Archive: News

	listen Note: The debate took two hours so the sound file may take some time to load, depending upon your Internet connection speed.

Lansing 2009 DebateResidents came out to the Lansing Community Center Sunday for a debate between Lansing's Town Board and County Legislator candidates.  Republicans Doug McEver and Robert Cree faced off against Democrats Kathy Miller and James Mason for Town Board, and County Legislature incumbent Mike Sigler (Republican) was challenged by Democrat Pat Pryor.  The questions came from the audience, and were read by moderator and former Town Supervisor Steve Farkas.

Most of the questions were directed at Town Board candidates.  Major issues included possible natural gas drilling, budgeting, development, and the need to attract business to Lansing to relieve the tax base.  Much of what was said was covered in Lansing Star interviews over the past two weeks (Click here for detailed exclusive interviews), but some new questions were put to the candidates.


Candidates were asked how many Town Board meetings they have attended in the past six month.  Miller attended all six, as well as being a part of the Town center Committee.  Cree attended two, and also two Planning board meetings.  Mason and McEver attended three.

Democrats criticized the format of the Town budget, saying that with no narrative it is not clear where the money is going.  Deputy Town Supervisor Connie Wilcox (also a Democrat) explained that the budget format must meet State Comptroller requirements, and the only solution would be to produce two versions, duplicating services at extra taxpayer expense.


"Well, you know what?" Miller said. "Maybe it's worth it.  Maybe it's worth it for the town to have that information."

Candidates were asked whether they would accept 20% less than the current salary for serving on Town and County boards.  All said they would, and Sigler noted that he had been fighting to legislate a 7% decrease in County Legislator salaries with opposition from his colleagues on the board.

The discourse was civil and ordered for most of the two hour session.  Candidates seemed relieved when they ran out of time before they would have been asked to lob questions at each other.  Cree's top issues were development, sewer, drilling, and the town finances.  McEver stressed health care for town employees, drilling, standalone sewer systems, and growth.  Mason's top issues were drilling, flooding, and sewer.  Miller said that development and planning are on the top of her priority list.


When Sigler was asked what his top issues are in the County he mentioned a recent DEC decision to make local health departments the lead agency in enforcing environmental standards for natural gas drilling.  He said he would fight to make sure that the fees collected by the State agency were paid to the local health department to avoid another unpaid mandate.

Pryor was the most aggressive candidate, challenging Sigler on his involvement in the community, and things heated up in her closing statement when Pryor took Sigler to task on his meeting attendance record.  Sigler was given leave to rebut her accusations, but she wouldn't let him speak, talking over him as he tried to explain.  Sigler has gone on the attack since then, noting that during his term on the Legislature taxes have been contained, while taxes rose significantly when Pryor was on the Ithaca City Common Council.

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