneiro, incumbent, District 9: It now appears that the GCEDC finances are strong enough to continue without a County contribution.

Bob Bialkowski, challenger, District 9: I am very prudent when it comes to spending tax dollars so I would insist on a complete accounting of this expenditure. The way the state has the EDCs set up is that if you want to participate you have to pay. This means that if the county doesn’t support the GCEDC we won’t be considered for the grants the EDC receives, so yes I would vote to continue this support. Genesee County has done very well for itself considering that in a recent survey New York State placed 49th in economic development out of 50, but here we have seen tremendous growth. Last week Texas announced that it was aggressively marketing for New York businesses to move there. They have no state tax. New York needs to learn to treat all business the same and discontinue making special deals.

Andrew Young, candidate, District 4: Yes, I support the County investing in its goal of creating jobs, promoting business capital investment (which converts to tax base) and keeping our kids in our community.

Frank Ferrando, incumbent, District 7: As you indicated, the $215,000, or an amount similar, has been transferred to the GCEDC for several years. It’s not new. What I believe was disturbing to most local citizens was the bonus pay model used by the GCEDC with the assumption that the subsidy supported the bonuses. I and two colleagues on the Legislature voted against last year’s budget in objection to that practice. Bonuses are no longer a part of the GCEDC’s compensation practice. This year I will vote for the subsidy if the GCEDC Board presents to the Legislature a detailed description of a specific project the subsidy will be used to support. A demonstration of support by the County is important and it represents about .1 percent of our overall budget.

More after the jump. Click on the headline to read more.

Press release:

After an interview process conducted by the Genesee County Democratic Committee three candidates were endorsed for the Genesee County Legislature.

Ed DeJaneiro is a five-term incumbent legislator representing District 9 in the City of Batavia and a former City Councilman. Ed works as a sales consultant for an area distributor. Bill Fava, an Iraq War veteran, Genesee Region Boy Scout leader and former City Councilman, is running in District 8 in the City of Batavia. Political newcomer, Earl Funderburk is the candidate endorsed in District 5 in Le Roy. Earl is an enterprise architect for Hewlett Packard and owns the historic Jell-O factory where he owns and operates a document management company called Upstate Document Management.

The committee is excited about the prospects of a successful campaign with three highly qualified candidates who bring a wealth of leadership in business, service to community and service to country. They look forward to engaging in the issues that effect Genesee County small businesses, working men and women, senior citizens and youth needs, infrastructure and job development as well as other key components of county government.

The committee also continues to accept candidate queries for the other districts in Genesee County. Please contact the Genesee County Committee at geneseedems@gmail.com as soon as possible as balloting time restraints are in place.

"Liberty is local" was a recurring theme of speakers today at the inaugural convention of the Genesee County Libertarian Party.

Some 60 people gathered Homestead Event Center in the Batavia City Centre to ratify the party's charter and nominate the party's first two candidates for office.

Jim Rosenbeck and Lisa Whitehead will be on the November ballot as candidates for at-large seats on the Batavia City Council.

"The Genesee County Libertarian Party is going to represent trust, transparency and truth," said Phil Ricci, party chairman. "We're not going to tell you what to think. If you disagree with our position, we will try to educate you on why we believe what we believe. The Republicans and Democrats will tell you that we're on the fringe, but we will show people we're on the local level, we're here to represent you."

Guest speakers included Drew Beeman, Greater Rochester Libertarian Party chairman, attorney Paul Wolf (first inset), and Mark Axinn (second inset), chairman of the New York Libertarian Party.

Beeman congratulated the Genesee County Libertarians for coming together with an energy and numbers that is unique to the region.

His group represents all of the counties surrounding Rochester and he said he would welcome more counties breaking way and forming their own parties. It will take that kind of energy, he said, to reverse the trend statewide and in the nation to constrain individual liberty.

"Gary Johnson got 1 percent of the vote," Beeman said. "Are you going to have a Libertarian Party president anytime soon? Probably not. But we could have a Batavia City Council member. We could have a school board member. Liberty is local."

Picking up on Ricci's comment about the propaganda of the major parties to portray Libertarians as on the political fringe, Beeman noted that when you sit down and talk with people about their views of individual liberty, they actually believe what the Libertarian Party believes.

