Nancy Nugent said something that’s been a common theme in the race for New York’s 49th Senate District.
“Voters are very angry. They are not looking for the status quo. They are looking for new solutions, new ideas,” said Nugent.
The district, which stretches from Schenectady to Long Lake in the Adirondacks, was held by Senator Hugh Farley for four decades. Recently, Farley announced he will retire at the end of the term to spend more time with his ailing wife.
Nugent joins a Republican field that also includes Christian Klueg, a real estate appraiser also of Northville, and Jim Tedisco, who has served the Capital Region in the Assembly since 1983.
Nugent says she’s traveled the district that includes Schenectady, Fulton, Saratoga, Herkimer and Hamilton Counties “north, south, east and west.” She says the next Senator needs experience working with constituents in the urban and rural portions of the district.
Outlining the major issues she will tackle if elected, Nugent said she will fight for a repeal of the Common Core education standards in New York.
“It has to be repealed. It doesn’t serve the gifted children; I have two gifted children, I’ve raised them. It doesn’t serve the disabled; I have two disabled, both Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. It doesn’t serve their need. The teachers are unhappy,” said Nugent.
A practicing attorney, Nugent said she will fight for upstate small businesses. She has a particular interest in aiding home-based businesses, which she says are critical in rural areas.
“Which are busy and humming and people are trying their darndest to meet the tremendous tax burdens that we have. I would like to see a restructure of the New York state tax scheduling calendar because I find that many of the home-based businesses that I owe are having trouble with coordinating the personal, the small business, the LLCs, the PCs…”
Nugent said she’d also focus on expanding the arts and tourism to boost the economy and bring in visitors to an area of upstate that has been struggling.
And calling on her past experience as a journalist, Nugent promoted her ability to communicate to voters.
“I have spoken to two million Long Island viewers where my job was to on camera, while the cameras were rolling, by the way, analyze politics, public policies and news…”
If elected in September’s primary, Nugent will face Democratic candidate Chad Putman in November.
For more coverage on the race for the 49th Senate District, including stories on each of the candidates, visit WAMC.org.
