There was standing room only at the Tavern on the Lock in Fulton Thursday evening as 48^th Senate District candidates incumbent Darrel Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, and Dave Renzi, R-Watertown, held their first town-hall style meeting to answer questions from area constituents.

The meeting was monitored by Jennifer Hill, the executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Each candidate gave an opening and closing statement, was asked two questions by Hill and then the floor opened to the public.

“This speaks volumes, the fact that we have this kind of a crowd here for this kind of occasion,” Aubertine said in his opening statement, noting that a great deal is riding on the November election. “I am pleased to have been given the opportunity just a matter of months ago to represent what I am assuming is most people in this room … It really has been a privilege to go to Albany and take our issues, issues that are of concern to us and put them forward in Albany.”

Renzi began the night by telling the crowd that he was “honored and humbled to be here,” noting the meeting was a “great opportunity for democracy in action.” He said after school he worked in Albany for the governor’s legislative secretary, noting he gained knowledge about the internal working of Albany politics.

“But there’s problems upstate, there’s problems in Oswego County and there’s problems throughout the 48^th District,” Renzi said. “Basically what they come down to is poor economic outlook and taxes which are out of control.” The Watertown attorney said he wanted to focus on his ability to be an advocate for the region and for change to make sure constituents are treated fairly in Albany.

Both of the candidates believe that a lot more needs to be done to help small businesses grow in Oswego County and throughout the rest of the Senate district. Renzi pointed out that he is a small business man himself, running a law firm with only four employees. “What we need to do is simplify state government. Right now what seems to be happening is state government seems to be out of control and over regulating everything,” he said. Two weeks ago Renzi put out a proposal to provide tax credits to companies and small businesses that keep and create new jobs in the area. “Really all that does is lift the entire economic engine for the state of New York.”

Aubertine said that there are many things that can be done to help out small business in the state, including doing everything possible to lower the costs of health insurance. “If you talk to any small business out there, if they don’t mention workers comp and health insurance as one of their top three priorities, I can’t imagine what business they’re in,” he said, noting it is important to make a “better economic climate for small business.”

The senator told the crowd that he voted for Gov. David Paterson’s 4 percent tax cap on school property taxes, but noted that this is only one-third of the equation. “It’s not out there to lower your taxes, it’s out there to cap your taxes at a 4 percent growth. In my opinion that’s not good enough,” he said. Aubertine also said that mandate relief is necessary and that local officials need latitude to be able to help improve their school districts and communities.

Aubertine also stated that he is in favor of the circuit breaker proposal, which tests the ability of people on fixed, low and moderate incomes to pay taxes. He believes that the three aforementioned items makes up a positive comprehensive plan.

Renzi said that he proposed a few months ago to cap property taxes at or about the rate of inflation and to make sure that there are no unfunded mandates. He said if there are unfunded mandates, then the Legislature needs to pay for them, not the taxpayers.

The attorney wants to make sure that voters are getting their fair share locally, noting that right now the 48^th District is not. He also criticized Aubertine for being a proponent of the circuit breaker proposal.  “The bottom line is with that circuit breaker program it’s going to gut the STAR rebate program as we know it today,” Renzi said, noting that more than 800,000 individuals are enrolled in the STAR program, which reduces the amount of taxes low to moderate income homeowners pay for their school taxes.

The senator said that the STAR rebate program, which costs $7 million to administer, is a program that takes money away from the taxpayers, only to give it back at the end of the year. He said the circuit breaker would be funded from the STAR program and the money would be given back to the people.

Dr. John Kares Smith of SUNY Oswego posed the first question regarding the nuclear power plants. “Are we going to finally get significant host benefits so that those of us that have to be confronted with the possibility of the dangers of nuclear power get very significant financial relief other than just jobs?”

Host benefits are needed for nuclear, hydro or any other type of energy in any community, Aubertine said. He noted that if residents can get lost cost power, that would be great. He asked the community to consider receiving revenue from the power sold instead of obtaining low cost power. “We can use revenue to offset taxes, we can use revenue to improve our infrastructure, we can use revenue to draw other jobs to the community,” he said.

Renzi said he is in favor of host benefits and low cost energy for those living in Oswego County. He also believes the three nuclear power plants allow for energy expansion. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the region to be an energy corridor,” he said. “We’ve to make sure we’ve got someone there that is effectively speaking out it, that’s going to committee meetings … that’s what I’ll do, I’ll be loud, I’ll make sure our region is spoken for.”

Kevin Conley of Volney asked each of the candidates if they were planning on making their position in the Senate as a career or if they were there to serve the people. He also wondered if they would be able to “stand up to special interests and challenge the status quo.”

Aubertine said he did not look at his seat in the Senate as a career. He said his philosophy “is about people and not politics. It always has been and always will be.” The senator said most recently his vote for the tax cap angered the teacher’s union and they pulled their support for him. Renzi said that if he is elected, this will not be a career for him either and that he and his wife spoke about this and they have “no problems with term limits.” He believes he can bring more energy to the table and that he “does not owe anything to anybody except the people in this district.”

The conversation then focused on reform in Albany and turned a little less cordial. Renzi said his campaign has centered around reform and change in Albany. “Right now, I think we need someone in the Senate that is going to stand up on the floor and speak regularly … I would respectfully submit to Sen. Aubertine that hasn’t occurred over the last six months … we’ve checked the records, Sen, Aubertine has only spoken for eight minutes total in six months on Senate floor.”

Reform is one of the things he championed while in the Assembly, Aubertine said, noting he helped sponsor reforms that made a difference in that house concerning debate. “As far as being a voice in Albany or anywhere else for that matter, I guess I can be looked at as more of a work horse than a show horse,” he said, noting everyone has their own way of getting things done and that he produced more legislation than most of his colleagues while in the Assembly. “It wasn’t about being the most vocal or being the most red-faced. It was about talking to people, making coalitions, reaching to people and getting things done.”  

In closing, both of the candidates thanked Hill, the chamber of commerce and all of those in attendance. “You certainly have given me a lot of food for thought,” Aubertine told the crowd. “I will take the issues that you have raised and address those issues in Albany. I will represent you and your families as I have in the past several months.”

Renzi told the attendees that the evening “had been a great exercise in democracy.”

He said that voters need to distinguish between the two candidates and decide who they want to represent them in Albany. “I’ve tried to demonstrate, I believe, the passion that I bring to the table and the willingness to be an effective fighter and that’s what I’ll do,” he said.

More forums between the two candidates and voters will be held throughout the Senate district from now until November.