by Kristina Gabalski
The race for the 62nd State Senate District seat features a re-match of the 2010 election between Democrat Amy Hope Witryol of Lewiston and incumbent Republican Senator George Maziarz of Newfane.
This year’s redistricting has changed the shape of the district which now includes the City of Niagara Falls on the western end. On the eastern end, which formerly included much of western Monroe County, only the Towns of Ogden and Sweden remain.
Witryol spent 25 years in business banking and considers campaign finance reform a top priority.
She calls the “pay to play” political system in New York State the greatest obstacle to progress in her district which she says has the worst property tax-to-value ratio in the United States and is in “economic last place.”
“The other thing Niagara, Orleans and (portions of) Monroe County have in common, is that they have had the same state senator for 18 years,” Witryol says.
“It doesn’t matter if they are Republican or Democrat,” she explains of “entrenched” politicians. “Raising large amounts of money for their own personal benefit is not a problem confined to any one party. We need to change that system.”
Witryol says election law in New York State is “the single biggest drain on the economy, creates a property tax burden and (results in) weak job creation. I’m passionate about the gravity of the challenges we face,” she says, and adds she would like to, “help the governor implement a solution.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo would like to end the “pay to play” system, Witryol says, “but he is unable with the current state of the Senate (to implement reform). One district could make a difference.”
Senator George Maziarz has stated he feels the governor has no problem if the Republicans maintain narrow control of the Senate.
Witryol says voters in the 62nd District have told her property taxes, jobs, education and health care are all important issues to them.
“On the local level, there are unique issues,” she notes: school districts, condition of housing and code enforcement, which she recognizes is an issue in the Village of Brockport.
“(While in Brockport) I discussed in detail enhancing the relationship between The College at Brockport and the community,” she says.
Witryol vows to work to take the money out of politics and explains that incumbents like her opponent spend millions of taxpayer dollars on constituent mail that looks like campaign mailings.
She would like to see incumbents and challengers split public financing of campaigns which she says would “save billions of dollars in ineffective spending (and eliminate) pressure from the wealthy and from lobbies.”
Senator Maziarz, who serves as Vice-President Pro Tempore of the Senate and chairs the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, says economic development, job creation, and lowering the cost of energy are all important issues to residents of the 62nd District.
He says his accomplishments as a state senator include the two percent property tax cap, mandate relief, medicaid and pension reform with the creation of the Tier 6 pension plan for newly hired public employees. He helped to create ReCharge NY to enhance business access to hydropower. “ReCharge NY helped out 50 companies in the Rochester area alone,” he says.
Maziarz says he will continue to work for tax relief, restoring Western New York’s economic health and job base, greater crime prevention and victims’ assistance, and increased attention to senior citizens’ needs.
“There’s a lot more that could be done,” he says, “and that’s why I want to get back.”
He notes New York State is making strides in energy efficiency and a rating agency – the American Council on Renewable Energy – scored New York as having, “come far ahead in energy efficiency.”
“We are on the right track,” he says, “but there is a lot more to be accomplished, particularly regarding renewable energy.”
Regarding campaign financing practices criticized by his opponent, Senator Maziarz says, “I follow the rules currently written. I’m not a wealthy person, I have to raise money to get my message out.”
Maziarz has also been criticized by Witryol regarding the tax cap and mandate relief. In Brockport on October 20, Witryol said Maziarz did not deliver on proportional mandate relief in the near term.
“This means boards of education are forced to spend money and tax residents for programs that do not provide the highest benefit to their students. This means that senior citizens are saddled with increasing property taxes, making it difficult to stay in their homes and survive on fixed incomes,” Witryol said.
She has also been critical of the redistricting process that has placed the villages of Brockport and Spencerport in the same district as the City of Niagara Falls.
Witryol says her opponent signed a pledge for independent redistricting prior to the last election, but shortly after the election, voted to change the system in 2022 not 2012.
She says it is “not fair” that the Towns of Sweden and Ogden are now separated from the rest of Monroe County and if elected “will work to pass legislation to ensure that this never happens again. I will work to make sure Ogden and Sweden get the representation they deserve.”
Senator Maziarz says, “there’s never an easy way,” to divide up the districts and that the process is governed by population.
He notes the 62nd District begins in “a corner” – the western and northern boundaries of Niagara County and goes east.
“We have Lake Ontario to the north and the Niagara River to the west. It’s really pretty compact. I wish I could represent more of Monroe County,” Senator Maziarz says and notes he did much work with the Town of Gates when it was part of the district.
Witryol calls the 62nd District “the most beautiful district on earth, with water, the wine trail, farmers markets and quaint canal villages.”
She reminds voters that there is one simple thing they have that can beat the current “pay for play” system in Albany – “It’s your vote,” Witryol says.
Senator Maziarz says he wants to see voters at the polls on Election Day. “I encourage all to come out and vote,” he says.
Amy Hope Witryol is endorsed by the Democratic and Working Families parties. Senator George Maziarz is endorsed by the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties. Jonathon Benedict of Lockport is endorsed by the Green Party.
