League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc.
Saratoga, Schenectady County, NY November 2, 2010 Election
	James Tedisco Answers Questions Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 110

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What measures do you support to save existing jobs and create new jobs in New York State?

I’m calling for tax credits, breaks and incentives for businesses that hire unemployed New Yorkers and are willing to provide employee health insurance. We also need to provide tax credits for businesses who will agree to maintain and expand jobs for designated periods of times. If we give employees the confidence that they’ll have a job they’ll invest in our economy and then we can start to turn things around. That’s why I authored the first property tax cap legislation this decade, the “New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act.” I also support workers comp reform and a permanent Power for Jobs program which supports 240,000 jobs in 440 businesses and not-for-profit organizations across NYS. As the sponsor of the Alternative Fuels Incentive plan to invest in long-term, environmentally-friendly solutions to our energy needs and create green jobs.

2. How do you think New York can best deal with upcoming unsustainable deficit budgets?

If New York was really committed to fiscal responsibility, we wouldn’t be the second highest taxed state in the nation. That’s why I created the “New York State Tax-Free Budget Pledge.” I’ve asked legislators to put their promises in writing by signing this pledge. We need to curb and cap spending and reduce the size of government. That’s why I authored a truth in borrowing law to inform voters of the total cost of any borrowing the Governor and or Legislature seek. Just like you and I are held accountable for our household budgets, state government needs to be held accountable for their’s. I want to require a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature for significant tax increases and “one shot” expenditures. It’s time to limit state borrowing that pushes more debt onto future generations. And we must seriously go after the billions of dollars of Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse.

3. What reforms would you propose to address inadequate campaign finance rules and enforcement in New York?

I’ve authored legislation (A.6652) to end the practice of bundling -- sidestepping individual campaign contribution limits by having an intermediary gather contributions from other individuals and then delivering them all to a candidate in such a way that earns the intermediary the credit for soliciting the funds without counting against his or her personal limit. If campaign finance reform is defined as an effort to limit the influence that money plays in politics, then the discussion cannot be had without addressing the practice of bundling. I’m also calling for full disclosure of political contributions and relationships. We need election law reform so that candidates’ outside income and any relationships they may have with the state are totally transparent and where we have full disclosure of any contributions that are received. This full disclosure and transparency should also apply to attorneys who seek elected office.

4. What reforms would you support for the redistricting process?

Absolutely!! Yes!! I’m the author of redistricting legislation (A.6721) to create legislative districts based on common communities and not political power blocks. Free, fair open and competitive elections are at the heart of the democratic process. In spite of this fact for too long election maps in this state have been drawn up behind closed doors motivated entirely by parochial concerns that have little if anything to do with effective representation for the people of New York State. I’ve also signed New York Uprising’s reform pledges that includes redistricting reform.

5. Would you support a cap on property taxes and, if so, how do you think school districts can deal with the decrease in revenue?

Yes. In 2007, when I introduced the Property Taxpayers Protection Act (A.2796) to cap property taxes, no one wanted to talk about real property tax reform. Now a tax cap is on the cusp of becoming a reality. The beauty of a tax cap is it enables local voters to override a cap at anytime if they believe it necessary for their schools. A tax cap to put a lid on high property taxes is just a first step -- we need to cut the taxes that are in place via a circuit breaker tax cut to help those who pay high property taxes as a percentage of income. We must eliminate the unfunded state mandates that cause local property taxes to soar. As a former teacher, I know the challenges teachers face and that’s why I will continue to advocate for fair funding for upstate schools. I support reforming the state’s school aid formula to enhance local control of how state money is spent. Right now we have is a one-size fits all approach that ties the hands of our schools.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 29, 2010 13:26
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