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LWV League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation

Smart Voter
Onondaga County, NY November 7, 2006 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
Member of the State Assembly; District 119

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Syracuse and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Member Items, STAR Rebates

Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

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’s Freedom of Information Laws. Do you support efforts to make the distribution of these funds public record? Why or why not?*

Answer from Joan K. Christensen:

Yes, I support the public disclosure of the member item funds and have released mine because these are taxpayer dollars. I support a return to the system of member items in the state budget so that each item is fully accountable.

Answer from Jacques Zenner:

Yes

2. What is your view of the STAR tax rebate program? Would you support it as is; increase it; or do away with it altogether? Is it a fair and equitable method of easing the school tax burden for al New Yorkers?*

Answer from Joan K. Christensen:

The STAR program is not fair or equitable, and does not solve the problem of high property taxes. Your home should not be used as a measure of your wealth for taxing purposes. Rebates will not ease the tax burden, but a fair school aid formula would.

Answer from Jacques Zenner:

I support the STAR rebate program and increase it, and it's a fair program.

Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 
  • Original answers for a published Voters Guide were limited 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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Created: January 4, 2007 09:46 PST
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