Incumbent Bob Hunter has played a major role in this dysfunctional city council. Hunter seems to take great pleasure in playing Mayor Tim Lattimore's adversary, and has spent much of the past year targeting the mayor's economic development group (A-CDC), his phone bills, and the order in which the council votes. While Hunter has wrapped himself up tight in partisan politics, he has initiated little in the last year to improve the city or its quality of life.
In fact, Hunter voted to move the times of council meetings to 9 a.m. this summer, making it nearly impossible for anyone who works for a living to attend the meetings. Hunter also supports the council's current meeting time of 5 p.m., which is convenient for city employees, but not the citizens of this community who pay their salaries.
If Hunter will be remembered for anything this past year -besides his attacks on the mayor - it may be that he voted for three tax increases in a six-month span. In December, Hunter voted to raise water rates 15 percent and, in June, he voted to raise sewer rates 19 percent and approved a city tax increase of 3.8 percent.
In order for this city to move forward, Hunter needs to move aside.
Republican Matt Smith is the most impressive first-time candidate in the county, regardless of the race. He has an enthusiasm and pride that this city desperately needs, and a willingness to work with others to improve his hometown. Smith would like to see the city find ways to offer homeowners incentives for fixing up their homes and their neighborhoods. He would like to see council spend more time scrutinizing the reports from the city manager and comptroller, and less time sniping at each other. Smith is concerned about the fees that are often proposed by city manager John Salomone, and also questions decisions made regarding the landfill. And Smith would move the council meetings to 7 p.m. year-round, so that families could come home, have dinner, and then attend the weekly meeting.
Joining Smith on the Republican ticket is Jerry Morgan, who likewise, believes that the city council needs to look closer at the budget and fees being introduced by the city manager, including the city's handling of the budget. As was the case when he ran for Auburn school board, Morgan's fixation with mishandled fund balances can be somewhat dizzying for the rest of us, but his heart is in the right spot; he is an advocate for good government with an above-board approach to money management.
Morgan would like more consistency and fairness from the city's code enforcement office, as he feels he was unfairly targeted by the city this summer. His concerns have helped trigger new discussions on policy and procedure by code officers. And finally, Morgan was the only candidate who had the guts to say it: The city misspent $3,000 of taxpayers money when they paid off the mayor's secretary last year in exchange for her agreement not to sue, and that councilor David Dempsey should have resigned if he had an inappropriate relationship with the secretary which triggered her dismissal, as alleged by the mayor.
Morgan just needs to broaden his campaign, and become more solution-driven on a wider array of issues that concern residents.
Democrat Bill Graney is somewhat soft-spoken and, during the televised city council forum, his presence seemed to be dominated by the three larger personalities running against him. But remember: These four men are looking to be a city councilor, not a television news anchor. Graney has some good ideas for improving the city, and his most important attribute may be his ability to work with others to accomplish goals. Unlike his party's other council candidate, Graney is not a Democrat bent on badgering a Republican mayor. In fact, Graney would like to see more cooperation between the many economic development factions in the city, including more inclusion of the mayor's A-CDC members.
Graney is not afraid to point out that it's time for the members of Auburn's public power agency to step up their efforts and begin taking action; they have been criticized for infrequent meetings and slow progress. All of the candidates agree that cheap municipal power is a major component of any potential economic development in Auburn. Graney is also campaigning on the need to improve the neighborhoods of Auburn, and for the city to look for ways to help code enforcement rid the city of delinquent landlords and homeowners.
In order for the city of Auburn to move forward, it needs optimism and energy on the Auburn city council.
It needs councilors who are not only actively engaged in finding ways to improve the quality of life, but are also scrutinizing the city manager's budgets and proposals.
Whether it's the tax increases, the times of the meetings, or the decision to close city hall early during the summer, Auburn city officials - including incumbent Robert Hunter -have forgotten the people they serve.
It's time for the people of Auburn to remind them.
We endorse Matt Smith and Bill Graney for Auburn city council.
DISTRICT 3
Philip Simkin (D) v. Bernie Smith (R, C, CC)
After 29 years of Herb Marshall, voters in District 3 will have a new representative in county government. Marshall is retiring, and both the Democrats and Republicans/Conservatives believe they have the right candidate to step in to his seat.
