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The BG/NC Sun | May 12, 2018 • 7
Democratic candidates endorsed for Plattsburgh City Council Two councilors decline to seek re-election By Elizabeth Izzo STA FF W RITER
PLATTSBURGH | The Plattsburgh City Democratic Committee last month endorsed two candidates for seats on the Plattsburgh Common Council. For Ward 6, the Democratic committee has endorsed the former three-term mayor of the Village of Champlain, Jeffery Moore; for Ward 5, Councilor Patrick McFarlin. McFarlin was recently appointed to represent Ward 5 after Becky Kasper resigned in early February. “As a resident of the city, I have always endeavored to contribute to its growth and success,” McFarlin told the local Democratic committee. “As a current member of the Common Council, I am excited about moving forward with the state-awarded Downtown Revitalization grant and the additional economic opportunities it brings to our city. I understand the importance of community and constituent input, and look forward to continuing to advocate for Ward 5.” Moore is a member of the Citizen’s Finance
Advisory Committee and alongside his wife, Sue, has been outspoken about the need to drastically cut expenses to save residents from a double-digit tax increase. “We need to balance the city budget to free up resources so that we can begin to restore failing infrastructure in the city, especially the streets,” Moore said in a statement. “We also owe it to the residents to keep future tax increases within the limits of the tax cap so that the city will remain affordable for all residents. “I believe we can accomplish this without any loss of services by collaborating with the city employees to establish best practices for each department and implementing the efficiencies they develop. “I firmly believe that we can make our city a better place to live and work for everyone with a coordinated effort to improve.” Moore has attended nearly every Plattsburgh Common Council meeting for the last few months. “As chair of the city Democrats, I’m proud to stand behind the endorsements of Patrick McFarlin and Jeffery Moore for the Plattsburgh Common Council,” Plattsburgh City Democratic Committee Chairman Matthew Waite said in a statement. “It’s clear that their focus will be on charting a sustainable future for the city and its
residents, and I have a tremendous amount of confidence in their leadership.”
TWO DECLINE RE-ELECTION BIDS
Two city councilors are declining to seek re-election. Ward 3 Councilor Dale Dowdle, a Republican, is up for re-election this year but he’s declining to run again. “I am not seeking re-election at the end of my term,” Dowdle told The Sun in an email. “(I’m) not seeking re-election based upon plans to snowbird during winter months.” Councilor Joshua Kretser (Ward 6), a Democrat, is also declining to seek another term, and declined to offer a reason. “I will not be seeking re-election this November,” Kretser told The Sun. Neither the city Democratic or Republican committees have yet endorsed a candidate for Dowdle’s seat.
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE PLANS MEET
The Plattsburgh City Republican Committee had not yet formally endorsed any candidates for city council when this edition went to print. The committee tends to endorse candidates within 30 days of the first date for signing designating petitions, per their bylaws, according to local chair Bruce Lawson.
“We plan to meet mid-May,” he said. “We are actively recruiting candidates. I’m optimistic that some or all will be endorsed.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Candidates for the three council seats have from June 5 to July 12 to circulate petitions to get on the ballot. Each candidate must garner five percent of enrolled voters’ signatures for their perspective party. In the City of Plattsburgh, the number of signatures needed varies per ward and per party. In Ward 3, Democratic candidates must secure 37 signatures; while Republican candidates must get 21 signatures, according to the Clinton County Board of Elections. Democratic candidates in Ward 5 must garner 41 signatures, while Republican candidates need 18 signatures. And in Ward 6, 30 signatures are needed for a Democratic candidate and 13 for a Republican candidate. If a primary is needed, it will be held Sept. 13. The Plattsburgh Common Council, as it stands now, is majority-Democratic. From six city wards, four are represented by Democratic councilors. Councilors Peter Ensel (Ward 4) and Dowdle are the only Republicans currently serving on the Common Council. ■
Congressional hopefuls line up behind universal health care, but differ on details Challengers to Rep. Stefanik unanimous in support for government-run model By Pete DeMola EDITOR
acare last year, national polls indicate that health care remains a divisive topic. Fifty-six percent of Americans say the federal government should be responsible for making sure all Americans have health care coverage, up slightly from 52 percent last year and the highest level in 10 years, according to a Gallup poll released last December. But the public is split on if the government should provide that coverage. The same poll revealed 47 percent of Americans favor a government-run healthcare system, while 48 percent favor a system based on private insurance.
palities of paying health insurance premiums. In New York state, 50 percent of Medicaid is paid for at the county level, he said, with upwards of 80 percent of property taxes going to the program in some counties. Moving to a single-payer system, the candidate added, would allow funds to be reallocated to bolster infrastructure. “If we free up those resources, we can have a lot of investment that will drive businesses here and it will also free up entrepreneurs to pursue their goals without fear of a medical bankruptcy,” Nelson said.
