Thank you for your reply. I was really hoping that my post would incite some comments positive or negative. Feedback with some real "meat" to it would be great. This gives myself and others in the community information about how people are really feeling about issues. I did notice that there are lots of people viewing posts, but not replying to them. I ask all of these people to take a moment and send in their comments - responsibly of course. I know that there are many voters out there that share the same feelings as I do on the issues. I met many of them when I was out petitioning for signatures. People are upset and they should be, but now "is" the time to do something about it.

Mary, after doing some research on each of the current candidates, I was wondering why you as a candidate have not attended a single county meeting or committee meeting to this point.

I would also like to make the statement that I do work for a living like most people, but yet did find time to make a couple of sessions. Yes, I was even at a session where one of the legislators appeared to be sleeping. On to meetings. They should be at night so that all can attend.

OK, do tell...who was taking a nap during the meeting?

Love Penn Yan - Great question.This is where we get into the our pledge as CAST members.
1. Establish a committee to work with each County department head to benchmark expenses and develop department budgets using zero based budgeting. Starting from scratch, review all potential expenses and expenditures, analyze each one and determine if they can be modified, reduced or eliminated from the budget altogether.
2. Normalize Yates County spending so that expenditures are consistent with surrounding counties and reflect the current size and population (i.e. Yates's employee benefit costs are 20% higher than the upstate NY average, the transportation budget is 100% higher than the upstate NY average, public safety expenses (Sheriff) are 42% higher than the upstate NY average and from 1996 to 2006 expenditures increased by 66% compared to 32% for the average upstate NY County.).

3. Consolidate services, eliminate duplication in local government and work cooperatively with local and surrounding governments to reduce expenses.

4. Increase pressure in Albany to reduce unfunded mandates

5. Always vote against proposed budget increases that exceed the consumer price index.

I would also like to make the statement that I do work for a living like most people, but yet did find time to make a couple of sessions. Yes, I was even at a session where one of the legislators appeared to be sleeping. On to meetings. They should be at night so that all can attend.

I have seen the data and where it comes from and it is, indeed,
accurate. Some of the numbers are just off the charts and that is why as a group we formed the non-partisan group called the CAST. Those numbers concerned all of us. Parties aside, we all agree that something must be done, and we plan on working together to make the changes needed for this county to go forward in a more responsible way. We want to deal with the facts and not just responses of negativity. We expect to be held accountable for what we say.

One of our goals, is to make the meetings more accessible to voters by having meetings at night. Then all can attend. Night meetings also allow more candidates to run for office.Changing the term limits offers new ideas and a fresh approach to issues. Complacency occurs when the same group of people are in charge of any organization and this seems to have happened with our current Legislature.