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Vote Tuesday, September 14
September 9, 2010

Please open up your calendar right now, and make an appointment to vote in Tuesday’s primary.
   
Emails like this one, which you receive from me throughout the year, often - and unfortunately - detail what’s very wrong with New York State government. And the emails from you in response personalize that frustration. So, it is critical you put that anger into action and vote next Tuesday – and get everyone you know to do so, too.

My home mailbox has been flooded with glossy fliers extolling state politicians’ support for job growth, lower taxes and economic development. But reality has been very different from that rhetoric.  To help you sort through the campaign rhetoric, we worked with Unshackle Upstate to score legislators on their actions in the legislative session that just ended. Speeches, promises and glossy campaign mailers don’t factor into the scores. It’s about what they did, and often, didn’t do for our community.
 
Please take special note below of three challengers the Partnership is supporting in the Primary election on Tuesday.  There are a few more primaries out there where we have remained neutral, because we’d be pleased with the outcome either way, or because the seat has a limited impact on business development (e.g. the primary for Attorney General). In the races below, the winner of the primary is likely to win the general election (due to district demographics) AND there is a clear distinction, in our opinion, between the “good guys” and “bad guys.”

Rory Allen, candidate for NYS Senate, 60th District – Democratic primary

Sen. Antoine Thompson has been the epitome of everything wrong with our elected officials in Albany (ethics issues, wasteful spending, ignorance of local impact of legislation, cow-towing to NYC leadership and special interests, sponsorship of many of the worst bills for business and the Upstate economy). Senator Thompson scored -5 out of 100 on Unshackle Upstate’s scorecard (yes, he proved it possible to score worse than zero). But, there is more to Rory Allen than he’s “just not Antoine Thompson.”  Rory is a small business owner, who has created private sector jobs.  He’s committed to legislative action that supports private sector growth. Even though he is a political neophyte, Rory has been extremely impressive; earning the respect and endorsement of business and labor groups alike.

Joe Golombek, candidate for NYS Assembly, 144th District – Democratic primary

In his time on the Common Council, Joe Golombek has shown himself to be a thoughtful legislator who will protect Buffalo’s interests.  That quality is something we need more of in Albany, especially in the downstate dominated State Assembly.  Moreover, Councilman Golombek has gone “on record” in support of the Unshackle Upstate reform agenda. Assemblyman Sam Hoyt has voted alongside NYC-based Speaker Sheldon Silver enough to forgo Buffalo and Upstate’s interests as his main priority (he scored 28 out of 100 on the Unshackle Upstate scorecard).  Assemblyman Hoyt has been the prime sponsor of an IDA “reform” bill that, if passed, would be devastating to business recruitment and expansion efforts.   Moreover, he has continued to do so even after our numerous conversations directly with him regarding the bill.

Rev. Darius Pridgen, candidate for Buffalo Common Council, Ellicott District – Democratic primary

Rev. Pridgen has a proven track record of navigating the political waters as a Buffalo School Board member.  Truly one of the “good guys” in the political world, Pridgen’s influence and mentality is desperately needed on the Common Council.  The current Councilman, Curtis Haynes, was appointed by the Council and has been a constant deterrent to economic development progress in the city, especially in regards to Canalside.  For too long, inaction and infighting on the Council has led to stagnation in “getting things done” in Buffalo.  We believe Rev. Pridgen can help right the ship.

For more information on who’s running in your neighborhood, and to find out your polling location, please visit our Elections website here.

Andrew J. Rudnick