Auerbach, who says he operates with a skeleton staff, is currently interviewing candidates.
Hello, Georgie
Assemblyman George Amedore of Rotterdam in Schenectady County, Republican candidate for state Senate in the new 46th Senate District, paid a courtesy call on the Ulster GOP executive committee last week. Lucky guy, he may be in a can’t-miss situation as far as local Republicans are concerned. “He’s the only declared candidate,” noted county Republican Chairman Roger Rascoe of Shawangunk. As the best choice, Amedore was duly endorsed.
Two and a half terms in the downtrodden assembly minority doesn’t offer much of a resume, but Republicans are worried about next year. By competing in what appears to be a tossup district, Amedore might be the difference in Republicans retaining their narrow hold over the state senate. Amedore, I’m told, is already shopping for a campaign headquarters somewhere in the Kingston Stockade district. There’s plenty of space available.
For those who grumble about having a state senator far removed from Ulster— as though Orange County senators Bill Larkin and John Bonacic weren’t far enough away — some blame has to accrue to the powerful incumbents just mentioned. Faced with enhancing Ulster’s influence, the two senate dons chose instead to consolidate their Orange bases.
Meanwhile, a Democrat has yet to announce. Perhaps he or she, like Auerbach, is waiting for final redistricting — which could come this week.
The Democratic county committee will meet in special session next Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at Hillside Manor in Kingston to elect a chairman to replace Julian Schreibman. If district lines are finalized by Monday, the committee is also expected to endorse candidates for state legislature and Congress.
Schreibman resigned in January to run for Congress. City Democratic Chairman Frank Cardinale and former Town of Ulster supervisor Nick Woerner have been making the rounds, to mixed receptions. John Parete, the former Democratic chairman credited with winning the legislature for his party in 2005, joined the fiddlers 23 (to paraphrase an old Harry Thayer pejorative) this year as a legislator from Olive. He is considered a reluctant candidate for chairman. Maybe he just wants to be coaxed.
Rockin’ Robin
Former county Republican chair Robin Yess’ latest launch on Terry Bernardo rehashes issues raised — and resolved — by the legislature’s Republican caucus last December. Yess, who can’t seem to take no for an answer, is again bringing her rival to task for hiring out-of-county attorney Langdon Chapman as county legislative counsel. The GOP caucus voted 12-0 for Chapman in January, the legislature 20-2 with one absent. Attacks on the hiring of former Greene County IDA economic development specialist Sandy Mathes as a financial advisor to the legislature were at least timelier.
Yess’s rear-guard action follows similar criticism of Chapman and Mathes by former legislature chairman Bill West of Woodstock, whose scathing letter to the county GOP committee was discussed by the party’s executive committee, with Bernardo in attendance, last week. Nobody called for anybody’s ouster.
Fact is, Bernardo is in charge for as long as she commands a majority in the legislature.
Trolling for quarters
With a minimum of grumbling, residents seem to have absorbed the 50-cent increase (25 cents for E-Z Pass customers) the state Bridge Authority decreed in January. The increase, the first since 2000, is projected to last just six years, according to bridge authorities.
It could have been worse. When the mid-Hudson bridge opened in 1930, the charge was 80 cents, one-way, extra for passengers and animals. The Depression-era toll, adjusted for inflation, would be about $13 these days. The average worker, if he or she had a job, was probably earning about $100 a month (in Depression-era dollars).
Meanwhile, the Thruway Authority, another Hudson River span owner, has gone mum on future toll increases. That calls to Thruway PR have gone unanswered suggest something may be in the works. There, the question isn’t how much, but when. With a massive $5 billion price tag for a new Tappan Zee Bridge, tolls could easily double from the current $5 round trip. As Tappan Zee revenues account for a big hunk of Thruway tolls, a sharp increase on road traffic is inevitable.
There is some good news in all this red ink. Kevin Cahill, snugly settled in one of the safest upstate Democratic seats in the Assembly, will drop Wawarsing and pick up Red Hook under the likely reapportionment plan.
As such, it is said, Cahill will limit contributions to $1.50, the bridge fare between Ulster and Dutchess.
Looking forward to a primary contest that will include Joel Tyner. It is this very critical time BEFORE the election that educates the citizenry, reveals policy and shapes it. Fracking is a serious quality of life issue in the valley and nobody better to make sure that issue stays front and center than Tyner.