Voter's Guide 2010: The Candidates

Cuomo, Paladino. Schumer, Townshend. Gillibrand, DioGuadari. Bishop, Altschuler. Flanagan, Bernstein. Fitzpatrick, Macellaro.

These are the names you've been hearing on dozens of media outlets and reading on hundreds of for-and-against political signs throughout Smithtown. Here is a final summary of the major party candidates for 2010 Election Day on Nov. 2.

New York State Governor:

D – Andrew Cuomo: As New York Attorney General, Cuomo investigated the state pension fund, the student loan industry and Wall Street corruption. As governor, Cuomo says he will consolidate state government and focus on revitalizing New York by bringing in new jobs. Republican opponent Carl Paladino and others blame Cuomo's expansion of mortgage loans when he was secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton for fueling the housing crisis.

R – Carl Paladino: Paladino defeated Rick Lazio and pushed out Suffolk County's own Steve Levy for the Republican nomination. The focus of Paladino's campaign is overhaul in Albany. He says he plans to declare a fiscal state of emergency and will cut the state budget by 10 to 20 percent by freezing compensation of state employees, among other budget trimming measures. Paladino, a lawyer and businessman from Buffalo, has faced controversy during the campaign, accused of sending explicit e-mails and making offensive statements towards the homosexual community.

U.S. Senate

D – Sen. Charles Schumer: Schumer, New York's senior senator, was elected in 1998. Prior to being elected Senator, Schumer spent nearly 20 years in the House of Representatives. His voting record includes support for measures that discourage offshoring of American jobs, the creation of the Small Business Lending Fund Program, and the health care public option (which he drafted).

R – Jay Townsend: Townsend is a businessman who formed The Townsend Group, an advertising agency based in Orange County, in 1993. He has lashed out against what he has called "the Obama spending spree" and has been an outspoken critic of the recent health care plan supported by Schumer. If elected, Townsend has said he plans to vote to repeal it.

U.S. Senate: D – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: Gillibrand says job creation and economic development are her highest priorities. She voted in February to support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and supported measures that provide tax cuts for middle class families. She also believes in increased access to healthcare, controlling medical costs, and she supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the so-called public healthcare option.

R – Joseph DioGuardi: DioGuardi believes government spending is out of control and is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and budget reform. He also supports increased access to healthcare and controlling medical costs, but does not believe it should be legislated. Instead he believes that it should be accomplished within the private sector.

U.S. Congress, New York State's First District

D – Rep. Tim Bishop (Southampton): Bishop has admitted this year's race is the toughest of his four re-election bids, though he believes it's due to a "reflection primarily of the times" more so than anything he has or has not done. Bishop has labeled Republican candidate Randy Altschuler as an outsider and an outsourcer, pointing to his relatively new move to the district three years ago and founding role in Office Tiger, a company that provides jobs overseas. As a native of Southampton and former Provost of Southampton College, Bishop is hoping his track record getting federal funds to the area and past experiences with voters help win him a fifth term.

R – Randy Altschuler (St. James): Randy Altschuler took many of the same punches Bishop is throwing now to win a 3-way September primary and land on the November ballot. While he says people respond better to a positive message, Altschuler has linked Bishop to an unpopular Congress and Democratic party both in his ads and in an interview with Patch. Altschuler is a self-made multi-millionaire who has spent $2 million of his own money on the campaign, and is marketing himself as someone who can manage a budget without asking taxpayers for more money.

New York State Senate

Second District

R – John Flanagan (East Northport): Incumbent Flanagan was first elected to represent the second district of New York in 2002, and has been re-elected by an overwhelming majority since. He serves as ranking Republican member of the Education committee, as well as the committees on Aging; Codes; Consumer Protection; Higher Education; and Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation. Since being elected to office, Flanagan has supported the implementation of the STAR Rebate Program in 2006 and is fighting to repeal the MTA Payroll tax. In September, he received top marks from the Business Council of New York State for his support of job creation.

D – Ira Bernstein (Selden): Bernstein is a financial services advisor and former Commack School District teacher. The challenger said Flanagan has stopped representing and fighting the values held by his late father. Bernstein claims to have seen first hand the devastating effects educational aid cuts have had on Commack School District, and wants to see them restored by fighting for increase of public school funding. The challengers proposes tax cuts, increased transparency in state government, providing stronger incentives for job creation while protecting the environment. If elected, Bernstein said he will treat the office as a full-time job with his dedication to serving in Albany.

