I did record the endorsement interviews for all candidates running in Legislative Districts 3 & 4 - which included all candidates running in the towns therein. You are welcome to review them anytime. There were no interviews for the City of Schenectady, or its legislative districts. And in compiling the questions for candidates, I insisted on adding the very simple following question: What do you feel you have in common with conservatives? Some of the answers would leave you baffled (especially those offered by your Town Justice candidate, Camille Siano-Enders).
Gadfly,
It would be interesting and enlightening to hear the questions that were posed and the responses that were received. In the future, perhaps either the audio clips or the transcripts can be made available on the web.
As for the responses to your question re: "What do you feel you have in common with conservatives?", I would enjoy hearing those replies.
"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy."
Not that it really matters anymore, but I would like to have know what the difference in interviews were between Mr. Cooke and Mr. Tommasone in the last supervisors election and this one.
I'm sure if you E-mail this gentlemen you will get the answer. Mr. Pascarella would love to answer some of these questions.
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Not that it really matters anymore, but I would like to have know what the difference in interviews were between Mr. Cooke and Mr. Tommasone in the last supervisors election and this one.
Schenectady County Chairman: Randy M. Pascarella 610 Becker Crossing Schenectady, NY 12306
The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is apt to spread discontent among those who are. ~ H.L. Mencken
Posted on: 10/31/07 Written by: Jessica Harding, Schenectady County Reporter email: hardingj@spotlightnews.com
Current Rotterdam Supervisor Steven Tommasone, 43, a Republican, is once again facing Democrat William Cooke, 60, in this year’s race for town supervisor.
The two faced each other in the last election for supervisor.
This year, Cooke said, the voters know how Tommasone runs the town, and he believes they are disappointed.
“I think the town wanted to give him his chance; he had been town councilman, but I think since they’ve seen the way he’s run the town they’ve had enough,” Cooke said.
Tommasone said his track record speaks for itself. He said his administration has paved more roads, decreased the tax levy and tackled more quality-of-life issues such as the water problems in Masullo Estates than any other administration.
“We’ve done more in two years than the Democrats did in 40,” he said. Both candidates feel they are qualified to tackle some of Rotterdam’s largest issues, such as its failing infrastructure, water problems, taxes and the need for more parks.
Cooke said the largest problem facing the town is the current administration’s lack of good leadership. He said his background as a national business agent for the National Association of Letter Carriers, where he is responsible for 22,000 letter carriers, qualifies him for the leadership role.
“I have a lot of leadership experience and a lot of community experience,” Cooke said.
Tommasone said while there are multiple problems facing the town, he thinks taxes are the largest. He plans to tackle this problem by bringing in development that increases the tax base and good-paying jobs.
Tommasone said he plans to improve economic development within the town by working with state agencies and ensuring that the town’s Industrial Development Agency is working closely with the county’s Metroplex Development Agency, which has helped bring in almost $119 million in new investment into Rotterdam.
“Our strategy is proven to already work,” Tommasone said. “We will continue to work as hard as possible to bring in good-paying jobs.”
Cooke said his first priority when it comes to economic development is the Hamburg Street corridor. He said he wants to get an anchor store on the Grand Union property, which would help small businesses by drawing people into the area.
Of course, development within Rotterdam is always complicated because the town lacks infrastructure such as water and sewer lines.
Cooke said he is not opposed to bonding for sewer lines, but he would want to see how much money the town receives from the reassessment first.
Tommasone said the town has failed in the past to plan for sewers, but he is opposed to having residents foot the bill for sewers if they don’t want them. He said he wants to get the appropriate infrastructure around the town’s exits, and if residents want to hook up to it they can petition for it.
“No town board should force this upon the residents,” he said.
As far as the concern with a high water table in the area near Masullo Estates, which is causing major damage to the roads and homes in the area, both candidates agree that something needs to be done.
Cooke said while he is not an engineer, he believes the problem is coming from water sitting and not moving. He thinks more drains should be installed and the current drains need to be clear of debris. He also said an engineer should be hired to look at the problem.
Tommasone said the problem in Masullo is there is nowhere for the water to be drained. He said the town is working on acquiring land to drain the water, but there is only so much the town can do.
“I think those in Masullo understand we’ve done everything we can,” Tommasone said. “I’m going to keep going until the problem is resolved the most substantial way the town can.”
The candidates are also concerned with creating parkland and conserving land.
Tommasone said his administration has several different sites in mind for a large town park. He said any plans would not affect taxpayers; rather, Tommasone hopes to use the IDA to purchase property in the western part of town.