"The Libertarian Party is for people who don't want to push around others nor be pushed around themselves," Beeman said.

Wolf is an expert on reinventing government. He's registered as a Democrat, but Ricci said after reading his Web site, he told him, "No, you're a Libertarian."

There are three themes local Libertarian candidates can run on, Wolf said: That there is too much government, that there is wasteful spending and there is a culture of secrecy.

Wolf was critical of New York's layers of local governments -- villages within towns, authorities and agencies covering overlapping jurisdictions.

Mentioning a consultant's report in the City of Batavia that faulted local residents for having negative attitudes, Wolfe said, "Isn't it funny that the study said it's the attitude of citizens that's the problem. I think it's the attitude of politicians that's the problem."

On wasteful spending, he was critical of the Genesee County Economic Development Center's tax subsidies to COR Development for Dick's Sporting Goods, mocking the perception that the GCEDC board declared Dick's a tourist destination (the board didn't do that). He also questioned the $240,000 Steve Hyde, CEO of GCEDC, earned in 2012.

"This spending is not sustainable and it doesn't make sense," Wolf said.

Government likes to operate with as little transparency as possible, Wolf said. He said he did a study on three years of meeting minutes for his local City Council and found that the council went into secret session at every meeting it held during the three years. Those private sessions lasted an average of 60 minutes, while public sessions lasted an average 54 minutes.

"They're not used to being held accountable, not used to being questioned," Wolf said. "So what you're doing is important."

The message of individual liberty and smaller government appeals to most people, Axinn said, if they're used to pulling levers for Ds or Rs.

"Most people have a live and let live attitude and they need to realize that it works at the government level, too, if they will vote it in," Axinn said.

What is happening in Genesee County for the cause of liberty is important for the whole state, Axinn said.

"We're a small voice in a symphony of bigger government, but the truth is, we're a necessary voice and an important voice and thank you all for being that voice in Genesee County."

In running for City Council, Whitehead said she will hold true to her libertarian values, which includes promoting a business-friendly city and lowering taxes.

"We should be creating an environment that is friendly to business, not crushing it," she said.

"Shouldn't all people be entitled to keep the fruits of their labor," Whitehead said.

Rosenbeck said Libertarians are already making a difference in local politics. The issues have ranged from garbage collection to licensing landlords.

"You will remember, we spoke out to remove the City of Batavia from the garbage tote and trash collection business and they did just that," Rosenbeck said. "Guess what? The sky didn't fall. Somehow everyone's garbage got picked up this week. Freedom and choice is a good thing, my friend."

The Libertarian message opposing retail tax breaks has also resonated with local voters, Rosenbeck said.

"As elections approach in the fall, political insiders will attempt to frame us as a fringe movement," Rosenbeck said. "They will try to marginalize us and dismiss our message. They will patronize us and treat us as if we are just petulant little children. They won't take us seriously because for way too long, it has been all about duopoly. It has been all about two parties defining the message and providing the candidates, but remember we are the voice of reason. Our message resonates in our neighborhoods. We are here, we are engaged and we are on point. It's time to reject the status quo."

Phil Ricci

Jim Rosenbeck and Lisa Whitehead

It smarted, Esther Leadley, when she didn't get the GOP's endorsement for the District 6 seat on the Genesee County Legislature.

The incumbent legislator vowed not to run a primary against the endorsed candidate, Greg Torrey, but that doesn't mean she will give up her seat without a fight.

Leadley announced today that she is running in November's general election.

"I am challenging the endorsed candidate for the District 6 seat on the Genesee County Legislature," Leadley said. "District 6 consists of the towns of Alexander (which includes the Village of Alexander), Bethany and Pavilion. I believe my experience on the Legislature and knowledge of the district and county are of considerable value to District 6 and all residents of the county."

It's been a challenge, Leadley said, to learn the ins-and-outs of running as an independent candidate.

"It smarted when I wasn't endorsed but I never lost my footing and my integrity is intact," Leadley said. "It took several weeks to decide what to do with what had been handed to me.  The outcome of this challenge will be decided at the polls in November."

Leadley also said running primary elections add to county expense and so it's better to run in the general election if she wants to retain her seat.