Third District

D – Brian Foley (Bayport): The incumbent, Foley, 52, is seeking reelection. It wasn't long ago – two years – when Foley defeated Caesar Trunzo to take the State Senate seat that Trunzo held for 30 years. Foley is a former Suffolk County Legislator, Brookhaven Town Supervisor and said he will focus on cutting property taxes and educational aide for schools on Long Island.

R – Lee Zeldin (Shirley): The Iraq war veteran, 30, is a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Rep. Tim Bishop defeated him for the 1st Congressional District seat. He graduated from William Floyd High School and has a law degree from the University of Albany. Like many other candidates, he will focus on lowering property taxes on Long Island to help with cost-of-living restrictions. To battle Foley, his major pitch has been to eliminate unfunded mandates and doing away with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's payroll tax on businesses meant to fund mass transit.

New York State Assembly

Third District

R - Dean Murray (Patchogue): Both candidates said they bring relevant life experience to their campaigns, and "passion projects" to match. Murray said he brings his business experience to the table, as well as his handling of the many issues his district is facing, such as property taxes. Murray also said he wants to make New York more business-friendly to attract companies that provide career opportunities.

D - Rob Calarco (Patchogue): Calarco, who currently serves as chief of staff for Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington, noted his family values public service. He would like to secure jobs for Suffolk County's "driving unemployment force", which he defined as construction workers. The candidate insisted on the importance of finding ways of getting this group back to work as soon as possible. "The state should accelerate infrastructure projects, and look to find places to use public investments to spark private projects," he said.

Fourth District

D - Steve Englebright (Setauket:  Englebright describes himself as an advocate. He has a long history of supporting local environmental initiatives and job preservation. He helped pass recent measures banning BPA in babies' and childrens' products and stopping the use of pesticides on playgrounds and school properties, and fought to keep the state parks open this past summer, which saved 20,000 jobs. Englebright also voted "no" on the MTA payroll tax.

R - Deborah McKee: Challenger McKee, a 30-year resident of Mount Sinai, says her top priority is controlling the high cost of living on Long Island. She also supports the elimination of the MTA payroll tax, supports the restoration of STAR rebates and the institution of a property tax cap, wants more transparency in Albany, and plans to develop incentives for small business growth for the creation of good jobs.

Fifth District

I/WF – Ginny Fields: The upset of incumbent Ginny Fields by Ken Mangan in the Democratic Party primary for the 5th State Assembly District back in September turned what was expected to be a two person race into a three person contest. With Mangan carrying the flag for the Democratic party on Election Day, he will face Republican/Conservative Al Graf and Fields, who despite an initial pledge to support the winner of the Democratic primary, changed her mind and is running on the Working Families and Independence Party lines. Fields stressed her concern about the impact the cost of living is having on families in the 5th Assembly District and is running for another term in Albany on a record she said shows that she has led by example and supported the best interest of those residing in her district. "I directly helped lower property taxes by bringing in $98 million in additional school aid in the six years I have been in Albany," said Fields. "I voted against the budget that was the highest budget in the history of New York. I don't vote with my party – I vote for my constituents."

D – Ken Mangan: Mangan says he wants to see his four daughters live on Long Island and "enjoy everything that has been afforded to me here." He said his first plan of action, if elected, would be to stop penalizing homeowners by raising their taxes after they have completed home improvements. Mangan, like Graf, feels that forming an alliance is important to tackle the important issues of the day. "We need a Long Island alliance in order to get things done," he said. "My personality is such that I bring people together and I plan on doing that in the Assembly too. I have dedicated myself to the community and those in need and now it is time to help our state."

R – Al Graf: Graf feels that the problems faced by the state today will not be solved with the current administration "just throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem." He said his experience as a town supervisor in an upstate community affords him the knowledge he needs to "dig into the budget and cut services that we no longer provide." If elected, Graf said he plans to reach out to other elected officials across New York State to ban together and help each other. "When I was upstate, we organized 110 towns and villages to support each other," he recalled. "We were all financially supporting New York City and not seeing any of the money. We need to form a coalition."

Seventh District

R – Michael Fitzpatrick (Smithtown): Fitzpatrick has served in the assembly since 2002. Prior to his election to the Assembly he was an elected member of the Smithtown Town Council for 15 years and ran an unsuccessful campaign for the first congressional seat. Fitzpatrick serves as the ranking minority member on the  Housing Committee and holds memberships on the Local Governments, Small Business and Higher Education committees. He is an active member of the Smithtown community.

D – Richard Macellaro (Kings Park): Macellaro was a special assistant for two NYS Assembly members and has worked as a home health-care administrator and a founding member of the non-profit organization, St. Nicholas N. P. Corp., which aims to find community solutions. A major part of his campaign is funding local job creation.