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

Jennifer Hill, the executive director of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, monitored the 90-minute meeting. Each candidate gave an opening and closing statement, was asked two questions by Hill and then the floor was 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. “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 attendees that he was “honored and humbled to be here,” noting the meeting was a “great opportunity for democracy in action.” He said after he graduated from 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 48th 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 businessman 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 proposed 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 there are many things that can help small business, including lowering health insurance costs. “If you talk to any small business out there, if they don’t mention workers comp(ensation) 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 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 he favors the circuit breaker proposal, which tests the ability of people on fixed, low and moderate incomes to pay taxes. He believes that three components make up a comprehensive plan.

Renzi proposed a few months ago to cap property taxes at or about the rate of inflation and to make sure 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 ensure voters are getting their fair share locally, noting that right now the 48th 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 more than 800,000 individuals are enrolled in the program.

The senator said the $7 million STAR rebate program is one that takes money away from the taxpayers initially, only to give it back. He said the circuit breaker would be funded from STAR to give money 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?”

Both candidates want host benefits for Oswego. Host benefits are needed for nuclear, hydro or any other type of energy in any community, Aubertine said. He noted low-cost power for residents is great. But he asked the community to consider receiving revenue from the sale of power in lieu of 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 believes the three nuclear power plants in Oswego County allow for energy expansion. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the region to be an energy corridor,” he said.

Both candidates said they would not make a career out of politics. Aubertine’s 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 he and his wife 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” because he is new to the scene.

Renzi told the crowd his campaign has centered on reform 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 the 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. “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.” Renzi pointed out that only 16 percent of Aubertine’s Assembly legislation passed.
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.”
Voters need to be able to distinguish between the two candidates and decide who they want to represent them in Albany, Renzi said. “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.