Bernie Smith had the toughest road to reach this election of any county candidate, winning an exceptionally competitive primary to become the Republican nominee in District 3. The 31-year employee with the state Department of Corrections did so by feverishly getting out in his district, meeting the voters, and hearing their concerns. He is adamant that the county water authority needs to unify its rate structure for fairness, and that Potter Road residents - left out of the latest project - be addressed.
Smith also believes the district's retiring legislator, Herb Marshall, failed his constituents when Marshall voted to support Gov. George Pataki's land claim deal with the tribes.
If we have any reservation about Smith, it is that he was a bit dodgy early in the campaign about government reform, explaining that he needed to hear from the voters and would let everyone know of his opinion after the election. He has repeated that first-time politicians' mantra - that he will do what the voters tell him - but it's not realistic that Smith will be able to hear from every one of the voters in his district for every vote. He must make his best judgment on behalf of those voters if he is elected. For the record, he has since determined that he would support the creation of a county manager position.
His opponent, Democrat Philip Simkin, seemed a bit lost early in the campaign, and for good reason. He admittedly got into this race late, and has been forced to play catch-up on many of the issues. It doesn't help Simkin's cause that he and Smith agree on many of the major issues; a Democrat in the rural districts needs to find the issue(s) that provide voters with a clear choice.
The Democrat has become better acquainted with each passing week, but time is running out, and in a rural upstate New York district, a Democrat needs to be better prepared if he wants to upset a Republican.
We endorse Bernie Smith for the Cayuga County Legislature in District 3.
DISTRICT 5
Ray Lockwood (R) v. Bill Balyszak (D)
To be blunt, the voters in the Cayuga County Legislature's District 5 have a tough decision to make.
Incumbent Republican Ray Lockwood, who served as chairman for two years, has helped create a fractured, divisive Legislature that voted him out of the chair in favor of Herb Marshall two years ago. We cannot forget Lockwood's troubled times as chairman - when county residents endured 20 and 16 percent tax increases. And if elected, Lockwood cannot fulfill his four-year term, and is doing a disservice to the voters in his district by running for re-election.
He has stated he is running so that he can continue his fight for those in his district who reside in the land-claim area, but the bottom line is he cannot do that for a full term.
In addition, Lockwood would not rule out utilizing a loophole in the local term-limit law, by resigning for a just a few days in order to serve longer than the 12-year maximum dictated by voters.
Bill Bayszak brings the financial skills and political passion we like to see in a county legislator. That said, we have some concerns about him, too
He champions himself as a taxpayer advocate, but would unapologetically accept the free health insurance benefits if elected, which would cost taxpayers thousands (for the record, Balyszak said he would save taxpayers more than enough money to cover his insurance costs).
He would also need to polish his people skills in order to be able to effect change in a 15-member Legislature and beyond, especially as a member of the minority party.
The Democrats already have one belligerent, disgracefully disrespectful representative on the sixth floor.
But we cannot support candidates who cannot complete their terms, and we're vehemently opposed to the idea of circumventing the term limit law approved by voters.
We endorse Bill Balyszak in District 5.
DISTRICT 8
Fran Mitchell (R, C) v. Sjana McClure-Berry (I)
In District 8, voters are determining who will fill the remaining two years of Richard Harrison's unexpired term.
Republican Fran Mitchell was appointed to fill the seat in April and is running to retain the seat. Mitchell is experienced and passionate when it comes to making clear and detailed financial records available to legislators. When speaking with Mitchell, you wonder whether he shouldn't be running for county treasurer rather than legislator. He demands accountability and expects his fellow legislators to work as hard as he does. In fact, he believes his fellow legislators are the problem with county government, not the form of government. He does not believe the county should adopt a county manager, citing that it's another layer of bureaucracy and would take power from the department heads. And Mitchell also recites lawmakers' favorite response when asked about term limits: There are term limits already in place ... elections.
We cannot agree with Mitchell. He expects all legislators to have nearly the same amount of dedication, knowledge and experience as he does, but these are politicians, not accountants. They have varying degree of aptitude and interest. They are elected to represent their people, not to manage the operations of county government, nor should these politicians be managing department heads.
