Candidates vying for New York’s 112th state Assembly District seat debated this week.
Incumbent Mary Beth Walsh, running on the Republican and conservative lines, and Andrew McAdoo, running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, participated in a virtual debate hosted by the League of Women Voters.
The 112th district covers parts of Saratoga, Schenectady, and Fulton Counties. Walsh, running for a fourth term, dislikes the current political climate.
"Starting in 2019, when the Senate flipped from Republican to Democrat, there's been one-party rule in Albany, and in my opinion (and I've had a front row seat) it's been a disaster," said Walsh. " I think that instead of dealing with issues that are, I think, very important to our constituents, my constituents, like crime, affordability, inflation, instead, we've really gone in a very left-leaning direction. And the Democratic majority I don't think is really focusing on what's most important to average New Yorkers."
McAdoo says he grew up on a dairy farm and has a strong background in community service. He says he knows what the issues are and how to fix them.
"It was my time as president of a telecom business that was regulated by the state that provides me with a unique perspective into state government," McAsoo said. "I spent 20 years working on Telecom, internet and tax policy and Albany. And, you know, I fought against things like the gross receipts tax that turn utilities into tax collecting agencies for the state, and are especially punitive to people on fixed incomes. And I understand how the state government works. Hearings in committees are important, but if you're not in the Democratic caucus room, you don't have a voice."
Walsh says access to broadband is critical especially when it comes to education.
"I think we particularly saw it during COVID, when we knew that our schoolkids who were remote, particularly in our rural areas, had difficulty with remote learning," Walsh said. "And some of them unfortunately had to go to hotspot areas, like outside of a library or in a school parking lot in order to get online or to be able to get their lessons."
McAdoo says residents in internet-poor areas need to pay attention to how and where funding is distributed.
"New York telecom policy has really left us with two choices," McAdoo said. "One is no service, and the other one is a monopoly provider, with no consumer protections. So this is an area where we have to do better. It's not a case of not having the money, that's not the issue. If you look at Broadband For All, there was enough funding there. It was the execution and how the program was carried out."
On the challenges people face in finding affordable housing, Walsh says "there's a variety of housing options" throughout the district and "it's only getting better."
"Affordable starter housing can be an apartment, it could be a condo, it could be a smaller home in an older neighborhood, you know in Clifton Park that, the Van Patten homes that were built back in the 60s, they can come in a variety of sizes and are a good starting point for a lot of new homeowners, as I'm meeting them at the doors. I think too that we've done a lot and I've been very happy to support housing initiatives," said Walsh.
McAdoo says the housing crisis can be mitigated through community planning.
"Southern Saratoga County towns have not done comprehensive planning that would account for things like low income housing, then, where the state can come in and offer tax credits to offer incentives to developers to build homes, like starter homes, and housing that people who are just starting out can afford," said McAdoo. "So the state has a role to play there. And I think we really need to get some urgency at this issue, because it's affecting, it really has a ripple effect on the economy."
Walsh contends New York has taken the wrong approach to climate change, setting unattainable goals. She adds she'll vote no on the Environmental Bond Act, while McAdoo says he'll vote yes when he flips November’s ballot over.
"I think this Green New Deal for New York is going to be very costly to the average taxpayer and homeowner in the state," said Walsh. McAdoo said, "We have to take action, but we need to do so in a way that isn't punitive to rural areas."
Walsh says New York's gun laws are already overly restrictive, while McAdoo says he doesn't "support extremist gun laws" but does favor strict background checks. On bail and criminal justice reforms, Walsh calls for restoring judicial discretion.
"I have one statistic to share," Walsh said. "Statewide, 33.5% of defendants arraigned on felony charges and released were rearrested for a new crime. That's concerning."
McAdoo believes the framing of public safety needs to be broader within the context of community.
"Bail reform is not having a big impact on Southern Saratoga County right here," McAdoo said. "You're more likely to be hit by a car here because of poor planning than you are a violent crime."
Early voting begins Saturday and runs through November 6. Election Day is November 8.
