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Tuesday, July 1, 2014
BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
About a dozen people were in attendance Monday night at the Lockport Public Library for a meet and greet with state Senate candidate Gia Arnold held by Concerned Taxpayers of Niagara County.
The Holley woman fielded questions from the group and discussed her thoughts on district, state and federal matters, including education, term limits, unfunded mandates, the media and — of course — her Republican primary opponent, incumbent George Maziarz.
"You've got a state that's constantly ranked last in everything," she told the crowd. "And you've got a district that's usually ranked last in everything."
The business owner and mother other three said she's running to improve things so that things are better for her daughters.
"If I'm elected, I'll leave after eight years," she said on the issue of term limits. "The reason they're in so long is — look at the salary they make. You're supposed to have a life back at home."
She called the Moreland Commission a "political ploy" on the part of the governor. The commission was put together to look into potential political corruption in Albany and recently disbanded.
Arnold said she gets frequent questions about her experience. "My experience is being a taxpayer, owning a business and raising children," she said.
Generally speaking, Arnold believes that more decisions should be made on the local level and less made in Albany in Washington. In particular, she mentioned fracking.
"Public input. Public hearings. Public referendums," she said. "People have become apathetic because they don't feel like they have control."
The same has happened in education, she said, adding that there are 111 unfunded mandates on school districts in the state, eating up 90 percent of each school district's budget ... "but we don't get a say because Albany decides."
She believes that all laws should have sunset provisions, requiring them to be looked at periodically to make sure they still make sense. "Revamp it, relook at it and make sure it's still working for who we are."
Saying she opposed graduated income taxes, she also said she felt taxes were too high overall. "If we had lower taxes, businesses would be more likely to look here. Businesses would be more likely to stay here."
Jackie Lampman, who came from Lewiston to attend the forum, said the media is in cahoots with incumbents — and particularly Maziarz. She said she had written a letter to the editor two two newspapers recently and neither would print them.
Arnold said the media and Maziarz both treat her the same; they ignore her. That's going to change, though, she said, because district residents won't continue to stand for it.
One issue that didn't come up — the SAFE Act — has been a staple in Arnold's campaign speeches and on her website. She has chided Maziarz for not fighting hard enough to prevent its passing and subsequent implementation.
Arnold says more meet and greets will be held in the future and she hopes to have public debates against Maziarz.
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scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
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Gia Arnold, left, talks with local residents Monday night at
the Lockport Public Library. (ENP STAFF PHOTO)
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The Holley woman fielded questions from the group and discussed her thoughts on district, state and federal matters, including education, term limits, unfunded mandates, the media and — of course — her Republican primary opponent, incumbent George Maziarz.
"You've got a state that's constantly ranked last in everything," she told the crowd. "And you've got a district that's usually ranked last in everything."
The business owner and mother other three said she's running to improve things so that things are better for her daughters.
"If I'm elected, I'll leave after eight years," she said on the issue of term limits. "The reason they're in so long is — look at the salary they make. You're supposed to have a life back at home."
She called the Moreland Commission a "political ploy" on the part of the governor. The commission was put together to look into potential political corruption in Albany and recently disbanded.
Arnold said she gets frequent questions about her experience. "My experience is being a taxpayer, owning a business and raising children," she said.
Generally speaking, Arnold believes that more decisions should be made on the local level and less made in Albany in Washington. In particular, she mentioned fracking.
"Public input. Public hearings. Public referendums," she said. "People have become apathetic because they don't feel like they have control."
The same has happened in education, she said, adding that there are 111 unfunded mandates on school districts in the state, eating up 90 percent of each school district's budget ... "but we don't get a say because Albany decides."
She opposes Common Core and supports school choice, although she says that funding could be an issue with a voucher system.
She believes that all laws should have sunset provisions, requiring them to be looked at periodically to make sure they still make sense. "Revamp it, relook at it and make sure it's still working for who we are."
Saying she opposed graduated income taxes, she also said she felt taxes were too high overall. "If we had lower taxes, businesses would be more likely to look here. Businesses would be more likely to stay here."
Jackie Lampman, who came from Lewiston to attend the forum, said the media is in cahoots with incumbents — and particularly Maziarz. She said she had written a letter to the editor two two newspapers recently and neither would print them.
Arnold said the media and Maziarz both treat her the same; they ignore her. That's going to change, though, she said, because district residents won't continue to stand for it.
One issue that didn't come up — the SAFE Act — has been a staple in Arnold's campaign speeches and on her website. She has chided Maziarz for not fighting hard enough to prevent its passing and subsequent implementation.
Arnold says more meet and greets will be held in the future and she hopes to have public debates against Maziarz.
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If I lived in her district I would vote for her. Common sense!
ReplyDeleteGood Luck, Gia!