The new voting machines create an enormous cost because they have to be moved from and back to the controlled storage space," Leadley said. "Staffing at the polls and paper ballots add to the costs. District 6 taxpayers should not have to pay for a political disagreement. The County Board of Elections also sustains large expenses for a primary. Indirectly, those costs come out of taxpayers' pockets at the County level as well. In effect, District 6 taxpayers would pay twice for a primary. I would be irresponsible if I were to force a primary."

David Houseknecht, of Scottville, with his sister Sherry Bateman, of Elba, with his van, which is covered with red, white and blue political magnets of his own design with messages such as "Stand with Rand," "America Needs Another Ronald Reagan" and "Obama and Holder, Fast and Furious Bros." 

All the signs were made for him by Batavia Sign Company, he said.

The van was parked outside Settler's Restaurant this morning.

"America's at a crossroads," Houseknecht said. "We need freedom more than ever. We need to speak about it. We need to talk about it. We need to live it. I ain't socialist and I ain't politically correct, either."

County Republicans have announced their slate for the 2013 County Legislature election in November.

There are six incumbents endorsed for the nine seats.

Also nominated were newcomers Bob Bialkowski, Andrew Young and Greg Torrey.

Mary Pat Hancock, longtime chair of the legislature, will not seek reelection and Young was nominated to fill her District 4 seat.

Torrey beat out incumbent Esther Leadley for the District 6 nomination. District 6 covers Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion.

After years of allowing Democrat Ed DeJaneiro run unopposed, the GOP has nominated former Batavia City Councilman Bialkowski to run for the seat.

Members of the City GOP are reportedly upset with DeJaneiro for supporting funding for Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Lawrence Friedman was endorsed for reelection as District Attorney and Don Read received the nod for reelection to County Clerk.

The incumbents endorsed were: Ray Cianfrini, District 1 (Alabama and Oakfield); Robert Bausch, District 2 (Elba, Byron and Bergen); Annie Lawrence, District 3 (Pembroke and Darien); Frank Ferrando, District 7 (wards 1 and 6, City of Batavia) and Marianne Clattenburg, District 8 (wards 2 and 3, City of Batavia).

Press release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee is seeking City Republicans interested in running for the position of City Council At-Large.

This position is a four-year term on the City Council and is a seat that represents the entire City of Batavia. Letters of interest can be e-mailed to City Republican Chairman Matt Landers at lmlanders@yahoo.com by April 12, 2013.

Here is your chance to serve your community! If you want to get involved in making Batavia a better place to live and work then we want to hear from you!

Press release:

The Genesee County Democratic Committee is seeking and accepting candidate letters of intent for the following offices to be voted on in November 2013; All Genesee County Legislature seats, County District Attorney and County Clerk. Please send your letters to Genesee County Democratic Committee C/O Lorie Longhany 8535 E. Main Road, Le Roy, NY 14482 or e-mail geneseedems@gmail.com.

There are also offices in each town to be voted on. Please check the Genesee County Board of Elections Web site http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/elections/ to see a list of all seats in each town and the City of Batavia that will be voted on in November. E-mail geneseedems@gmail.com and town contact information will be provided. Note, balloting is time sensitive so please make intentions (known) as quickly as possible.

We welcome and encourage the participation in our local government and believe that giving citizens a choice at the ballot box strengthens our democracy at the local level where decisions effect us the most.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee elected Matt Landers as the new Chairman during their meeting on March 5. Matt replaces longtime Chairman Joseph Gerace. The Committee thanked Joe for his many dedicated years of service to City of Batavia Republicans and presented him with a plaque. Matt has been the Treasurer for the City Committee the last seven years, along with serving as the County Republican Committee Treasurer the last six years. In addition, Matt is currently the Treasurer for the Batavia Kiwanis Club. Matt resides in the City with his wife, Melissa, and their two children, Kaitlyn and Benjamin.

Anyone interested in joining the committee can e-mail Matt directly at lmlanders@yahoo.com. The City of Batavia Republican Committee welcomes any new members who would like to get involved in local politics and support the ideals of the Republican Party.

Former Elba Mayor Steve Goff's attempt to regain the seat he voluntarily gave up a few months ago was rebuffed by the Village of Elba GOP last night.

Goff tried for the committee endorsement, but garnered only five votes.

Acting Mayor Scott Schuler won the nomination with 27 votes.

Goff is the proprietor of Elba’s Stumblin’ Inn.

