Archive: Opinions

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November 8th is election day.  I have had an interesting month or so, interviewing candidates and attending events.  A week ago Connie Wilcox had a meet and greet event at the North Lansing fire station.  Wednesday she joined the three Democratic candidates for a meet and greet at the Lansing Town Community Center.  Neither event was particularly well attended, but they gave the candidates to talk one on one with the voters who did come. 

A number of people at Wednesday's event told me they were disappointed that all the candidates were not present, and also that they had expected a formal program.  In fact there was a frantic effort to organize a debate over the past week and a half, but most of the people involved in that effort agree that it wasn't started soon enough to insure that it could happen.

When the League of Women's Voters said they would be unable to participate in a Lansing debate, Democrat Hurf Sheldon tried to put one together.  He invited all the candidates and reserved a venue.  One candidate could not come and did not want to be represented, and another withdrew in support.  Sheldon did everything he could to try to make the debate happen, but it wasn't to be.  There is talk of organizing a debate much earlier next year independently of the League.

My two cents: not having a debate was a great disservice to Lansing voters.  In every other venue when a candidate can't make it either a statement is read, a representative is sent, or they just aren't there.  People understand that life happens.  While I sympathise with those who felt it would be unfair to hold a debate without all the candidates, I don't agree.  I think Hurf Sheldon deserves great thanks for what he did behind the scenes to try to make a debate happen.

Meanwhile both parties are mailing postcards to their supporters.  The Lansing Lions Club plans its annual pre-election pancake breakfast on Sunday, and the North Lansing Auxiliary will have its famous election day dinner and supper Tuesday.

I overheard residents asking about taxes, sewer, hydrofracking, and a plethora of issues Wednesday.  While it was not especially well attended it was a lively affair, focused on issues facing Lansing over the next four years.

So who am I going to vote for?  Nice try!  The Star doesn't endorse candidates, but we do try to provide a balanced venue for candidates to tell their own stories.  While the parties are trying to get out the vote among their base supporters I am hoping that everyone will have another look at the interviews of candidates running for contested positions we have been publishing over the last five weeks and choose the best ones, rather than just voting a party line.

The most important thing is that you really do vote.  It's not hard.  It's close to your home.  Sure, it takes some time, but not a lot of time.  It's the best investment you can make in Lansing's future, especially now.

People asked candidates about taxes Wednesday, but town taxes are not that big a piece of what property owners have to ante up every year.  And they are going down significantly this year, probably by 15%.  But there are three issues facing the Town right now that are going to determine what our town is like for decades into the future.

1) With the AES Cayuga power plant's value falling like an avalanche, homeowners are having to pay more.  The power plant is the biggest taxpayer, accounting for more than 8% of the school levy, and a chunk of our county, town, fire, and library taxes.  The less they pay the more you pay.  And they are paying much, much less.

That said, we need more businesses in town to make up the difference, or even to exceed it.  The Town Center initiative is the key to doing this.  With retail, professional, and light industrial businesses mixed with various kinds of housing, the town center could not only be a very nice focus for the town, but could literally save residents tax dollars.  For some that could mean the difference between affording to stay in Lansing or not, but it will help all of us, not just some.  The people who get elected are the ones who will ultimately decide how and how fast that gets done.

2) Sewer.  It is key to the town center initiative, and it is long overdue.

3) The impact of hydrofracking on Lansing could be enormous.  At the moment we are a sleepy rural town on a beautiful lake that attracts tourists and is a great place for children to grow up.  All that is in jeopardy.

When I drove through Pennsylvania a month or so ago I was aghast at what I saw.  There was too much truck traffic on small rural roads, terrible roads, a lot of dust.  Every billboard I saw was aimed at drilling companies, trying to sell them gravel or some other product or service.  I didn't even get close to a well -- this was just the peripheral consequences.  Pennsylvania didn't do enough to protect itself by regulating drilling.  If Lansing follows that unfortunate example, our beautiful township is going to look a lot different.  I am not necessarily saying there should be no drilling here, but if it is not propely regulated we might as well just raze the countryside ourselves as far as I'm concerned.  We need address this now, before it is too late.

To me, those are the big three.  They are big, they are important, and they are all three iminent.  It;s not too late to find out who these candidates really are and what they want to do if elected.  Please do that, and take the time to vote.  I know it's not a sexy, juicy presidential election year.  But this election is important.

As always we will post the results late Tuesday night as soon as we get the count from the Board Of Elections.

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