Village Elections - 2010

The fire station on North Avenue will be the polling location for the Owego Village elections on Tuesday. With polls open from noon to 9 p.m., residents will be voting to fill the position of mayor, clerk / treasurer, and four trustee positions.

Running on the Citizen’s Party ticket is mayoral candidate Rich Watkins, a former village trustee; First Ward trustee candidate Tom Clark; two Second Ward trustee candidates, Ken Smith and Jim Legursky; Third Ward trustee candidate Ann Lockwood, a former trustee; and clerk / treasurer candidate Krista Welch who is being supported by the party but is running independently.

The Citizens Party has built a platform that will support open government, fiscal responsibility and support for local firefighters through a vote on the Owego Fire Department Restoration Act which would reinstate Owego’s terminated firemen.

Running on the Concerned Taxpayers Party ticket is Mayor Edward Arrington; incumbent Third Ward Trustee Grace Thomas; Second Ward trustee candidates Melody Patterson and Nathan Kennedy; First Ward trustee candidate W. Ray Rushing; and clerk/treasurer candidate Rod Marchewka.

Second Ward candidates Nathan Kennedy and James Legursky are running for a one-year term. The remaining seats are all two-year terms. The Concerned Taxpayers Party has built a platform that includes priorities of public safety, economic development, aggressive code enforcement and infrastructure.

The trustee positions earn $2,400 per year, the mayor earns $5,000 per year, and the clerk / treasurer salary is $30,000 per year.

Additional candidates include Justice Party candidate and incumbent Owego Village Justice David G. Boland who will be running to maintain his four year seat. Running against Boland is Hand of Justice Party candidate Richard Kidney. This position pays $19,827 per year.

Earlier in the month, the Owego Pennysaver solicited readers for questions to be presented to mayoral candidates in this year’s election. Thanks to several responses received, along with answers derived from a non-scientific poll on www.owegopennysaver.com, the top issues that readers wanted addressed included taxes, business development and the resolution of issues surrounding the Owego Fire Department. The following responses were received.

From the current Mayor, Ed Arrington

Question 1: What will you do, if elected, to lower taxes in the village?

Answer: We will continue our successful economic development and grant initiatives which will, in turn, increase the village tax base and create jobs. A prime example of the effectiveness of this effort is the ground breaking of CPSI for the Million dollar Renovation at 2 Court St., and working with OFA to return the Old Middle School to the tax rolls.

Question 2: What will you do, if elected, to bring in new businesses that will provide jobs?

Answer: We will continue to be a friend to the business community. We have assisted many businesses in finding expansion funds, thus creating jobs and helping to sustain businesses during these rough economic times. Additionally, we have assisted potential businesses by pursuing grants (such as Restore New York Round 3) and addressing zoning changes, as in the case of the old middle school.

Question 3: What will you do to correct the issues within the fire department and restore morale?

Answer: We are working closely with the chiefs and department officers to insure that all active members have proper training, equipment, are physically fit - thereby creating a safe work environment. Among the majority of active membership, morale is high. Terminating inactive, out-of- town, out-of-state, untrained firefighters, has been viewed as moving forward within the department. As you can imagine, firefighters depend on each other in an emergency to be equally trained and qualified. This can only be achieved by adhering to local, state and federal requirements which are in place for firefighter safety and survival.

From mayoral candidate Rich Watkins

Question 1 - What will you do, if elected, to lower taxes in the village?

Answer: People want a tax break not a tax hike. People are working longer and longer hours. Families can’t afford to buy their first homes and both parents must work to make ends meet. We hope to deliver relief from the heavy burden of village government and let families keep more of their hard earned tax dollars in these tough economic times. We should not be in the business of driving productive workers out of Owego because of high taxes. We pledge to give the people a detailed financial plan for all tax increases, spending increases and spending cuts. We have no interest in raising taxes now.

The budget should be balanced each and every year. This includes bonding of major equipment purchases. The village government must live under the same budget constraints as families and businesses. We must make government more efficient in using our taxpayer dollars. Our government needs to be more responsive to the needs of its constituents and more efficient in delivering services.

We guarantee an honest accounting of the budget with zero based budgeting practices. We pledge to do more with less and reduce the budget when possible. We will hold government accountable for spending. For every dollar proposed for tax increases we will seek two dollars in spending cuts. We will work to increase efficiency in all departments that will lead to cost reductions. We will go "green" when possible, reducing costs. We will limit undue burdens of regulations imposed.

Costs associated with new regulations are the same as taxes but they do not show up in the village budget. That is why we are requiring the costs of any motion for a new regulation to be provided when the motion is made. Some of these regulations do more harm than good. They were drafted for political reasons and they continue to exist for political reasons. Implementing a system of regulatory impact analysis would provide greater accountability and guard against the creation of more politically motivated regulations.

Question 2: What will you do, if elected, to bring in new businesses that will provide jobs?

Answer: First and foremost, taxes must be kept in check to retain current businesses and attract new businesses. The 20 percent tax increases under the present Mayor’s watch are unacceptable and a deterrent for new business and job creation. Second, we believe in "Smart Growth" economic policies that maintain a high quality of life for businesses and residents alike. "Smart Growth" maintains and builds upon our existing business base and infrastructure while aggressively pursuing business development in areas of the Village that makes sense. We will partner with the business community to implement economic development initiatives that make sense to businesses and residents. A "business advocate" will be appointed by the Mayor and Village Board to work directly with our business community.

Question 3: What will you do to correct the issues within the fire department and restore morale?

Answer: We view how the present Mayor and Village Board have handled the termination of our brave volunteer firefighters as an utter disaster. Recent decisions have pitted local government against the fire department. We pledge to create an environment that works with the fire department and has faith in the elected fire chiefs and the Owego Fire Board. They know how best to run the Owego Fire Department, not Village Board. Protecting our citizens is the first and foremost priority of our government. Policies to terminate volunteers risk a "hollow OFD" without enough help to support all OFD functions. A vote on an OFD Restoration Act as follows is needed:

We will stand shoulder to shoulder with OFD and not against it. We will not undermine the Owego Fire Board and its Chiefs.

All past members of OFD terminated under the previous Mayor and Village Board who want to be reinstated will be reinstated.

The Village Charter will be amended to accommodate the OFD’s membership.

The bylaws the fire department previously requested will be passed immediately.

We will require an accurate and comprehensive review of OFD needs by authorizing a blue ribbon panel of past Owego Fire Chiefs to assess OFD issues and needs.

Our goal is for a well equipped, well trained, and high quality Owego fire and emergency squad force. This goal also ensures a place for everyone in the Owego Fire Department who wishes to be a part of it.

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