Democrat Claudia Braymer is running for New York’s 114th State Assembly District seat, currently held by Dan Stec. Stec, a Republican, is running to replace Republican State Senator Betty Little, who is retiring.
Braymer, an attorney, is also a member of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, representing Glens Falls.
Looking back on the COVID-19 crisis and how it has affected the regional economy, Braymer says a relief bill is needed to support the Adirondack district's tourism economy.
“Places like Lake Placid and Lake George really had a pretty strong end of the summer. So I think that they’re doing OK. Another aid package to get them through the winter would definitely be helpful, especially for those industries that were never able to open. They’re not going to be able to open next spring if we don’t have something to have them get through the rest of the winter season here,” said Braymer.
But with New York facing an estimated $14 billion budget deficit this year alone, state leaders are urging the federal government to step in and provide coronavirus relief aid. Without a deal in Congress, Governor Andrew Cuomo has threatened across-the-board cuts to municipalities and local governments. Braymer disagrees with that approach.
“I don’t want to see an across-the-board 20 percent cut because that’s really going to hurt some of our rural schools, which I definitely don’t want to see for the 114th District. And some important state services I don’t think should be cut, but other areas…there are places like the Economic Development money that doesn’t directly provide services to residents, I think that that money could be cut at this time," said Braymer.
As state lawmakers try to find ways to balance the state budget, Braymer says she wants to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure the wealthy pay their “fair share.”
“The ultra-millionaires and billionaires tax…yeah I’m open to looking at that if it is a way to ensure that those wealthiest in our state are paying their fair share, and that there aren’t loopholes to what they should be paying otherwise as a normal person,” said Braymer.
Braymer said she also would support a bill that would allow the state to keep revenues from a tax on Wall Street stock transfers.
As a Democrat in a Republican-leaning, Braymer does not think having a “D” next to her name will take away from her message. A rugby player, Braymer believes she has tenacity that sets her apart from the other candidates in the race. She said she’s not afraid to push back against her own party, and cites her own disagreement with parts of New York’s bail reform package that went into effect at the beginning of the year.
“While I do agree with the bail reform overall, I thought that some changes needed to be made, and I was joining my Republican colleagues in calling for changes,” said Braymer.
Braymer is facing Republican Matt Simpson, Supervisor of the Town of Horicon, and Evelyn Wood, former Thurman Supervisor, running on the Serve America Movement Party in New York’s 114th Assembly District.
