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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Capital District and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Member Items,
Redistricting,
Opportunity for Youth
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. "007" accounts, better known as member items, account for $200 million in tax payer dollars doled out to individual legislators each year. These pork barrel funds are not covered under New York State's Freedom of Information Laws. Do you support efforts to make the distribution of these funds public record?*
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Answer from Timothy P. Gordon:
Yes. I will fight to bring transparency to our state budget. Presently, our budgets are murky things. There is even no consensus between the leaders as to the total dollar amounts. The budget needs to
become less of a text document and more of a spreadsheet for all to see.
Answer from Martin T. Reid:
Yes, all public monies are to be covered by NYS's Freedom of Information Laws, especially before they are expended.
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2. Legislative district boundary lines are drawn by the legislators themselves and are tied directly to the advantages of party politics. Would you support the establishment of an independent commission as a more open and ethical way to create districts?*
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Answer from Martin T. Reid:
Yes, an independent, bi-partisan commission answerable only to the U.S. Attorney General's Civil Rights Division. I would add that I would like an equal number of political scientists to lawyers on such a commission.
Answer from Timothy P. Gordon:
Yes. Legislative districts most often are drawn to give incumbents an advantage. This is one of the biggest flaws in our democratic system. We can fix this for the next redistricting in 2012.
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3. Amid the recent reports that more and more young people are leaving upstate cities for better opportunities, what would you propose to reverse this trend?*
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Answer from Martin T. Reid:
We have to cut spending and taxing in New York State to create a climate for businesses to grow and opportunities for advancement to be made available. Young adults are leaving the State for jobs that we should be able to provide here in New York State. Let's reform workers compensation, simplify tax codes, lower energy costs and provide advanced training and education to young adults to compete in the workplace.
Answer from Timothy P. Gordon:
Taxes are driving people and business out of our state and lessening economic opportunities.
We can change that. To keep billions of dollars in our local economies and create significant good jobs, New York can and must become a world leader in the development, production and use of renewable energy.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
- Original answers for a published Voters Guide
were limited to 50 words and are presented as submitted. Candidates have
since been invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
