Oct. 14, 2008

Tonello on the issues

Note: John submitted these answers to questions posed by the Star-Gazette for stories that appeared Oct. 12. The Guest View he wrote for the same edition is below.

How do you view the role of state senator, and how do you see yourself filling it?
A state senator's role has traditionally been seen merely as someone who brings cash back to the district. That approach is outdated, partisan, and far too narrow to solve New York's problems. Instead, a senator must take a statewide view toward the budget, economic development, tax reform, education and health care. I will put policy before partisanship and use my background in business and higher education to develop comprehensive solutions that help all New Yorkers.

What can you bring to the position that your opponent cannot?
I will bring a middle-class, bipartisan voice to the state Senate, and reconnect the office to the people I represent, not special interests. As mayor, I've worked across party lines to tackle the toughest problems, including a debilitating deficit. My career has not been in politics, but in paycheck-earning jobs for small businesses, Fortune 500 companies and major universities. My broad experience and outsider's perspective are what's needed in Albany.

What is the biggest issue facing the 53rd District today?
Upstate New York communities all suffer from shrinking populations, aging infrastructures, the lack of good-paying jobs and stagnant housing values. Together, these problems have forced fewer people to pay for police, fire protection, roads and other public services they rely upon. Haphazard and gimmicky state policies must be replaced with comprehensive solutions that address tax reform (not just property taxes), economic development and education so we can draw people back to New York.

What is the biggest issue facing New York state today?
The state's $8 billion deficit is by far the biggest issue because it will impact every man, woman and child. For years, state spending has increased at nearly double the rate of inflation. Cuts are coming, and they will mean less money for health care, schools, roads and bridges, and for investing in the state's future. New taxes are not the answer. I support inflation-fixed spending, more efficient government and an end to special-interest influence.

I'm running for the New York Senate in the 53rd District because I believe the policies of the past 30 years have destroyed New York's ability to compete, crippled our cities and hurt the middle class.

To halt the slide, we must institute broad reforms, including more transparency, collaboration and creative thinking, and far fewer partisan games.

I brought this same approach to Elmira City Hall, and together we have balanced the budget, spurred growth and engaged citizens. We still have a lot of work to do, but if Albany remains unchanged, Elmira and cities like it will continue to struggle.

Thanks to special interests, antiquated election laws and short-term thinking, today 2.5 million New Yorkers are without health care, 500,000 have lost their manufacturing jobs since 1990, barely 65 percent of students graduate high school, and a $6.4 billion state deficit, high taxes and now Wall Street's collapse, are driving away jobs.

The policies of the past 30 years don't work, and I don't trust the people who created and profited from those policies to suddenly see the light and change their ways.

That's why I'll fight for wide-ranging reforms. We must:

• Appoint an independent commission to redraw legislative districts so they're fair. A senate incumbent is as likely to die in office as lose to a challenger thanks to the current gerrymandered districts and special- interests that pour millions into incumbents' campaigns.

• Eliminate member items and use the money for competitive grants so the best ideas, not politicians' best friends, get funded. In 2008, $75 million went to Republican senators' projects; $10 million to Democrats -- despite a 31-29 seat split. Better is a model like Restore New York grants, approved by professionals, not elected officials.

• Rewrite the state's antiquated tax laws. Eliminating all exemptions except those for seniors and veterans would lower Elmira's property tax rate from $17.52 per $1,000 to about $11. We need reform, not Band-Aids.

• Reject any school property tax cap that does not include simultaneous mandate relief, inflation-linked spending guidelines, and financial incentives for boosting graduation rates.

• Institute across-the-board cuts to eliminate the state's deficit. Everyone can manage to give up a little state aid, but it's not fair to gut some programs and ignore others. We also must require the state to implement, among its thousands of often-redundant agencies, the same shared services it encourages for municipalities.

• Revamp Medicaid to shift dollars from costly emergency care to preventive care, and eliminate rules that limit state investment and reimbursements for basic care and clinics. We must pass tort reform to free good doctors from onerous insurance costs and healthy patients from outrageous settlements.

• Invest in comprehensive economic development strategies, not hit-and-miss ones. Passing the Bigger Better Bottle Bill will bring recovery and recycling operations to New York and help the environment, and broadly investing in the green economy will create jobs.

With your support and your vote, we can make it happen.

John Tonello was elected mayor of Elmira in 2005 for a two-year term and was re-elected in 2007 to what is now a four-year term for the job.