Archive: Opinions

While the US Supreme Court Justice choice captures attention, our local Town Justice choice affects our lives most closely.

A vote for Maura Kennedy-Smith on November 6th is a vote for independence, experience and fairness, for the safety of ALL Town of Lansing residents and those visiting our town. Let your vote, and your voice, be heard.

Maura Kennedy-Smith (maura-kennedy-smith.org) has been a lawyer for 19 years (B.A. from Cornell, J.D. from New York University School of Law), teaches law at TC3, and currently serves as the Principal Court Attorney to the Honorable Joseph R. Cassidy, Tompkins County Court Judge and Acting Supreme Court Justice. She's handled family law, housing law, criminal law, and other specialty areas. Maura is a native of Tompkins County and is intimately familiar with the relevant county-wide programs and legal services designed to assist anyone going through a court proceeding. Her entire legal career has been devoted to public service.

Why does it matter? In addition to having a part-time role, our Lansing Town Justice serves us all 24-7, available to be called for arraignments, hearings and trials regarding issues like drunk driving, setting bail, small claims, neighbor disputes and domestic violence.

When we go to a doctor or pharmacist, we trust that their professional training will serve our health, safety and well-being. We should expect nothing less from our Town Justice. An elected position is essentially a job application for a specific role, and each voter gets to CHOOSE which candidate credentials will serve us best.

Make a definite plan to vote on November 6, 6AM-9PM, or if you can't get to the polls, it's easy to apply for an absentee ballot (the Town Clerk has applications, or call the TC Board of Elections, 274-5522 to have one sent to you.)

Mike Koplinka-Loehr
Lansing, NY

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