THE FIRST AMENDMENT CLUB
The RACE for the NEW YORK STATE SENATE An Interview with the Candidates
By spokesman John Duke
This year Primary Day is Tuesday September 12, 2006.
The three candidates for New York State Senate are
contestants in the Democratic Primary. The Republican
and Conservative Parties have failed to field Candidates.
The Rules established for this interview were as follows:
There were 7 questions for direct and brief answers.
1.) The previous State
Senator held this post during the years 2001-2005. All that he was able to do during those 5 years was change the names of two city streets, for which the Taxpayers paid his office over 2 million dollars. What makes you think that you could do a better job?
Al Coppola: Presently the Senate has 37 Republicans and 25 Democrats. I have always worked with all parties to accomplish more for our District. I will continue to do so when I’m returned to the Senate.
Marc Coppola: In just 3.5 months in session, I have past more Bills than the last 4 Senators combined. This is because I have the ability to get results and do not focus on finger pointing and press releases.
Antoine Thompson: During those 5 years the Senate was controlled by the Republicans. For that reason Albany was unresponsive to our City.
My campaign is about changing the way Albany treats us.
2.) All three candidates have been successful Common Council Members for at least 5 years. What would you consider to be your Top Three accomplishments during your tenure?
Al Coppola: While I was a Councilman for 18 years we didn’t need a Control Board.
My review of Niagara Mohawk caused a $2,000,000 reimbursement for our City,
and I uncovered the corruption and mismanagement in the Parks Department.
Marc Coppola: Streamlining the Council and saving taxpayers Millions of Dollars, Helping negotiate a single Healthcare provider for city employees, again, saving taxpayers Millions, and Helping small businesses throughout my district.
Antoine Thompson: securing more than $75 million for projects like Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, the new Frank Merriweather Library. New housing and rehab housing initiatives, small business programs, and renovating most of the High Schools in my district. Also, championing Buffalo’s Living Wage Law and the Inclusion Law.
3.) Was there anything that you were stopped from accomplishing, and if so, why?
Al Coppola: I was stopped from getting a referendum to create a municipal utility similar to Springfield, Arcade, Akron, and Massena, for cheap electricity. It was stopped by heavy lobbying against it by Niagara Mohawk
Marc Coppola: I was fortunate that I was able to accomplish and get passed just about all of my proposals, however, I had a plan that would have lowered water bills that I would have liked to complete before I left.
Antoine Thompson: Allowing the First Day of the City of Buffalo Tax Foreclosure Auction to go to First Time Homebuyers. This was a powerful shift in public policy that has been met with resistance by developers and some government insiders.
4.) If you were elected, returned, or re-elected to the State Senate, what would be the Top Three goals that you would attempt to accomplish?
Al Coppola: New ideas: To respond immediately to every request and compliant, to get the job done. The economic rebirth of the region thru lower taxes, and to do everything that I can to promote tourism.
Marc Coppola: Create more jobs and economic opportunities, improve our public educational system, and work to lower healthcare costs and provide it to more people.
Antoine Thompson: Settling the Campaign for Fiscal Equity court case, which has proven that NYS continues to under-fund schools in WNY. Hold public hearings on energy costs and the NYS Lottery funds. Secure more funds for small business development.
5.) What do you have to offer the educated voter that your opponents don’t have?
Al Coppola: I have far more experience, 18 years, and a better record of performance than my two opponents put together.
Marc Coppola: I have a record of real, tangible, accomplishments, not just words. As Senator, I have continued to be effective. In only 3.5 months I authored and had pass more Bills than the last 4 senators combined.
Antoine Thompson: : I am passionate about citizen participation and providing strong effective leadership. WNY has seen a lot of politicians. I offer the voters a public servant dedicated to being their advocate in Albany and in WNY.
6.) Being specific about each opponent, why should an educated voter avoid them?
Al Coppola: Both of them have shown that they cannot manage government at a local level. Witness the Control Board. Do we want to turn either of them loose on the State?
Marc Coppola: Mr. Thompson has fought against just about all of the government reforms that save tax dollars that I have supported and sponsored and continues to spend the most taxpayer dollars.
Al Coppola has run for office 5 of the last 6 years and for 3 different offices, and in this campaign, supporters of Antoine Thompson gathered Al’s nominating petitions; WHY?
Antoine Thompson: Their ideas
are the outdated kind that has slowed progress. This isn’t a time for divisiveness. If Western New York wants to succeed in the future, everyone has to stand united.
7.) If you can, and again being specific about each opponent,
what is the nicest thing you that can say about each one individually?
Al Coppola: When they get older and acquire more experience and knowledge, I am sure they would each make competent State Senators.
Marc Coppola: Antoine Thompson is truly committed to minority issues and works hard for them.
Al Coppola was a good councilman several years ago.
Antoine Thompson: My opponents are only my competitors and not my enemies.
All three of us are good fathers, good husbands, and community activists. Our differences are those of our ideas.
The First Amendment Club would like to thank our three candidates for today’s interview,
and for making themselves available to the voting
public of the Buffalo Rocket.
Questions or comments?
Please write to:
The First Amendment Club
P.O. Box 711
Buffalo, N.Y. 14207
5 users commented in " The RACE for the NEW YORK STATE SENATE An Interview with the Candidates "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWhen you look at the answers that all three provided, it’s pretty lame.
A few issues were touched on, but mostly a bunch of worn out political sound bites by all.
Antoine sounds like he always does, I’m afraid his idea of good government is all about how much funding he can get off of the public money tree. We’ve had enough of that.
Thats the problem with American politics…the extreme distrust of politicans. What answers could they have given that would have satisfied you? Everyone thinks politicians are these lying, cheating bastards who are in office solely for their own personal gain. While that may be true for some small percentage, it is not the norm for all.
What would State Senator Ray’s answers look like. It doesnt matter, because whatever they are, someone out there can say “Oh, that guy is just saying that to get elected, he is so full of it.” How do you answer complex questions to an electorate that has the attention span of 3 seconds? How do you address complex issues to a population that doesnt read the evening news anymore? being a politican has got to be an extremely difficult job, lets cut these people some slack.
Allright Assemblyman, we’ll try to be more sensitive…
I want to see Assemblyman Adams answers..
Let’s see your plans for the future of this area and state..
Assemblyman Adams doesn’t need to have any answers, because all politicians are honest and only interested in serving the best interest of the taxpayer.
Somehow he can rationalize that based on the exodus of people and business from the state.
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