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LWV League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
Onondaga, Oswego County, NY November 7, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

William A. Barclay
Answers Questions

Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 124

 
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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Syracuse and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. "007" accounts, better known as member items, account for 200 million in tax payer dollars doled out to individual legislators each year. These pork barrel funds are not covered under New York’s Freedom of Information Laws. Do you support efforts to make the distribution of these funds public record? Why or why not?*

Yes, the amount spent on member items, the projects that receive funding and the individual legislator who is responsible for obtaining the funds for the project should be easily accessible to the public. While member items often serve valuable purposes, especially for the entities that receive the funding, they are also used as a political tool by the leadership in Albany to obtain loyalty from rank and file members of the legislature. Further, over the years there have been several news reports about inappropriate use of member items. Shining light on the process will protect against these types of abuses.

2. What is your view of the STAR tax rebate program? Would you support it as is; increase it; or do away with it altogether? Is it a fair and equitable method of easing the school tax burden for al New Yorkers?*

Property taxes are too high in New York State. The STAR program is an effective program for providing relief to property taxpayers. For that reason, I support the STAR program and would like to see it expanded. I would also support measures that would make the program more equitable-measures such as flattening the sale price differential so that all areas of the state receive a similar exemption.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 18, 2006 18:28
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