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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Syracuse and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Member Items,
STAR Rebates
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. "007" accounts, better known as member items, account for 200 million in tax payer dollars doled out to individual legislators each year. These pork barrel funds are not covered under New York’s Freedom of Information Laws. Do you support efforts to make the distribution of these funds public record? Why or why not?*
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Answer from William H. Meyer, Jr.:
I strongly support efforts to make records of the distribution of members items available to the public. These funds derived taxpayer money; therefore the public has a right to know where their money goes.
Answer from Albert A. Stirpe, Jr.:
Yes, I believe distribution of member items should be public record. It's often said that the best disinfectant is sunshine, and I believe that all aspects of government should have full transparency. That is the best way to ensure full accountability of all elected officials.
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2. What is your view of the STAR tax rebate program? Would you support it as is; increase it; or do away with it altogether? Is it a fair and equitable method of easing the school tax burden for al New Yorkers?*
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Answer from Albert A. Stirpe, Jr.:
Increasing the program would only require raises in some other taxes to make up for the loss in revenue. We should keep the program as is until we can work out a method of truly lowering the overall per capita tax burden on the citizens of New York. While the STAR program has provided some relief for residential taxpayers, it appears that school districts actually have raised taxes more than they would have otherwise during the existence of the program, offsetting about one-third of the savings (this according to a study from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University).
Answer from William H. Meyer, Jr.:
I support the STAR tax rebate program and believe we can double benefits requiring State budget surpluses to be used for tax relief. While successful, I feel we need to look at more ways to ease the school tax burden for all New Yorkers.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
- Original answers for a published Voters Guide
were limited and are presented as submitted. Candidates have since been
invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