And term limits work in the face of the lopsided political spectrum in rural Cayuga County. Legislative Republicans often run unopposed by Democrats in the outlying towns and villages, and the people are stuck with the candidate selected by a few key people in the party. Voters may not want a candidate in office for more than 12 years, but they sometimes have no choice.
Independence Party candidate Sjana McClure-Berry measures her answers carefully. While she may have more thoughtful, deep-rooted opinions on the problems with state and federal government, we found her to be very informed and well-prepared on many of the issues concerning county government.
Being a crop farmer, she is also attuned to the plight of those agri-businesses in her district and throughout the rural segments of this county.
While we think Mitchell's attention to detail is a real asset to budget planners, his utopian view of county legislators will prevent this government from ever becoming more consistently fiscally responsible - which we know is his goal. McClure-Berry not only has a better grasp on the real deficiencies in county government, she's a passionate activist for the small farm owners.
We endorse Sjana McClure-Berry for the Cayuga County Legislature in District 8.
DISTRICT 9
Steve Cuddeback (R) v. Tom Lennox (C)
Incumbent Republican in District 9 Steve Cuddeback is unapologetic when he admits that he would consider resigning then being reappointed in order to circumvent the term-limit legislation that this county's voters passed. Cuddeback does not believe that a professional manager is necessary for the county, certain that unqualified legislators can do no worse than a manager who may have experience and training in public administration and budget management.
But what may have been the most disappointing aspect in our interview with Cuddeback was to hear him complain about the pay of a legislator, which he - in great detail - pointed out worked out to just a couple dollars an hour when he factored in the time he spent dealing with issues.
It is for that reason that Cuddeback believes legislators deserve free health insurance ... as compensation.
Considering Cuddeback's warped expectation of a public service position, we won't figure him to run for the all-volunteer Moravia school board any time soon. Cuddeback needs to be paid for his time.
That is why we support Tom Lennox in District 9. Yes, Lennox may be most known for his crow hunt and some of his outrageous comments and catch phrases, and we are concerned that this ultra-Conservative does not tolerate a diversity of ideas.
But Lennox knows county government's system is broke, and has no tolerance for those who want to serve for decades in the Legislature.
He speaks straight - when he's not reciting his Lennoxisms - and with conviction and his no-nonsense approach may be just what the backroom dealing Legislature needs. The Conservative may have a difficult time pulling votes from the Republican Cuddeback, but the people in District 9 should vote for someone who is thinking of what's best for the people in his district, not his paycheck.
We endorse Tom Lennox for Cayuga County Legislature in District 9.
DISTRICT 11
Bill Catto (D, C) v. Linda Murphy (R)
In District 11, Bill Catto is trying to defend one of only three Legislature seats which are held by Democrats against a challenge from Republican Linda Murphy. But not only has he spent the campaign defending his seat, but also defending fellow Democrat and county treasurer David Farrell.
Farrell's $655,000 underbilling error - which the county's municipalities have refused to pay - has been nearly everyone's fault except Farrell, according to Catto, who has been a vociferous defender of the beleaguered county treasurer. Why should voters in District 11 be concerned? When Farrell transferred money from the general fund to make up for the deficit, he was using Auburn taxpayer dollars to cover a mistake which should have been charged to towns and villages only. And yet Catto wrote columns and spoke out on behalf of Farrell, proving that Catto will be a Democrat first, a representative of the taxpayers in his district second. It was the same party loyalty which prompted Catto to renege on his promise to voters of only running for one term when elected in 2001.
We took issue with Catto's commitment to government reform when he stepped down as co-chairman of the all-important Government Operations Committee to become Legislature Minority Leader. His committee took 18 months to produce an inadequate proposal which failed before it even reached the floor, a proposal which he rejected. We also would note that while Catto supports legislators paying for a part of their health care, and not receiving lifetime benefits unless they have served at least 20 years ... he receives his free health benefits after spending 27 years in the county's Health And Human Services Department.
