Yates candidate says he would never vote to raise taxes

Editor:

I am running for Yates Town Councilman. Let me tell you why. Since the town was audited in 2012, our board appears to be falling back into some old habits. In my opinion, there were no ramifications for the previous attorney’s poor advice. With the breaking of Town Law, overcharging in water district 4, the creation of questionable water districts, and an extension of a water line to benefit a friend, our Town still keeps employment of his firm. http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2012/yates.pdf.

There were no ramifications for years of poor book-keeping (Shared by Yates and Ridgeway) http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2012/ridgeway.pdf Both towns spent $16,000-plus with $2,000-plus in yearly upgrades to keep her employment and pension. She is the only employee that does not keep her hours at the Town. Instead she (Legislator Lynne Johnson) is allowed to do the books at her home I.E. her book-keeping firm, road deicing and dust control business under the same name Millennium Roads LLC.

She is a town employee yet has her own book keeping firm. Why are we shelling out for software and pension when we could hire the firm and avoid all those added costs? In my opinion, I do not believe with her job as a legislator, being in charge of committees, many meetings, and her bookkeeping duties at multiple towns and organizations that she should personally do our books. At the very least, any single person spread that thin cannot give us their full attention.

This year again our Town Board has overridden the tax cap and there will be a tax increase. It was explained it is the “Responsible” thing to do. I did not support it because doing the “Responsible” thing is doing what the people who elected you want. Right or wrong, it is an insult to almost every taxpayer when an elected official votes to override the tax cap.

This year James Whipple, who ishead of the Orleans County EDA, will be a contestant for Town Board. Mr. Whipple is paid in the six figures to use taxpayer monies tosupport a business welfare state with no accountability if the results are failure.

Do you think if you elect him to make decisions for your town, he will put your best interests first or that of government? From his record as a village trustee and his record as the EDA head, he will do what ever it takes to sustain and grow government.

In the past elections, residents have elected councilmen that have consistently voted to raise taxes every year and override the tax cap.

Mr. Bentley, also up for re-election, is probably the only board member who ever expresses concern over spending, regulations, or new equipment purchases, but he always votes in favor of it. He has consistently voted to raise taxes and override the tax cap.

This year the highway department got a new 1 ton truck and now a brand new loader at the cost of $155,000 with the old loader at a value of $50,000. The taxpayers will shell out $105,000.

Now come to find out the highway garage needs a new roof, somewhere in the $30,000 range. I would think that spending on the high end of $50,000 on refurbishing the old loader and running it for another five years, then taking the $30,000 savings and doing the roof would be the kind of thinking that would be explored by our elected officials. Sadly no.

I think if there was more scrutiny in the highway department budget and some cutting of non-essential spending in the public safety department, taxes would go down. If you elect me, I will find every dollar wasted and scream from the top of the mountain to stop it.

Voters, you have a clear choice: Vote on the Conservative line. I will never vote to raise your taxes or override the tax cap. I want to make government smaller. I will work with the departments to make sure what they have is adequate, but the days of non-scrutinized budgets and 4-year contracts have to end.

I will respect your private property rights and vote against technology that violates your privacy and 4th amendment rights. I will not single out for banning people from our parks. I will work on cutting government and taxes, staying out of your life as much as possible.

I believe that your pistol permit is the second amendment. All gun laws infringe on your right to keep and bear arms and should be repealed. What you eat, drink or put in your body is none of government’s business. How you live is none of government’s business. I will put my oath of office first and weigh the constitutionality of my decisions regardless of what an activist judge in a black robe has decided. I will fight Albany and Washington’s unfunded mandates and vote against them.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are just as valid today as they were when they were written. In November you have a choice. You can vote for R.I.N.O.S (Republicans in name only) or vote for a principled constitutional conservative with the values that made this country great, before the rise of the entitlement society and big local government.

Paul Lauricella
Yates