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Focus on Dryden & Freeville
The time and resources of our county government are limited, so the legislature should focus its attention on local concerns. We should refuse debates over national and state issues. I will focus on Dryden and Freeville to champion this district's interests in debates with legislators from Ithaca and the other towns. I will work hard to build understanding and cooperation among all those who serve our community in public office.
ISSUE #1: I will not take part in state or national debates in which the county has no role or authority. The time spent on such things displaces other important topics and makes county meetings less accessible to the public watching in person or by TV access. A debate requiring immediate county attention is the role our County Health Dept. must play in monitoring natural gas drilling and wastewater disposal — protecting the safety of our drinking water, lakes and streams.
Discipline County Spending
We are living in unprecedented economic times and we will face long-running effects from the current financial downturn. At a time when private businesses and families are struggling to stay afloat, we must examine all aspects of county spending and preserve vital programs and service priorities. We need to hold the line on any growth in government spending.
ISSUE #2: With the economy placing severe pressures on county budgets, I will urge county government to adopt the "Lean Office" strategy successfully used by TC3 over recent years to reduce wasteful spending and improve efficiency. TC3 offers us a good local model of what can be done to reduce institutional costs.
ISSUE #3: Recently an Ithaca area day care appealed to the county legislature for $20,000 to help cover a deficit created by more DSS clients needing services at a lower rate of pay. Public funds must not used to bail out private local groups, or subsidize private day care. County leaders should insist that private organizations make private appeals based on the value of their services to the community.
Plan a Sustainable Future
The size and cost of our government is unsustainable because it is creating too great a burden on taxpayers, driving businesses and individuals to locate elsewhere. The government does not produce wealth. We should build a community which is favorable to businesses that can provide good jobs for our county residents on into the future.
ISSUE #4: Recent warnings concerning county finances from the Community Advisory Panel in their 9/1/09 report demand attention. The bi-partisan panel declared "A sustainable budget will require the elimination or reduction of non-essential and non-mandated programs and the delivery of services by a smaller County workforce." We must not ignore this report. I will work with legislators to address the findings of the 9/1 report and take their recommendations seriously.
Encourage Private Enterprise
Our county has a rich reservoir of private talent, creativity and goodwill. In order to build a better community for our children, we should appreciate and encourage private enterprise and initiative. We must make important choices about what we expect from government, and encourage more to be done through the voluntary sector. We should take care never to displace private charity and compassion with government programs.
ISSUE #5: With record setting local unemployment this summer, I will work toward passing Mike Hattery's bi-partisan proposal to apply a small share of local "room-tax" revenues to strengthen the job-creation and business retention efforts of TCAD (Tompkins County Area Development). Currently 100% of the hotel and motel tax revenues go to support tourism and the arts, lesser priorities in our current crisis.
ISSUE #6: Local judges set bail amounts to ensure defendents show up in court. Some cannot afford that, so they remain in jail. Our county government gives public money to a local organization to provide bail for inmates. Private organizations should appeal for private donations and manage private funds for this purpose.
Government
1. People should enjoy the fruits of their labor and government should keep taxes affordable for citizens and the businesses which employ and serve us. Government should generally avoid providing services for the few at the cost of the many.
2. The primary mission of our local government is to provide for our safety and security, necessary public infrastructure, and our local environment in accord with the public’s wishes.
3. Government is best which governs least, only where necessary, and at the level closest to the people. Government regulations should be clear, clearly warranted, and not onerous or intrusive.
4. It is not the role of our local officials to speak for us or to legislate on matters over which they have no control and which are assigned to higher levels of government. To do so is an arrogant presumption about the will of the voters.
5. Taxes must be kept sustainable and government finance should be sound, pay as you go, not transferring costs to future generations. Government should avoid short-term "fixes.”
6. There is no such thing as “government money.” Government spending is public stewardship of money which comes from compulsory taxes and fees on private enterprise, individuals and families. We must work whenever possible to reduce the total tax burden.
Individuals and the Private Sector
7. I believe in private enterprise and an "ownership society" in which all people may participate, and where all are judged on their individual merits, rather than as members of groups or collectively.
8. I believe that individuals and minorities, not just the majority, have important rights and those rights must be honored and protected.
9. I believe in private initiative. Government should avoid hindering, funding, or controlling private organizations—and should encourage the growth of non-profit community service groups.
1o. I believe in the following values: individual responsibility, personal faith, mutual respect, healthy families, community service, democratic representation and limited government.
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