“We want a place where people can fly model airplanes, or run their dogs or put up lights for nighttime ball games,” he said.
Cooke said he would like to have a town center and a place for teens.
“We have no place for our teens to go once they are above Boys and Girls Club age, so they end up hanging out at the Rotterdam Square Mall,” Cooke said. “Rotterdam is large enough to support a town center.”
Cooke is a lifelong Rotterdam resident. He attended Draper High School. He lives in Rotterdam with his wife and four children.
Tommasone works as a marketing specialist for New York’s 529 college savings program. He has a degree in marketing from Siena College. He currently lives in Rotterdam with his wife and three daughters.
All you have to do is talk to some of the postal employees whom Mr Cooke represents as the business agent for them and they'll tell you what kind of a leader he is.
ROTTERDAM Broad field running for town positions Republicans, Democrats vie for political control BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
With six candidates running for three positions, Rotterdam voters decide next week whether to stay the course or give the town’s leadership a shuffl e. With three Republicans on the Town Board and two incumbent Democrats not seeking re-election this year, there is a chance the Republicans could win complete control. Republican Supervisor Steve Tommasone is running for a second term this year and is joined on the GOP ticket by Schalmont School Board President Michael Della Villa and John “Jack” Denny III, an enrolled Democrat and town Public Works employee. But the Democrats are hoping to win back the majority they lost three years ago. William Cooke, the former town Democratic Committee chairman, will challenge Tommasone, while political newcomers Richard Leet and John Silva will seek seats. The Republican majority now includes Joseph Signore and John Mertz, whose terms are up in 2009. Democrats Diane Marco and Robert Godlewski decided not to run. The town revaluation will factor heavily in the races. The update of the property tax rolls shifted the levy from commercial to residential properties, meaning markedly higher tax bills. Tommasone blamed GAR Associates. He said the company botched the job. “There were simple things GAR could have done,” he said. Tommasone proposes hiring a local appraisal company to perform an analysis of GAR’s work. Cooke faulted Tommasone’s administration and the Republican majority for not taking a proactive stance toward the revaluation. Cooke said the supervisor and the majority party balked at the revaluation, rather than ensure that it was properly implemented. “That’s not leadership,” he said. “Whether you support it or you don’t support it, you’ve got to get involved and I don’t think they did that,” Cooke said he would seek out a state grant to ensure property assessments are checked annually. He said he would provide the leadership needed to eventually correct reval problems. Republican Denny said the revaluation prompted him to run for office, even after the Democratic committee failed to give him the nod. Denny said he favors revisiting the property tax rolls to ensure they’re accurate. “The senior citizens have gotten crushed by this,” he said. “I’d relay like to pop [the assessments] back open and have someone look into it.” HAMBURG STREET Candidates are also focusing on the need to revitalize Hamburg Street. For decades, it has languished because it lacks the proper infrastructure to accommodate large businesses. Tommasone said he advocates partnerships with the city, the Metroplex Development Authority, the town’s Industrial Development Agency and private business to run a sewer line through the area. Della Villa said this approach is a good way to lure corporate commerce to the area, which in turn would help reduce the tax burden on residential properties. “Everything stems around the infrastructure that we don’t have today: Hamburg Street needs sewer lines,” he said. “That’s what is going to attract good businesses that will help growth and make that area a healthy and vibrant.” Democratic candidate Silva said addressing the commercial woes on Hamburg Street should be the top economic revitalization project for the town, If elected, he plans to work with the state to seek out the grant funding. “Businesses are struggling along what should be an essential corridor,” he said. Fellow Democrats Cooke and Leet said Hamburg Street redevelopment efforts should focus on bringing in a business to occupy the former Grand Union plaza, empty for nearly a decade. Leet, who lives just a few blocks away from Hamburg Street, faulted the Republicans for not including the property in the recent state grant application for Restore NY funds. “Improve that property, and suddenly Hamburg Street becomes a destination,” he said. “Whether it’s through state grants or Metroplex, we really need to something on Hamburg street.” All of the candidates agreed on the need to maintain a strong local nonprofit ambulance service. For more than three years now, board members have discussed plans to merge the long-standing Rotterdam Emergency Medical Service with the town’s paramedic program. Silva said combining the two agencies would make the most sense rather than trust an outside agency. He suspected political influence kept the issue from reaching its most logical solution. “It makes an awful lot of sense to combine the services rather than trust an outside entity to run the business,” he said. “They’re local, they know where the streets are, they know where the people are and I’m a firm believer in familiarity.”
“Improve that property, and suddenly Hamburg Street becomes a destination,” he said. “Whether it’s through state grants or Metroplex, we really need to something on Hamburg street.”