Murphy's campaign literature points out that Catto voted against a county manager. But to be fair, while Catto did vote against the watered down proposal in September, Catto said he wants a county manager who will oversee department heads and have more control. And for the record, Catto was one of the only legislators who had the guts to explain their decision before the September vote; Catto is often the only legislator who will express his opinion, regardless of its popularity.
Murphy is committed to making certain that this county changes its form of chairman government, and is a strong believer in term limits. She prides herself on being a good listener, which is something she feels doesn't happen enough on the sixth floor of the Legislature. In addition, she's certain that her district could use a representative that is willing to listen to their needs and does a better job of communicating with them. We believe her experience on the Cayuga County Homeless Task Force, the Cayuga County Child Sex Abuse Task Force, and as children's crisis coordinator for Cayuga Counseling Services, have molded her into a problem-solver within the community; we would suggest that her years of experience in the mental health field will serve her well in the Legislature as well, but we couldn't without smiling:)
We do have concerns about sending yet another Republican to the already unbalanced Legislature (12 Republicans, 3 Democrats), but we believe Murphy is the most impressive of all the first-time Legislature challengers.
And considering Catto's undying defense of his party instead of his constituents, we think it's time for a new voice for the people in District 11.
We endorse Linda Murphy for Cayuga County Legislature in District 11.
DISTRICT 13
Sam DeRosa (R, C) v. Dan Schuster (D, AP) v. Art Wenzel (I)
We cannot support a legislator who would not be able to fulfill his term and seeks to perpetuate the appointment-riddled Legislature. If voters elect Sam DeRosa, they may not be able to elect his replacement. That decision could go to the Legislature, made up mostly of Republicans living outside the district.
DeRosa does deserve credit for being the only legislative candidate who has promised he would not attempt to circumvent the term-limit law by temporarily resigning his office, thus starting the clock on another 12 years of potential service. But the fact that he cannot fulfill the upcoming term is a major strike against his campaign.
While we applaud DeRosa for voting for the scaled-down county manager position in September, the vote had been predetermined and DeRosa's vote was rendered meaningless.
But he has had ample time to prove he supports real reform in county government - he has been in office 16 years - but he has never spoke up. Instead he has lined up to try to get his turn at the $65,000 chairman's salary, which would be eliminated if the county converted to a manager form of government.
We also question DeRosa's commitment to the position. Not only can he not serve out his next term if elected, but DeRosa was looking to leave during his last term.
DeRosa ran for county clerk two years ago, telling editors at The Citizen that his Legislature position didn't pay enough, and he was looking for a salary that compensate him better for his time.
So why bother to run for re-election if the job doesn't pay enough?
Some may wonder whether Art Wenzel has ever met a public office he didn't like.
He is running for Legislature, just two years after running for Auburn mayor.
But Wenzel has had a clear, honest, unfiltered message in this campaign.
He believes in term limits, a county manager, that the county treasurer should have resigned and not be running for re-election and that part-time legislators should not receive free health insurance.
He has made a name for himself with many in this community as a promoter to raise funds for those in need.
To others, he has made a name for himself for his antics and his wardrobe.
Unfortunately, some of that behavior - including embarrassing outbursts - resurfaced at a candidates forum Wednesday night.
We worry that Wenzel would contribute to the lack of decorum often on display at county Legislature meetings.
We're also a bit perplexed. Wenzel seemed to be championing Dan Schuster's candidacy as much as his own at the forum.
We think it's great that Democratic challenger Schuster is running for public office.
The county could use new, unspoiled faces, especially someone like the 26-year-old Schuster, who was born and raised in the county.
We are concerned that Schuster appears to be coached closely by the Democratic Party in this race, and his opinions on certain campaign topics are guarded.
He's been put in an uncomfortable position to defend (or at least refrain from openly criticizing) the party's incumbent county treasurer and he has noticeable uneasiness giving his true opinion on whether treasurer David Farrell should have stepped down.
Schuster's biggest concern with the county government is the committees and their closed-door decision-making practices. While that may be an issue worth addressing within the legislative process, it also sounds like the concern of a minority party which is struggling to be heard in the County Office Building. Schuster would be better served to focus on the issues that resonant with the people in his district (property tax increases, services, jobs, sales tax).
