Q&A with primary candidates for New Hartford board

By - STAFF REPORT

Observer-Dispatch

Posted Sep 09, 2009 @ 06:08 PM

What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position you seek?

Backman: Experience. I served two terms on the Town Board from 1998 to 2005, which included four years as deputy supervisor. I also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Messa: I feel that I’m the most qualified candidate based on my education coupled with my work experience, which includes 15+ years of successful leadership, management and customer service skills. I will bring forth a fresh new prospective with new ideas that will ultimately play a positive role in our community’s future. I will not be afraid to contact and work with our county and state elected officials on various issues that may be plaguing our residents and community.

Payne: I spearheaded energy cost reductions, including the Rec Center Energy Improvement Project — saving over $10,000 per year — and the winter closure of the Kellogg Road Community Building — saving approximately $3,500 in energy costs. My background in industrial safety benefits the Town Safety Committee. We’ve created a comprehensive approach to employee and resident safety. I am for full disclosure of public information as long as it does not jeopardize the safety of residents and town employees. I’ve improved communications with 1st Ward residents by listening and promptly responding to concerns. I also supported the creation of the New Hartford Business Park, which kept over 600 jobs from leaving Central New York without utilizing taxpayer money in its development.

What are the 2 main issues facing your community/district, and how would you go about addressing them?

Backman: Restoring town finances and opening up town government to obey the Open Meetings and Freedom of Information laws. I have eight years of experience in assembling responsible budgets that accurately reflected revenue and spending. I oppose double-digit departmental growth and am committed to reducing spending to reasonable levels while maintaining services. Of my eight budget votes, I voted ‘nay’ on three of them because their tax rate increased too much.
The Open Meetings and FOIL speak for themselves. Other than personnel, pending litigation and police investigations, all other town records belong to the people and I have in the past, and if elected will continue to, make my files open to any and all who wish to read them upon request.

Messa: Financial Problems: The general fund balance plummeted more than 90 percent since 2006. I would request that a New York State Official Audit be conducted and a detailed report of the audit be furnished to all residents in the town of New Hartford. This will promote open government and will provide answers to the taxpayer’s questions. GEIS: 5-acre zoning plan and storm water. This is ultimately a two-fold issue and has to be carefully examined and well thought out prior to making drastic decisions that could jeopardize the residents and our community. Mandating that landowners sell their land in 5-acre lots will not bring in new residents to the area, which in turn will not bring in new taxpayers. A smaller lot size of either ½ acre to 1 acre would be more attractive. Prior to any homes or other development, a detailed study should be conducted to ensure residents in that area and other areas that they will not be directly affected by any storm water issues. I would institute that for any storm water issues caused by the development the financial responsibility fall on the developer and not the taxpayers of the residents in New Hartford.

Payne: Holding the line on taxes: I continue to only vote for budgets that ensure resident services remain intact and at the quality that is expected while holding the line on taxes. I support initiatives that require developers to cover the cost of upgrading infrastructure impacted by their projects and not burden taxpayers with these costs.
Storm water runoff and area growth: I support obtaining funding for major storm water runoff improvement projects. Several large projects are currently under way, as well as several studies. I support the GEIS study currently under review by the Planning Board. This valuable tool will help ensure that issues, such as storm water runoff caused by development, will be corrected by the developers and not paid for by taxpayers. I am not in favor of zoning changes that would dictate minimum building lots of 5 acres or more as a method of minimizing runoff.

What steps would you take to manage the tax burden on the people you seek to represent?
Backman: Go back to basics. Examine all services and their expenditures and tighten the belt where necessary. In some instances, I will not hesitate to propose punching some new holes in the belt where needed. The bottom line is that every tax dollar spent means a dollar in tax is taken from somebody, so it is clear we need to lower spending to control the tax rate.

Messa: I feel that this topic is a sensitive issue that is a major concern to a lot of residents in our community. One area that can be looked at in terms of managing the tax burden is to review the current projects in our town and all costs associated with them as well as future projects and eliminate all unnecessary spending. The town and county elected officials need to work together collectively to ensure that we are taking all the necessary steps to ease the tax burden, and to look for alternative ways to reduce or maintain taxes for our residents now and in the future.

Payne: I will continue to vote to minimize any tax increase while ensuring resident services are not jeopardized. I continue to work with the town planner on energy efficiency initiatives to reduce the town’s operating budget. We’re currently researching a plan that will save over $25,000 per year in operating and energy costs of the nearly 40 town-owned street lights. We’re also working to finalize a plan to save nearly $14,000 per year in energy costs to operate the Sanger Building that houses the highway, engineering, planning, and the codes and zoning departments.

Do you favor consolidation of your government’s services or functions with other governments, and why or why not? If so, which services or functions?

Backman: Absolutely. Too many layers of governmental redundancy are hurting us. We have state roads, county roads and town roads. We have 3 different police agencies. We have state, county, town and village governments. New York taxes are among the highest in the nation, and we need look no further than our neighbors for a working model of metro government. New Hartford cannot afford to be an island unto itself any longer — it needs to look beyond town borders to survive into the future. It’s obvious: Either reduce spending and consolidate services or we will face large tax increases in the near future.

Messa: I am in favor of consolidation of government services. In these economical times it is imperative that we continue to consider and review consolidation of government services as long as this does not directly have a negative effect on our residents. There are multiple government positions along with government benefits that could be eliminated in order to reduce taxes for Americans.

Payne: I believe in consolidating services where it is cost effective and does not impede the functions of the affected departments. We need to continue researching options within the town and surrounding municipalities.