The Orleans County Democratic Committee is proud to announce their endorsements of the following candidates:

• Kathy Hochul – New York State Governor
• Adrienne Adams – Governor
• Tom DiNapoli – State Comptroller
• Letitia James – State Attorney General
• Tom Arida – State Senate
• Sarah Wolcott – State Assembly
• Alissa Ellman – New York 24 Congresswoman
• Anne Joynt – State Supreme Court
• Craig Bucki – State Supreme Court
• Marlene Seielstad – At Large Legislator for Orleans County
• Fred Miller – County Legislator

These candidates have the experience, integrity and practical vision needed to address the key issues affecting our county, state and country. We believe that they are the best people to move us forward.

We encourage everyone to learn more about these candidates and their views.

Please join us in supporting them on November 3rd with your vote.

Sandra Walter

Democratic Committee member

Editor:

Rural communities must fight for themselves.

Since the quality of life has deteriorated since the early ’80s, new and bolder capitalist answers are needed. Not everything is socialist just because some robber baron pays for advertising, or Hub contributor, says it is. Structure, math and competition are quantifiable.

Our farmers are being hurt by the huge costs of diesel and fertilizer. Ending tariffs quickly with Canada – before it signs contracts with its new trade partners – is part of the answer.

Tax breaks to entice companies to relocate to New York are unfair to rural areas. Rural areas can only match the dollar amount rebated by urban areas if they give up a larger proportion of the property tax dollars they collects. Dollar for dollar it costs more.

The cuts to Medicare/Medicaid and forcing rural hospitals, ERs and Well Care Centers to treat more people without insurance. This means spending is in the red. (Some entire states, like New York, are hurt because good health care is a good way to keep people with small kids employed.)

Farm workers need a better way to stay here and work the fields or do the other low paying jobs typically filled by first generation immigrants. Talents we need, we need to attract and keep. (Canada and others have active relocation programs for researchers and university professors.)

In the early ’60s the County and Albion plan for expansion between the tracks and canal. Some communities with foresight have done this. Just because local governments can be clueless those communities should not suffer. New thinking is needed.

Recently a Hub op ed claimed “progressivism” was sneaking into “common man” Democratic politics. As with many polemic political nostrums it was fully backwards.

In fact, there have been 9 “progressive” parties since Teddy Roosevelt; 4 were Republican based and 1 was Democratic based. Historically the term “Progressivism” involved a concern over the socio-economic challenges produced by “Robber Baron” capitalism as defined by selfish elites, political corruption, and the concentration of corporate power. Several of the 9 had their roots in farm, rural, labor, and “common man” issues.

Rural problems are unique. The current Federal Administration is actively hurting rural areas. Bold action is needed to address deceitful “Robber Baron” self interest which is indifferent to what it destroys.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

In the nearly two years of governance, Republicans have broken trade agreements, threatened our allies, forced through tariffs, gave the wealthy deep tax cuts and created extraordinary corruption, while cutting funds for healthcare, food assistance, education and other benefits for the rest of us.

This midterm election is a referendum on those policies. Representatives Claudia Tenney, Nick Langworthy and Republican candidates running for office are strong supporters of these policies. The direct result of these policies is rising unemployment, a slowing economy, and wages not keeping up with inflation. You feel the effects of their policies every time you fill up at the gas station or buy groceries.

Your health premiums are more costly because Republicans are giving a tax break to the wealthy. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that more people are going hungry in the United States now than during the height of COVID-19. Republicans support these policies and they will vote in this election; just look at all the yard signs supporting them.

Staying home, not voting, in this election will be seen as acquiescing to Republican policies. Policies that are driving up cost for farmers and small businesses, making life more difficult for Western New Yorkers.

Democrats running for office support  policies to strengthen our economy, help farmers and small business and support families.  Please vote early; if that is not possible make plans to get to the polls to vote. Please vote to end the rampant corruption and support Western New York.

William Fine

Brockport