That said, Schuster is on the mark when it comes to several important issues.
He supports the creation of a county manager who would bring needed professionalism. He agrees that the term-limits law passed by voters needs to be preserved.
We believe it's time for a change for voters in District 13.
Schuster is a fresh face who could bring a new outlook to the crusty Legislature.
We endorse Dan Schuster in District 13.
If Hunter will be remembered for anything this past year -besides his attacks on the mayor - it may be that he voted for three tax increases in a six-month span. In December, Hunter voted to raise water rates 15 percent and, in June, he voted to raise sewer rates 19 percent and approved a city tax increase of 3.8 percent.
In order for this city to move forward, Hunter needs to move aside.
Republican Matt Smith is the most impressive first-time candidate in the county, regardless of the race. He has an enthusiasm and pride that this city desperately needs, and a willingness to work with others to improve his hometown. Smith would like to see the city find ways to offer homeowners incentives for fixing up their homes and their neighborhoods. He would like to see council spend more time scrutinizing the reports from the city manager and comptroller, and less time sniping at each other. Smith is concerned about the fees that are often proposed by city manager John Salomone, and also questions decisions made regarding the landfill. And Smith would move the council meetings to 7 p.m. year-round, so that families could come home, have dinner, and then attend the weekly meeting.
Joining Smith on the Republican ticket is Jerry Morgan, who likewise, believes that the city council needs to look closer at the budget and fees being introduced by the city manager, including the city's handling of the budget. As was the case when he ran for Auburn school board, Morgan's fixation with mishandled fund balances can be somewhat dizzying for the rest of us, but his heart is in the right spot; he is an advocate for good government with an above-board approach to money management.
Morgan would like more consistency and fairness from the city's code enforcement office, as he feels he was unfairly targeted by the city this summer. His concerns have helped trigger new discussions on policy and procedure by code officers. And finally, Morgan was the only candidate who had the guts to say it: The city misspent $3,000 of taxpayers money when they paid off the mayor's secretary last year in exchange for her agreement not to sue, and that councilor David Dempsey should have resigned if he had an inappropriate relationship with the secretary which triggered her dismissal, as alleged by the mayor.
Morgan just needs to broaden his campaign, and become more solution-driven on a wider array of issues that concern residents.
Democrat Bill Graney is somewhat soft-spoken and, during the televised city council forum, his presence seemed to be dominated by the three larger personalities running against him. But remember: These four men are looking to be a city councilor, not a television news anchor. Graney has some good ideas for improving the city, and his most important attribute may be his ability to work with others to accomplish goals. Unlike his party's other council candidate, Graney is not a Democrat bent on badgering a Republican mayor. In fact, Graney would like to see more cooperation between the many economic development factions in the city, including more inclusion of the mayor's A-CDC members.
Graney is not afraid to point out that it's time for the members of Auburn's public power agency to step up their efforts and begin taking action; they have been criticized for infrequent meetings and slow progress. All of the candidates agree that cheap municipal power is a major component of any potential economic development in Auburn. Graney is also campaigning on the need to improve the neighborhoods of Auburn, and for the city to look for ways to help code enforcement rid the city of delinquent landlords and homeowners.
In order for the city of Auburn to move forward, it needs optimism and energy on the Auburn city council.
It needs councilors who are not only actively engaged in finding ways to improve the quality of life, but are also scrutinizing the city manager's budgets and proposals.
Whether it's the tax increases, the times of the meetings, or the decision to close city hall early during the summer, Auburn city officials - including incumbent Robert Hunter -have forgotten the people they serve.
It's time for the people of Auburn to remind them.
We endorse Matt Smith and Bill Graney for Auburn city council.
DISTRICT 3
Philip Simkin (D) v. Bernie Smith (R, C, CC)
After 29 years of Herb Marshall, voters in District 3 will have a new representative in county government. Marshall is retiring, and both the Democrats and Republicans/Conservatives believe they have the right candidate to step in to his seat.
Bernie Smith had the toughest road to reach this election of any county candidate, winning an exceptionally competitive primary to become the Republican nominee in District 3. The 31-year employee with the state Department of Corrections did so by feverishly getting out in his district, meeting the voters, and hearing their concerns. He is adamant that the county water authority needs to unify its rate structure for fairness, and that Potter Road residents - left out of the latest project - be addressed.
