On Monday two of the three candidates running for New York’s 21st Congressional district seat held separate events in Plattsburgh. As WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley reports, the hopefuls are sharpening their rhetoric with Election Day three weeks away.
Democrat Aaron Woolf used a construction site as a backdrop to criticize rival Republican Elise Stefanik’s stance on Social Security and retirement issues, saying her position has been inconsistent and devoid of details. “Elise Stefanik directed a plan to privatize Social Security. But when she received criticism in the district she changed her mind. Her new plan was to raise the retirement age and cut benefits for seniors using chained-CPI. My opponent still refuses to say what her new retirement age would be.”
Wolf was joined by two workers concerned about the possibility of needing to work longer to reach retirement. Cynthya Spencer, a pharmacist for 27 years, explained that retail pharmacists are on their feet for 12-hour shifts with only a half-hour lunch break. “Although not the most physically demanding job out there, it’s still physically demanding. We suffer from varicose veins and we need knee replacements and hip replacements and all sorts of things. Certainly before we’re 67 which is what my current retirement age would be. But I think of the pharmacists coming after me and expecting them to work until they’re 70 on their feet like that seems very unrealistic. There are better ways that we can solve the Social Security issue other than raising the retirement age.”
32-year-old Rylan Conroy is a former construction worker who is against raising the retirement age. “Construction is hard on the body. You’re dealing with heavy equipment. You’re jarring your body all the time and people well before 67, a lot of people before 60, are in pain every day. So it wouldn’t be good for the people in the construction industry.”
Later in the day Republican Elise Stefanik stopped by Rulf’s Orchards, a popular farm stand in Peru, about 10 miles south of Plattsburgh. She discussed agriculture issues and regulations affecting farmers. “Our next representative in Congress needs to be an advocate for our farmers in this district who are the backbone of our community. This is an example of how diversified our agricultural industry is within the North Country and how we can encourage our farms to continue to stay here for future generations.”
Stefanik also countered her opponent’s comments regarding her Social Security position. “The only candidate who has a do-nothing approach when it comes to Social Security is my opponent Aaron Woolf. I’ve said that I’m willing to work on a bipartisan basis to make sure these programs are not just there for seniors today but for future generations.”
Press Republican reporter Joe LoTemplio asked “What about retirement age?”
Stefanik responded “No changes for those under 50. But I think people in my age group, I just turned 30 this summer, I think we should have an honest discussion about what our working span is over our life. It’s very different than two generations ago for example. So I’m open to that.”
Minimum wage was an issue in the duo’s last debate and Stefanik once again criticized the wages her challenger pays his employees. “$10.10 is where people are focused on right now and that’s the rate that I’m open to raising the minimum wage to as long as that works for small businesses in the district. But there is one candidate who pays below that rate and that candidate is Aaron Woolf. He pays less than both than my family’s business pays and he also pays less than Matt Funiciello pays his workers.”
Aaron Woolf offered his view on raising minimum wage. “$10.10 is an important step. It’s where we need to get with minimum wage and then link it to the rate of inflation. I think that there will be a situation where different geographies, different economies might have different costs of living. But $10.10 is a good step. It’s a workable step. It’s a realistic step.”
Both candidates were scheduled to meet in a televised debate Wednesday night on WPTZ-TV. Another debate will be held next Tuesday in Watertown. Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello is also running for the Congressional seat from which Democrat Bill Owens is retiring.