Phil Ricci, upper right, leads a discussion at Coffee Culture among the more than 20 people who showed up to help form the Libertarian Party in Genesee County.

I was only there for a few minutes to get a picture. I'll let Phil, in comments, if he wishes, discuss what went on tonight and what progress was made.

Jeff Allen sent us this information:

Attention political junkies:

I recently won two tickets to the January 21st Presidential Inauguration through Senator Chuck Schumer's office. I cannot attend and would like someone to be able to use them. They are reserved tickets in the Union Square. You will have to provide identification and pass through a security checkpoint. Details can be found at :

http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/

If you can commit to going and would like the tickets, e-mail me at jndallen1@yahoo.com with your contact information. First-come basis. I have the tickets in hand and can arrange to meet.

The time might be right for a third party to try to make a difference in Genesee County politics, the way Phil Ricci sees it, so he along with a small group of like-minded residents are working getting the Libertarian Party established locally.

The process involves signing up members for the committee, holding a convention and finding a candidate or two to run for local offices.

"I think this has been coming for a long time," Ricci said. "There's a growing interest in the breakdown of the two-party system. People see either Republican or Democrat and they just don't fit in. I think what the ideology of Libertarian stands for is vastly misunderstood. More people have what I believe are libertarian beliefs and are looking for viable options to the two-party system. They want less intrusive government and people in government who are responsible financial stewards."

Rather than trying get candidates elected to national and state offices, Ricci thinks any viable third-party effort needs to start at the local level where it's easier to build an organization.

And localism fits well with the basic Libertarian tenant of less intrusive government.

"Here's the big thing -- I'm tired of people far away telling people here, where we live, what's best for us," said Ricci, who ran for Batavia City Council in 2009 and is currently a member of the Batavia City School District Board of Education.

"We control were we live, and we do that as an individual, so why does our government, which has no real local connection, even think about telling us what we should do for our local community? We need local ideas, local vision, to fix local issues."

At a minimum, Ricci would like to have Genesee County Libertarians well enough organized by late summer to run at least one candidate for city council, perhaps a candidate or two in village or town elections and maybe the county legislature.

"Our first goal is to allow people who support individual liberty to have a viable choice at the local level," Ricci said.

On Facebook: The Genesee County Libertarian Committee.

Elected officials from national, state and county government were at the Old Courthouse today for both a ceremonial and official swearing in for office.

For Rep. Chris Collins, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Steve Hawley, taking the oath in Batavia today was ceremonial. But for Sheriff Gary Maha, Treasurer Scott German, coroners Donald Coleman and Karen Lang, along with Undersheriff William Sheron and Deputy Treasurer Matt Landers, the oath was official.

Collins spoke briefly about his commitment to representing the people of the 27th Congressional District, hearing the concerns of voters, especially in Genesee County, and working in Congress to help control spending and bring down the deficit.

"My job in representing this district is that we stand up for our children and grandchildren to get spending under control, to get our deficits down to zero in some reasonable time, like 10 years, and grow the economy," Collins said.

He promised that the people of Genesee County will see him frequently in the county.

Prior to the ceremony, Collins took his wife, Mary, daughter, Caitlin, son, Cameron, and staff members to a no-media lunch at the Pok-A-Dot. Collins has referred to the Pok-A-Dot as a good-luck charm, dining there on election day for the primary and general elections, but when he showed up today, he reportedly told people there that he wanted a chance to enjoy lunch with his family without cameras around.

Sheriff Gary Maha takes the oath, administered by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, as wife Susan Maha holds the Bible.

Above, Coroner Donald Coleman, who has served in the position for 21 years, takes the oath of office.

To purchase prints of the photos in the slide show, click the link in the upper left of the slide show.

The final, UNOFFICIAL voting tallies are in for Genesee County. So far, the votes are:

NY-27:

• Chris Collins -- 11,508
• Kathy Hochul -- 10,758

Batavia City Council

• Brooks Hawley -- 3,559
• Russell -- 2,328
• Ricci -- 2,286

UPDATE 10:29 p.m.: There are 1,300 to 1,800 absentee ballots remaining to be counted in the City of Batavia, according to election officials.

UPDATE 11:44 p.m.:

Here's some additional results from Genesee County.

