Election Day is November 4: Our State-Wide Races

Next Tuesday we will be electing or re-electing the Governor, Comptroller and Attorney General of New York. Each office is crucial for us, our fellow residents and for the well being of our great state. Each office holder has his or her own responsibilities, works with the other two, the New York State Legislature and with the many cities, towns, villages and communities which make up our great state. In this year’s election we have candidates with distinct ideologies, strengths and weaknesses. Each candidate truly feels that their views are shared by a majority of the voters. In voting please check are their positions and compare them to how you view our government.

The candidates are:

FOR GOVERNOR:

Andrew Cuomo- He is the candidate of the Democratic and Working Families Parties In his four years as Governor, Andrew Cuomo, he has worked closely with the New York State Legislature. Each year a budget was negotiated and enacted on time. He has fought for and has succeeded in having a balanced budget. He has had enacted legislation for Marriage Equality and for other social issues. He hopes to have his Ten Point Women’s Rights legislation enacted in 2015.

Rob Astorino- Rob Astorino is presently Westchester County Supervisor. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2013.As the candidate of the Republican and conservative parties his ideology and views are very conservative. The Tea Party, which is not on the ballot, supports him. He is anti-choice when it comes to a woman’s right to choose, he opposes the Ten Point Women’s Equality Legislation. He favors what he considers to be a stricter economy.

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor has been getting traction in this race although is not expected to do better then third place. He is presenting himself as the more liberal candidate. He favors a State funded full employment program which would be locally planned and executed. He feel that corrution needs to be weeded out more than it is at this time. He is opposed to common core.He hopes to gain the third line on the ballot for future elections by receiving more votes than the Conservative Party.

COMPTROLLER

Thomas P. DiNapoli is the incumbent. He is the Democratic and WFP candidate. He is seeking his second full term as Comptroller having succeeded Alan Hevesi who resigned because of corruption charges. DiNaopli has done well in protecting the NYS Pension System. He has fought off attempts to change it. He has received accolades for working with the Attorney General to ferret out corruption at all levels. His audits have proven successful in disclosing corporate corruption.

Rob Antonacci is the Republican and Conservative Party lines. He is presently the Comptroller of Onondaga County. He has received accolades for his desire to bring accountability to all levels of government. In his debate with the incumbent he was viewed as very affable and well meaning candidate. He plans to change the way the pension system is presently administered.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

ERIC SCHNEIDERMAN the incumbent is the candidate of the Democratic and Working Families Party. He has received stellar reviews for his crackdown on corruption both by elected officials and by corporations. He has fought for and received reimbursements for consumers when a company has done wrong and violated the public’s interest. He has defended reproductive choice and keeping guns off the street.

John Cahill is the candidate of the Republican Party. His major theme is that the Attorney General should be more independent of the political structure in Albany. He feels that larger settlements in actions against financial companies is needed. He also feels that non-profit organizations need closer scrutiny.