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Fellow Democrats Cooke and Leet said Hamburg Street redevelopment efforts should focus on bringing in a business to occupy the former Grand Union plaza, empty for nearly a decade.
And that is the ONLY spot they support????.....it's ALOT MORE than just one parcel of land......WHERE ARE MY DAMN SEWERS AND SIDEWALKS AND LIGHTING AND BENCHES AND GARBAGE RECEPTICLES ETC.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published: Friday, November 2, 2007
ROTTERDAM -- Town Supervisor Steven Tommasone insists the town is in all-around better shape than two years ago, but his opponent scoffs at that notion -- pointing to confusion over this year's revaluation project. "I believe the present supervisor has not shown leadership and has run away from it and blamed his predecessor and (revaluation firm) GAR for problems," said Democratic challenger William Cooke, a lifelong Rotterdam resident.
Several candidates are on the ballot Tuesday.
GAR Associates Inc. presided over the recent assessment that brought the town up to full market value of assessed properties after being at 2.95 percent for years.
Cooke, 60, said Republican Tommasone, 43, and the Town Board should have taken a more active role in the process instead of leaving it all up to GAR.
Tommasone, in a voice mail message, argued that his administration has worked hard to revitalize the town through smart growth, water and sewer improvements, and attracting high tech industry. Government is involved, transparent and open, he said.
"We're getting the town back on track," said Tommasone, a marketing specialist.
Cooke says the town's legal fees have skyrocketed over the past few years -- and representation doesn't seem any better. He said it needs to be put it out to bid.
Cooke, who runs the regional office for the National Association of Letter Carriers, described his leadership style as low key.
The Republicans hold a 3-2 majority on the Town Board and could end up with full control if their candidates prevail, since neither of the Democrats on the Town Board, Robert Godlewski and Diane Marco, are seeking re-election. Godlewski is vying for a seat on the Schenectady County Legislature.
The four-way Town Board race for two four-year terms features Republicans Michael Della Villa and Jack Denny and Democrats John Silva and Richard Leet.
Cooke, who runs the regional office for the National Association of Letter Carriers, described his leadership style as low key.
I wonder if he has the vision to run the regional office for the National Association of E-mailers......would this be a low key leadership role or is he willing to go the visionary way???????
Dont get me wrong, I like the snail mail deliveries and I prefer to read print rather than a screen......but, where are we headed here folks.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
SCHENECTADY COUNTY GOP, Dem wins scattered among county’s towns Rott. supervisor stays, Democrats sweep Niskayuna Staff reports
Republicans dominated races in Rotterdam and Glenville Tuesday, while Democrats swept Niskayuna. In the smaller towns of Princetown and Duanesburg the results were scattered. The county Legislature remained solidly in the control of the Democrats, as did the city of Schenectady. ROTTERDAM Rotterdam voters upheld the Republican mandate Tuesday, reelecting Steve Tommasone to the supervisor’s position and Schalmont School Board President Michael Della Villa to one of two available Town Board seats. In a repeat of the 2005 election, Rotterdam’s incumbent supervisor beat Democratic challenger William Cooke by more than 800 votes. With 269 absentee ballots outstanding, victory was all but assured for Tommasone. “It’s a good day for Rotterdam,” said Tommasone amid the cheering Republicans gathered at the Sons of Italy off Hamburg Street. “In the next term, we can finish the work we started over the last two years.” Tommasone was joined in the victory circle by Della Villa, giving the Republicans a 4-1 edge on the Town Board for the next two years. Democrat John Silva become the only member of his party to win a race, beating fellow Democrats John “Jack” Denny III and Richard Leet. Della Villa has indicated he will give up the school board presidency when he takes his Town Board seat. Justice Kevin Mercoglan and Highway Superintendent James Longo, both Republicans, also won new terms in uncontested races. It was the second consecutive election that town voters in the once Democratic stronghold supported Republican candidates. About 35 percent of voters are enrolled Democrats as compared to 30 percent enrolled in the Republican party. The win comes on the heels of the town revaluation, which shifted a greater portion of the local tax burden from commercial land to residential properties. Many residents have complained over perceived inequities stemming from the privately contracted reassessment project. This year’s campaign was punctuated by negative mailers sent under the auspices of both the county Democratic and Republican committees. The mailers and other campaign literature prompted Tommasone and Cooke to exchange grievances with the Fair Campaign Practices of the Capital Region during the days leading up to the election. Tommasone said he plans to work within his party to limit the level of negative campaigning during the next cycle. “The negative campaigning has got to stop,” he said.
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