President:

• Barack Obama -- 8,886
• Mitt Romney -- 13,701
• Gary Johnson -- 348
• Jill Stein -- 97

Senate:

• Kristen Gillibrand -- 11,027
• Wendy Long -- 10,035

State Senate

• Justin Rooney -- 6,185
• Mike Ranzenhofer -- 14,983

State Assembly

• Steve Hawley -- 18,583
• Mark Glogowski -- 1,127

A little more than a week ago, we sent seven questions to each of the candidates for NY-27 congressional seat.

The rules were:

Here are seven questions we are asking each of the candidates to answer. Answers are due by Noon, Nov. 2. We’re asking each candidate to answer the questions directly without referring to your opponent or members of the opposing party. This is about each candidates positions on these issues, not what they think about the opposing party or the opposing candidate. Please craft answers accordingly. Answers will be published verbatim in a Q&A format.

Below are the questions and the answers from Chris Collins. Though we were told to expect answers from Kathy Hochul's campaign, we have not received the answers.

What would be your top priority over the next two years to help lower the costs of medical care – if it’s even possible – in the United States?

We must repeal ObamaCare which is, in effect, a government takeover of medical care in the United States and will greatly increase the cost of medical care. ObamaCare dictates to employers what benefits to provide even if those benefits are not needed or wanted by employees. ObamaCare greatly expands Medicaid which is already out of control in New York State and in many cases consumes 100% of county property taxes. We can’t afford more. We need tort reform with a cap on medical malpractice awards. Too much medicine is defensive medicine (some say as much as 30%). Tort reform is our greatest opportunity to reduce the cost of medicine.

What is your ideal future for Medicare?

We must repeal ObamaCare which cuts $716 billion from Medicare including cuts to current seniors, including my 85-year-old Mom. ObamaCare is focused on ending Medicare Advantage by cutting payments to providers which will result in increased premiums and cuts to benefits. Well over 50% of seniors in the 27th Congressional District depend on Medicare Advantage, including my 85-year-old Mom. We should not make cuts to Medicare for seniors age 55 or over, which is why we must repeal ObamaCare. We must work together to make sure Medicare is solvent for future generations and those age 55 and under.

Should the federal tax system be changed – flat tax or consumption tax instead of income tax, or remain as it is? If an income tax, should deductions such as the home mortgage interest deduction be eliminated?

We should make the current tax code flatter and fairer. The maximum marginal tax rate should be 25% - 28% to compete with the rest of the world. We can cap itemized deductions for higher wage earners so the top 1% still pay 37% of the nation’s tax. We should not eliminate mortgage interest deductions since we want to encourage home ownership.

Would you support military action against Iran to prevent that country from obtaining either a nuclear weapon or the capability to build one?

Military action should always be a last resort but the United States cannot allow Iran to obtain nuclear capabilities. All options should be on the table, but military action must be a last resort.

Genesee County needs to spend as much as $15 million on road and bridge repair in the next five years. What will you do, if anything, to help the county pay for infrastructure repair?

The federal government plays a role in infrastructure repair and should continue to do so. As Erie County Executive, I prioritized infrastructure repairs as an important piece of making the county a place where businesses wanted to locate.

What is your position on WNY STAMP? Should federal grants and subsidies be directed to that project to help bring businesses into the industrial park?

WNY STAMP is an opportunity to bring good jobs to our region. The decision should ultimately rest with the local community.

Sen. Charles Schumer supports building a section of high-speed rail through a portion of Genesee County in the area of Bergen. What is your position on this project?  

I do not support high speed rail. The United States has $16 trillion in debt and currently runs a $1 trillion yearly deficit. We are broke and the cupboards are bare.

UPDATE: We received Hochul's answers this afternoon as I was on my way to Rochester to cover the Notre Dame game, or I would have posted them several hours ago.

What would be your top priority over the next two years to help lower
the costs of medical care – if it’s even possible – in the United
States?

I am confident our country can slow, and even reverse the skyrocketing growth in health care costs.  First of all, Medicare should be allowed to negotiate with drug companies and secure lower cost prescription drugs for our seniors.  We must also look to new, innovative methods of care delivery, specifically care coordination. If different parties in the health care sector – hospitals, primary care physicians, specialists, insurance companies, etc. – all work together to coordinate patient care and ensure that everyone is on the same page, the quality of care will improve, and the cost of care will go down.  There is also great potential for reducing health care costs through the use of tele-medicine, especially in rural communities.  To make this a reality, I introduced Veterans Tele-Health legislation to ensure we save our veterans valuable time and money when while providing them with the health care they need.