PLATTSBURGH | Each of the candidates seeking to take on Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) in this fall’s midterm ‘A BRIDGE’ elections supports a universal health care system. Boyajian stressed the need for bipartisan solutions and But the political hopefuls differ on the called for lowering the age of Medicare buy-in precise details, with some supporting “Medito 55 while allowing pharmaceutical comcare for All,” U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ propanies to negotiate with Medicare to curb posed government-run health care legislation, rising drug costs. and others offering a more gradual pathway “We need to ultimately get to universal to universal coverage. coverage and we have to do it smart and Emily Martz, who supports Medicare for in a way that’s reflective of keeping costs All, spoke of “Two Americas” at a forum down,” he said. at SUNY Plattsburgh on Friday, sharing Like Boyajian, Wilson stopped short of an anecdote about an uncle who developed endorsing Medicare for All and said candimelanoma which metastasized to his lungs. dates must push past ideological litmus tests Insurance covered most bills and he’s now and offer concrete solutions. in remission. “When are we going to stop campaignBut a friend’s husband delayed doctor’s visits ing on what everyone wants to hear and following signs of a heart attack because he talk about the steps that it’s going to take could not afford health insurance. to achieve our goals?” she said. “Finally she convinced him to go,” Martz Wilson said she supports Sen. Chris Mursaid. “At the intake window, he dropped dead of phy’s proposal that would allow businesses a heart attack. We’re the richest country in the and individuals to buy into Medicare as part world. There’s no reason that should happen.” All seven candidates seeking to unseat Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) are calling for of the Obamacare exchanges. Photo by Pete DeMola Six Democratic candidates are running for universal health care access. The “self-promoting system” will drive the nomination for New York’s 21st Conprices down, Wilson said. gressional District. Joining Martz are Don An even 50 percent of Americans approve of Obamacare, “It’s going to be a bridge for where we want to get to.” Boyajian, Tedra Cobb, Patrick Nelson, Dylan Ratigan, according to a November poll. Cobb did not attend the forum on Friday, citing a schedKatie Wilson and Lynn Kahn, a Green Party candidate. Ratigan acknowledged public sentiment and criticized uling conflict. But she has come out in support of Medicare “Single-payer is part of the Green Party platform and of the Democratic Party for not taking the lead on the issue. for All as a pathway. course I support that,” said Kahn. “It’s time to actually solve it,” he said. “For me, the non-negotiable that is that everyone should Ratigan said the phrase “universal” has been politicized, have health care,” Cobb said at a forum in Johnstown in ECONOMIC DRIVER and has endorsed a “national health care system” that inFebruary. “It can be Medicare for All. Or it can be an exIf elected, Patrick Nelson said he would co-sponsor comcludes single-payer among the options. pansion of the (Affordable Care Act). Or it can be Medi“It’s hard to find people who don’t believe that universal panion legislation to Sanders’ legislation. care to 50 and expansion of Medicaid. “The system that will work best for us is Medicare for All access to health care is something that is obvious and nec“We need to stick with those principles and we need to essary to take us from being base barbaric to base civiliza- single-payer health care,” said Nelson. stick with problem-solving so that the outcome is that evtion,” he said. “It’s where we’re going to end up — it’s just Nelson said the legislation would also act as the “single- eryone has health care,” Cobb said. a matter of how long it takes to get there.” greatest” aspect for galvanizing economic development in Democratic primary voters head to the polls on June 26. ■ New York’s 21st Congressional District because universal PUBLIC SPLIT — This story has been abridged for print. To read this story Following numerous unsuccessful attempts by the White health care would allow people to move freely in the work- in its entirety, visit suncommunitynews.com. place — breaking “job lock” that ties people to jobs for health House and the Republican-led Congress to repeal Obamcare benefits — and would relieve cash-strapped munici-