To the Editor:
(Aug. 2014) Let me begin by thanking the democratic committees of Madison and Oneida counties for their endorsements in our efforts to make the 121st Assembly District a better place to live.
We have just finished the petition process to become eligible to be placed on the ballot for the Sept. 9 primary. We are thankful to the volunteers that gathered more than 800 democratic signatures. We are indebted to those who individually signed our petitions; this allows the voters an opportunity and a choice in selecting their nominee Sept. 9.
Sadly, we are starting to see the same old playbook that incumbents use every election year. Increasing taxpayer paid constituent mailers, importing paid staff from Albany, weekly media announcements of more and more taxpayer-paid pork barrel projects that gather positive press and political endorsements from local politicians.
That’s all to be expected from those protecting the status quo in Albany.
I will go along with the usual gamesmanship played from Albany, but I will not drop my insistence that Assemblyman Magee and I face each other in public debates and start addressing real concerns facing this assembly district. We owe it to the voters that we raise this campaign to a higher level.
A campaign without issues and ideas being exchanged is a disservice to this area. If we allow incumbents to continue to rely on Albany money, the only difference between the last primary and the Sept. 9 primary will be where the money is coming from.
So let’s debate, and do it as frequently as possible, so the voters see our differences, hear our ideas and understand the issues in our district and how we plan to improve upon these in our area. Let me begin by reaching out to the party chairs to organize the debates and seek the support and assistance of the League of Women Voters to help make this happen.
It is time to stop running campaigns from Albany and start facing the voters of this district. They want to know why so many manufacturing jobs were lost the past two decades than at any other time. More farms were foreclosed upon. State spending increased at record levels, and tax revenues, including fees, soared during this same period.
Business groups rate New York state as the most expensive state to start a business.
So let’s debate.
Once again, I thank my volunteers for being so helpful and for those signing my petitions for being cooperative and understanding that good government begins with Election Day choices.
Mike Hennessy, Sherrill, candidate for the 121st New York State Assembly District