What is your ideal future for Medicare?



We must ensure our seniors can continue to rely on the Medicare program they have earned and paid into their whole lives.  To keep the program viable, we must eliminate wasteful spending and lower the cost of healthcare.  That is why I introduced the Stop Medicare Fraud Act, which would dramatically increase penalties for defrauding Medicare and redirect those funds to the prosecution of fraud.   I do not support the Paul Ryan budget proposal, which would end Medicare as we know it and essentially transform Medicare into a voucher program. 

Should the federal tax system be changed – flat tax or consumption tax
instead of income tax, or remain as it is? If an income tax, should
deductions such as the home mortgage interest deduction be eliminated?



I do not support imposing a national sales tax on all Americans, and I believe that billionaires should be expected to contribute more to reducing the deficit than middle class families.  Overall, we do need a simpler tax code and must comb through the tax code line by line to make sure it is fair and encourages job creation here in America.  That is why I support ending tax breaks for Big Oil companies earning billions of dollars in profit, and why I cosponsored legislation to close tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas.

Would you support military action against Iran to prevent that country
from obtaining either a nuclear weapon or the capability to build one?



Under no circumstances can we allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and we must leave all options on the table.  In Congress, I have consistently stood with Israel and voted to strengthen crippling sanctions against Iran, sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.  I have also helped lead the fight to monitor Hezbollah's activities in the Western Hemisphere, and have pushed the European Union to formally designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

Genesee County needs to spend as much as $15 million on road and
bridge repair in the next five years. What will you do, if anything,
to help the county pay for infrastructure repair?



The best way to shore up finances for Genesee County and local governments in Western New York is to create a strong economic environment where jobs are being created and employers are hiring. Right now, the Greek yogurt industry is booming. To ensure New York yogurt is always made with New York milk and to boost local economic development, we need to cut red tape for dairy farmers so they can increase their production to supply the projected 15% change in demand for milk from yogurt companies. On the federal level, I’ve been advocating for increased infrastructure funding and sponsored an amendment to protect dedicated funding for rural bridge repairs when some in Congress tried to eliminate this program.

What is your position on WNY STAMP? Should federal grants and
subsidies be directed to that project to help bring businesses into
the industrial park?



Of course, land use decisions should be made by local residents -- not the federal government.  When community support for a project is strong, like it is for developments at the Agri-Business park, I support the use of targeted grants and tax incentives to encourage businesses invest in Western New York.  Ultimately, it is the private sector that creates jobs--not the government.  As your Representative, I am working to foster a better business environment that is conducive to job creation and economic growth.  To close the skills gap that holds back growth in advanced manufacturing, I have held school-to-work roundtables to partner local employers with educators.  And in Congress, I introduced legislation to provide tax breaks to businesses that manufacture in America and partner with local schools to provide students with on-the job training opportunities.

Sen. Charles Schumer supports building a section of high-speed rail
through a portion of Genesee County in the area of Bergen. What is
your position on this project?

The residents of Bergen should decide if a project of this scale is right for their community. I do believe we need targeted investments in infrastructure, including transportation, to advance our economy. To take advantage of the new economy and ensure agricultural producers can reach new markets and customers, we need to more robustly invest in all forms of transportation infrastructure, including our roads and highways, airports and runways, harbors and waterways, as well as rail systems.

The Oakfield-Alabama High School Senior Class invites the public to a community forum where the political platforms of President Obama and Governor Romney will be examined and explained.

Local, state and regional representatives will be on hand to explain the impact of these platforms on Western New York.

The forum begins at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 30, in the school auditorium, located at 7001 Lewiston Road, in Oakfield.

Representatives slated to attend are:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, Republican 61st District

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Republican 139th District

Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman, Genesee County Legislature

Raymond Cianfrini, Genesee County legislator

Richard D. Pastecki, Village of Oakfield mayor

Michael T. Cianfrini, Town of Oakfield supervisor

Daniel Mangino, Town of Alabama supervisor

For questions regarding the event, call 948-5211, ext. 4537.