The race for mayor of the Saratoga County Village of Ballston Spa is shaping up.
Ballston Spa Mayor John Romano, a Republican, is retiring after more than two decades at a time when the village’s finances are in trouble.
Last spring, a budget was proposed that carried at 26 percent tax increase. The tax hike eventually was whittled down to 17.5 percent with the village taking out a $600,000 emergency loan.
The village board established a budget advisory committee to make suggestions to right the fiscal ship. Village resident Larry Woolbright was asked by Mayor Romano to serve on that committee.
“And the more we looked into the village’s financial situation, the more I realized we needed somebody to come in and straighten it out. So I have no ambition other than to help the village get their finances in order,” said Woolbright.
Woolbright is sharing a ticket with village board candidates Pete Martin and Rory O’Connor, who also served on the Budget Advisory Committee that Woolbright chaired.
A Republican, Woolbright was endorsed by the local GOP and Democratic committees to serve as mayor. However, he only accepted the nomination from the Republican party.
“Most of the people who were at the Democratic caucus are my friends and neighbors and I appreciated the gesture but I didn’t want to confuse things by being on multiple lines,” said Woolbright.
Village Democratic Committee chair Ellie Dillon said she was disappointed Woolbright turned down the endorsement, but said it was made in good faith.
“And right now our village is in financial trouble, it hasn’t planned for the future, it’s not developing in the direction that we would like to see it. And we felt, in the spirit of bipartisanship, that we would support the best candidate. And we felt Larry Woolbright was the best candidate,” said Dillion.
Liz Kormos and Christine Fitzpatrick have also been endorsed to run on the Democratic line for village trustee.
Woolbright, 66, is a retired professor of biology at Siena College. He’s served on the local school board and is also planning board chair in the Town of Milton. Last year, Woolbright led an effort for the Town of Milton to purchase the former Camp Boyhaven Cub Scout camp.
But a former village mayor and fellow Republican is also seeking Romano’s seat.
James Capasso Jr., who served as mayor from 1991 to 1995, intends to run on the independent Citizen’s Party line, as had his father, James Capasso Sr., who served as mayor from 1971 to 1983.
The village’s financial issues are what motivated Capasso to come out of retirement.
“I grew up in the village, my dad was mayor for 12 years, I was mayor for four. And I got my grandchildren coming through and I want them to live in this beautiful village and grow in it. But it’s kind of impossible if you’re paying for more than it’s worth to live here,” said Capasso.
Capasso, 72, highlighted some of his efforts as mayor in the 90s, including purchasing new police cars, upgrading infrastructure and technology, and establishing a healthy fund balance.
“It’s a proven track record and I think that I can bring that track record and expertise to the village. Of course when I get there, I’ll have to surround myself with some good people.”
Capasso, who calls Woolbright a friend, said he would not be supporting the other Republican candidates. Two years ago he supported two Democratic candidates for village board.
“And I don’t want any hand-picked people from the previous administration from the previous administration trying to straighten out that mess. It just doesn’t compute to me, you’re putting the fox in charge of the hen house,” said Capasso.
Village elections are set for March 19th.
