| Q: You have put up some impressive numbers in terms of both fundraising and the number of petition signatures for your candidacy. What is your strategy to motivate your grassroots supporters?
A: The key to this race will be meeting as many people as possible, face to face, as well as getting the word out about the incumbent's record. People are frustrated with state government, but many of them don't realize that Sen. Saland has been part of the problem. This race will be won in the field. The objective, for me and for my team, is to talk with and educate as many voters as possible.
Q: What's your position on allowing SUNY greater control over its affairs? How can New York Democrats reconcile sweeping the tuition increase for SUNY into the state budget last year with nixing the bill that would give SUNY more independence this year (especially since the state is defunding state education)?
A: The proposed Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act would not only weaken our state's public university system, which has a proud history, it could well deny large portions of our population an affordable public education. We should not try to fix the economy at the expense of our future leaders. There are excellent community colleges in my district and across the state, and we need to support them.
Q: What is your position on marriage equality and would you co-sponsor a marriage equality bill in the next session if elected?
A: I am, unequivocally, a supporter of marriage equality. This is a human rights issue. I would be honored to co-sponsor a marriage equality bill when elected.
Q: What would you do to balance the state budget? Which programs, if any, would you cut and by how much; and/or what taxes/fees would you increase?
A: My position is that everything should be on the table. We need to look at all our programs and departments, not base the next year's budget solely on the last; that's like building on a house of cards. There are places we can save money without simply making across-the-board cuts or reducing the services people need most in tough economic times. But we need to look at everything clearly. Property taxes are out of control and this issue is one of the first items that needs to be addressed. I am committed to balancing the state budget, and in a timely fashion. Enough late budgets.
Q: The 41st district is suffering from the double whammy of declining educational services and rising property taxes- how do you plan to resolve these two mutually-reinforcing problems?
A: Relying on property taxes is not the right way to fund public education. Property taxes date to a time when we measured our worth by our land, not our money. We need to re-think our approach. We need to look at successful models for funding education that have worked elsewhere. In the immediate term, the circuit breaker tax is one way to prevent our residents from being stretched beyond their means.
Q: What are your thoughts about municipal consolidation to decrease the tax burden throughout the state? The New N.Y. Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act is a good start, but would you support a stronger bill that categorically consolidates certain types of taxing districts, like sewer and fire districts, into county governments?
A: Again I would say that everything has to be on the table, including consolidation. Where local governments can consolidate services and operate efficiently while still operating effectively, consolidation should figure in the mix. It appears there are cost savings to be realized by consolidation, but not necessarily as much as some people hope.
Q: If elected, what plans do you have to increase ethics oversight and transparency in Albany? Would you support an ethics enforcement agency that is fully independent from the legislature? Would you vote for redistricting plan that is not written by an entity independent of the legislature? Do you support campaign finance reform such as Clean Money, Clean Elections?
A: Government reform is one of the main tenets of my campaign. We need to make every part of state government more transparent. The Senate Democrats proposed an ethics bill that, while not as comprehensive as it could have been, was definitely a good start. Sen. Saland voted against overriding the Governor's veto of this legislation. And if you look at his record, he has repeatedly voted against ethics reform bills such as those requiring additional financial disclosure.
I support independent redistricting, campaign finance reform, the establishment of meaningful ethics standards, and disclosure of outside sources of income.
Q: Would you vote for Pedro Espada as majority leader at the start of the next session, assuming he is not in jail and has won re-election?
A: Absolutely not.
Q: You have argued for the need to tap the 41st district's agricultural production into the downstate economy- how would you like to achieve this goal?
A: We need to create markets for Hudson Valley products that will keep local farms in business, and allow young farmers to literally put down roots here. One way to do this is to create incentives for consumers downstate to buy local, in-state produce. We also need to protect the natural resources that make this region such abundant farm country.
There are successful local efforts in place, such as Columbia County Bounty and Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation, that are creating new markets for local farm products and promoting our agricultural industry. We need to support these efforts in whatever ways we can, and look into how their efforts can be expanded. We need to be encouraging our schools, food markets, and other institutions to tap into the regional bounty.
Q: You want to reform the Empire Zone program- can you elaborate?
A: I am very interested in the new Excelsior Jobs Creation Program, because it extends the incentives beyond traditional empire zones to all areas of the state. This program is accessible to every small business within the state and it eliminates the loopholes that allowed some businesses to received continuing tax breaks without creating real job growth. The Excelsior Program holds businesses accountable for creating jobs.
Q: If the Farm workers' Bill of Rights comes up in the next session, how would you vote on it?
A: We need to pass a farm workers' bill that protects workers and does not put small farmers out of business. Farm workers deserve full protection and rights, but I am concerned that the current bill does not include enough input from owners of small farms, like those in my district. Because so much in agriculture is seasonal and uniquely dependent on factors like weather, we need a more thoughtful, sensitive approach than the current bill. I would bring all stakeholders to the table to craft legislation that meets everyone's needs.
Q: What is your position on hydraulic fracturing or "hydrofracking" in natural gas deposits in New York?
A: At this point, hydrofracking does not appear to be the safest way to make use of our state's natural resources. We need a lot more information about the effects on the environment before rushing into the use of this technology. While I realize this could be an important financial resource for the state, we can't afford to utilize it at the expense of our residents and our environment. We need to look for and support technologies and businesses that use environmentally friendly "green" concepts, a largely untapped resource in our state.
Q: You believe that Columbia and Dutchess counties could benefit their economies through clean energy investments and smart growth. Do you have a specific vision or are there any models from other areas you would like to emulate?
A: Tools such as smart growth principles and Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) can help us maintain the communities and the open spaces that make up the special character of our region. Exciting pioneering work is already being done in the district in the areas of waste water treatment, renewable energy, and mercury free, zero-discharge fish production. We have several successful solar companies, a developing wind energy business and the aforementioned fish production company, Local Ocean, which have been attracting interest. We need to support and showcase these examples as a way to attract similar businesses and encourage creative entrepreneurial thinking.
Cultural tourism is another way we can create an economic engine that takes advantage of the best of our region - the history, the cultural institutions, the scenic beauty and recreational opportunities.
Also, we can preserve our communities while encouraging business expansion through high-speed Internet access. The 41st District is rife with isolated rural areas where service is poor or nonexistent. Expanding access would encourage business growth without impacting the natural resources we all value. The state so far has not taken a lead in this arena, and it should.
Q: What are your thoughts about the Park51 cultural center and what do you think about GOP attempts to demonize Muslim New Yorkers by association?
A: One of the main tenets our country was founded on is freedom of religion; we must keep this in mind while also being sensitive to the realities of the situation. I support an open conversation that allows both sides to share their points of view rather than a frenzy of sound bites and political opportunism. Any attempt to demonize people on the basis of their faith is unacceptable.
Q: Do you support reversing the course the state has taken in de-funding the MTA over the past two decades? If so, do you have specific ideas for increasing revenue streams for the MTA?
A: The MTA tax is a harsh burden on employers and employees in Dutchess County. If I had been in office when it was brought before the Senate, I would have reached out to downstate Democrats to negotiate a compromise that was less destructive to businesses, not-for-profits and job creation in the Hudson Valley. The MTA tax vote is a prime example of a time when Sen. Saland folded his arms, turned his back, and blamed the other party without trying to find a compromise. I believe issues like this show why "upstate" and "downstate" need to work together as one New York. |