Smith also believes the district's retiring legislator, Herb Marshall, failed his constituents when Marshall voted to support Gov. George Pataki's land claim deal with the tribes.
If we have any reservation about Smith, it is that he was a bit dodgy early in the campaign about government reform, explaining that he needed to hear from the voters and would let everyone know of his opinion after the election. He has repeated that first-time politicians' mantra - that he will do what the voters tell him - but it's not realistic that Smith will be able to hear from every one of the voters in his district for every vote. He must make his best judgment on behalf of those voters if he is elected. For the record, he has since determined that he would support the creation of a county manager position.
His opponent, Democrat Philip Simkin, seemed a bit lost early in the campaign, and for good reason. He admittedly got into this race late, and has been forced to play catch-up on many of the issues. It doesn't help Simkin's cause that he and Smith agree on many of the major issues; a Democrat in the rural districts needs to find the issue(s) that provide voters with a clear choice.
The Democrat has become better acquainted with each passing week, but time is running out, and in a rural upstate New York district, a Democrat needs to be better prepared if he wants to upset a Republican.
We endorse Bernie Smith for the Cayuga County Legislature in District 3.
DISTRICT 5
Ray Lockwood (R) v. Bill Balyszak (D)
To be blunt, the voters in the Cayuga County Legislature's District 5 have a tough decision to make.
Incumbent Republican Ray Lockwood, who served as chairman for two years, has helped create a fractured, divisive Legislature that voted him out of the chair in favor of Herb Marshall two years ago. We cannot forget Lockwood's troubled times as chairman - when county residents endured 20 and 16 percent tax increases. And if elected, Lockwood cannot fulfill his four-year term, and is doing a disservice to the voters in his district by running for re-election.
He has stated he is running so that he can continue his fight for those in his district who reside in the land-claim area, but the bottom line is he cannot do that for a full term.
In addition, Lockwood would not rule out utilizing a loophole in the local term-limit law, by resigning for a just a few days in order to serve longer than the 12-year maximum dictated by voters.
Bill Bayszak brings the financial skills and political passion we like to see in a county legislator. That said, we have some concerns about him, too
He champions himself as a taxpayer advocate, but would unapologetically accept the free health insurance benefits if elected, which would cost taxpayers thousands (for the record, Balyszak said he would save taxpayers more than enough money to cover his insurance costs).
He would also need to polish his people skills in order to be able to effect change in a 15-member Legislature and beyond, especially as a member of the minority party.
The Democrats already have one belligerent, disgracefully disrespectful representative on the sixth floor.
But we cannot support candidates who cannot complete their terms, and we're vehemently opposed to the idea of circumventing the term limit law approved by voters.
We endorse Bill Balyszak in District 5.
DISTRICT 8
Fran Mitchell (R, C) v. Sjana McClure-Berry (I)
In District 8, voters are determining who will fill the remaining two years of Richard Harrison's unexpired term.
Republican Fran Mitchell was appointed to fill the seat in April and is running to retain the seat. Mitchell is experienced and passionate when it comes to making clear and detailed financial records available to legislators. When speaking with Mitchell, you wonder whether he shouldn't be running for county treasurer rather than legislator. He demands accountability and expects his fellow legislators to work as hard as he does. In fact, he believes his fellow legislators are the problem with county government, not the form of government. He does not believe the county should adopt a county manager, citing that it's another layer of bureaucracy and would take power from the department heads. And Mitchell also recites lawmakers' favorite response when asked about term limits: There are term limits already in place ... elections.
We cannot agree with Mitchell. He expects all legislators to have nearly the same amount of dedication, knowledge and experience as he does, but these are politicians, not accountants. They have varying degree of aptitude and interest. They are elected to represent their people, not to manage the operations of county government, nor should these politicians be managing department heads.
And term limits work in the face of the lopsided political spectrum in rural Cayuga County. Legislative Republicans often run unopposed by Democrats in the outlying towns and villages, and the people are stuck with the candidate selected by a few key people in the party. Voters may not want a candidate in office for more than 12 years, but they sometimes have no choice.
