Candidates for New York’s new 43rd state Senate District seat faced off Wednesday night in a public forum.
Republican state Assemblyman Jake Ashby of the 107th district and former Democratic Rensselaer County Executive candidate Andrea Smyth-Massaroni faced off virtually in the hour-long event hosted by the League of Women Voters of Rensselaer County.
Ashby and Smyth fielded questions on a variety of issues, including bail and criminal justice reform. Ashby, who is running on the Republican and conservative party lines, favors full repeal.
"We need to do a better job of crafting these laws and not just getting them done to check a box, to say that we hit this initiative, right? We need to make sure that they're right fit for this," said Ashby. "And, you know, I know that may seem counterintuitive, really, to call for full repeal, but we need to have the right people in the rooms, not just a couple people in one party."
Smyth, running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, says she does not support reducing state funding to municipalities, “because that's how they fund their police departments.” She favors deflecting responses for non-criminal cases away from law enforcement officials to others, such as qualified mental health and crisis intervention personnel.
“And I am definitely interested and know that the bail versus jail discussion is going to be part of my first session in the state Senate," said Smyth. "So I am prepared to look at what is working and what isn't, and make sure that bail eligible offenses are correct in protecting our communities.”
On the issue of public safety, Smyth favors what she calls "sensible gun control."
"I am, you know, concerned that we keep going back to try to legislate more training and restrictions on people who legally own guns and not doing enough about illegal types," Smyth said. "Transporting guns, owning guns, storing guns, modifying guns so that they're more dangerous. So I really am a big advocate for alternative type of programs for reducing illegal gun use, again, the type of programs that are currently being funded, like SNUG, and 'give back days,' these are important tools in getting illegal guns off the street. But again, I stress we need our law enforcement officials to be available. “
Ashby says the public's sense of safety loops back to bail reform.
"In the legislation that we pass we need to provide our judges, we need to give our judges the discretion that they need to do their job," Ashby said. "And right now, they just they don't have it. And I think this one element would be a right step. And I think there's bipartisan support for that. I think you hear it from the mayor in New York City to the D.A. in Albany County, to every other district attorney that that I've met with, you know, throughout New York and law enforcement here. I think it would show a response that's warranted, that people have been calling for, rather than a tone deaf response, which is, frankly, what we've heard and what we've seen."
In this time of economic uncertainty, both Ashby and Smyth oppose the state’s move to lower the farmworker overtime threshold. Smyth says inflation is a massive burden on working families and family farms, and in the event of a "budget downturn" or reductions in subsidies to farmers, she would advocate for freezing the movement toward the 40 hour farmworker overtime threshold.
"We cannot afford to endanger our agricultural stewardship and weaken the agricultural economy, which was the third most robust economy — according to a recent Office of State Comptroller report, in New York state," Smyth said. "We have to make sure we preserve the farmland that we conserve the farmland, I will support diversification of crops and farming use so that we can identify more lucrative farmlands usages so that farmers have a chance to improve their economic outlook.
Ashby says local farmers can’t afford the added labor costs.
"You know the world has a national fertilizer shortage because of what's going on in Ukraine right now," Ashby said. "And we need to be relying on our farmers more heavily and enabling them, pushing policies to do so that's what I would be doing and really leaning against and pushing for the repeal of these detrimental policies, farming, you know, dairy farming in this area, if you can think back just 15 years ago, was much more robust than what we have right now."
The phase-in of the lower overtime threshold will take place over a decade through 2032, with farmers in line for tax credits to cover the overtime costs.
When quizzed on elections reform that would give state boards more oversight of county election boards, Smyth, pledging to support "any bill that protects the voters," took a swipe at her opponent.
"Clearly, we're not doing enough right now," said Smyth. "We have colleagues of Jake's that are, have pled guilty to election fraud, we have charges pending at the local board of elections. While those officials are still manning, getting the voting up for this election."
Ashby believes boards should remain local and within local control.
"I guess it would depend on what type of control and what they're looking at doing," said Ashby. "But I do wholeheartedly support the county board of elections, maintaining their identity, and the local groups affiliated with them doing so as well."
The candidates also discussed end of life care and support for small businesses. The redrawn 43rd Senate District encompasses all of Rensselaer County, northwestern Albany County including Cohoes, Watervliet, Colonie and all but the northern edge of Washington County.
You can watch the forum here.