Independence Party candidate Sjana McClure-Berry measures her answers carefully. While she may have more thoughtful, deep-rooted opinions on the problems with state and federal government, we found her to be very informed and well-prepared on many of the issues concerning county government.
Being a crop farmer, she is also attuned to the plight of those agri-businesses in her district and throughout the rural segments of this county.
While we think Mitchell's attention to detail is a real asset to budget planners, his utopian view of county legislators will prevent this government from ever becoming more consistently fiscally responsible - which we know is his goal. McClure-Berry not only has a better grasp on the real deficiencies in county government, she's a passionate activist for the small farm owners.
We endorse Sjana McClure-Berry for the Cayuga County Legislature in District 8.
DISTRICT 9
Steve Cuddeback (R) v. Tom Lennox (C)
Incumbent Republican in District 9 Steve Cuddeback is unapologetic when he admits that he would consider resigning then being reappointed in order to circumvent the term-limit legislation that this county's voters passed. Cuddeback does not believe that a professional manager is necessary for the county, certain that unqualified legislators can do no worse than a manager who may have experience and training in public administration and budget management.
But what may have been the most disappointing aspect in our interview with Cuddeback was to hear him complain about the pay of a legislator, which he - in great detail - pointed out worked out to just a couple dollars an hour when he factored in the time he spent dealing with issues.
It is for that reason that Cuddeback believes legislators deserve free health insurance ... as compensation.
Considering Cuddeback's warped expectation of a public service position, we won't figure him to run for the all-volunteer Moravia school board any time soon. Cuddeback needs to be paid for his time.
That is why we support Tom Lennox in District 9. Yes, Lennox may be most known for his crow hunt and some of his outrageous comments and catch phrases, and we are concerned that this ultra-Conservative does not tolerate a diversity of ideas.
But Lennox knows county government's system is broke, and has no tolerance for those who want to serve for decades in the Legislature.
He speaks straight - when he's not reciting his Lennoxisms - and with conviction and his no-nonsense approach may be just what the backroom dealing Legislature needs. The Conservative may have a difficult time pulling votes from the Republican Cuddeback, but the people in District 9 should vote for someone who is thinking of what's best for the people in his district, not his paycheck.
We endorse Tom Lennox for Cayuga County Legislature in District 9.
DISTRICT 11
Bill Catto (D, C) v. Linda Murphy (R)
In District 11, Bill Catto is trying to defend one of only three Legislature seats which are held by Democrats against a challenge from Republican Linda Murphy. But not only has he spent the campaign defending his seat, but also defending fellow Democrat and county treasurer David Farrell.
Farrell's $655,000 underbilling error - which the county's municipalities have refused to pay - has been nearly everyone's fault except Farrell, according to Catto, who has been a vociferous defender of the beleaguered county treasurer. Why should voters in District 11 be concerned? When Farrell transferred money from the general fund to make up for the deficit, he was using Auburn taxpayer dollars to cover a mistake which should have been charged to towns and villages only. And yet Catto wrote columns and spoke out on behalf of Farrell, proving that Catto will be a Democrat first, a representative of the taxpayers in his district second. It was the same party loyalty which prompted Catto to renege on his promise to voters of only running for one term when elected in 2001.
We took issue with Catto's commitment to government reform when he stepped down as co-chairman of the all-important Government Operations Committee to become Legislature Minority Leader. His committee took 18 months to produce an inadequate proposal which failed before it even reached the floor, a proposal which he rejected. We also would note that while Catto supports legislators paying for a part of their health care, and not receiving lifetime benefits unless they have served at least 20 years ... he receives his free health benefits after spending 27 years in the county's Health And Human Services Department.
Murphy's campaign literature points out that Catto voted against a county manager. But to be fair, while Catto did vote against the watered down proposal in September, Catto said he wants a county manager who will oversee department heads and have more control. And for the record, Catto was one of the only legislators who had the guts to explain their decision before the September vote; Catto is often the only legislator who will express his opinion, regardless of its popularity.
Murphy is committed to making certain that this county changes its form of chairman government, and is a strong believer in term limits. She prides herself on being a good listener, which is something she feels doesn't happen enough on the sixth floor of the Legislature. In addition, she's certain that her district could use a representative that is willing to listen to their needs and does a better job of communicating with them. We believe her experience on the Cayuga County Homeless Task Force, the Cayuga County Child Sex Abuse Task Force, and as children's crisis coordinator for Cayuga Counseling Services, have molded her into a problem-solver within the community; we would suggest that her years of experience in the mental health field will serve her well in the Legislature as well, but we couldn't without smiling:)
We do have concerns about sending yet another Republican to the already unbalanced Legislature (12 Republicans, 3 Democrats), but we believe Murphy is the most impressive of all the first-time Legislature challengers.
And considering Catto's undying defense of his party instead of his constituents, we think it's time for a new voice for the people in District 11.
We endorse Linda Murphy for Cayuga County Legislature in District 11.
DISTRICT 13
Sam DeRosa (R, C) v. Dan Schuster (D, AP) v. Art Wenzel (I)
We cannot support a legislator who would not be able to fulfill his term and seeks to perpetuate the appointment-riddled Legislature. If voters elect Sam DeRosa, they may not be able to elect his replacement. That decision could go to the Legislature, made up mostly of Republicans living outside the district.
DeRosa does deserve credit for being the only legislative candidate who has promised he would not attempt to circumvent the term-limit law by temporarily resigning his office, thus starting the clock on another 12 years of potential service. But the fact that he cannot fulfill the upcoming term is a major strike against his campaign.
While we applaud DeRosa for voting for the scaled-down county manager position in September, the vote had been predetermined and DeRosa's vote was rendered meaningless.
But he has had ample time to prove he supports real reform in county government - he has been in office 16 years - but he has never spoke up. Instead he has lined up to try to get his turn at the $65,000 chairman's salary, which would be eliminated if the county converted to a manager form of government.
We also question DeRosa's commitment to the position. Not only can he not serve out his next term if elected, but DeRosa was looking to leave during his last term.
DeRosa ran for county clerk two years ago, telling editors at The Citizen that his Legislature position didn't pay enough, and he was looking for a salary that compensate him better for his time.
So why bother to run for re-election if the job doesn't pay enough?
Some may wonder whether Art Wenzel has ever met a public office he didn't like.
He is running for Legislature, just two years after running for Auburn mayor.
But Wenzel has had a clear, honest, unfiltered message in this campaign.
He believes in term limits, a county manager, that the county treasurer should have resigned and not be running for re-election and that part-time legislators should not receive free health insurance.
He has made a name for himself with many in this community as a promoter to raise funds for those in need.
To others, he has made a name for himself for his antics and his wardrobe.
Unfortunately, some of that behavior - including embarrassing outbursts - resurfaced at a candidates forum Wednesday night.
We worry that Wenzel would contribute to the lack of decorum often on display at county Legislature meetings.
We're also a bit perplexed. Wenzel seemed to be championing Dan Schuster's candidacy as much as his own at the forum.
We think it's great that Democratic challenger Schuster is running for public office.
The county could use new, unspoiled faces, especially someone like the 26-year-old Schuster, who was born and raised in the county.
We are concerned that Schuster appears to be coached closely by the Democratic Party in this race, and his opinions on certain campaign topics are guarded.
He's been put in an uncomfortable position to defend (or at least refrain from openly criticizing) the party's incumbent county treasurer and he has noticeable uneasiness giving his true opinion on whether treasurer David Farrell should have stepped down.
Schuster's biggest concern with the county government is the committees and their closed-door decision-making practices. While that may be an issue worth addressing within the legislative process, it also sounds like the concern of a minority party which is struggling to be heard in the County Office Building. Schuster would be better served to focus on the issues that resonant with the people in his district (property tax increases, services, jobs, sales tax).
That said, Schuster is on the mark when it comes to several important issues.
He supports the creation of a county manager who would bring needed professionalism. He agrees that the term-limits law passed by voters needs to be preserved.
We believe it's time for a change for voters in District 13.
Schuster is a fresh face who could bring a new outlook to the crusty Legislature.
We endorse Dan Schuster in District 13.
