With the primary election just days away, local voters will soon weigh in on choices for Otsego County treasurer, area county boards, Oneonta mayor and several town races.
In Otsego County, there is one primary race for the Otsego County Board of Representatives. On Tuesday, Republicans in Worcester, Maryland, Westford and Decatur will choose between incumbent county Rep. Donald Lindberg, 50, and challenger John Imperato, 54.
The winner will be the GOP's nominee, but the loser will have another chance in November because both Republicans have secured secondary ballot lines.
Lindberg, a 10-year veteran, said Tuesday that he's running on his record.
``People know me and what I stand for,'' said Lindberg, chairman of the county's Otsego Manor Committee and former county board chairman. ``If I like something, I say so, and if I don't, I say that, too.''
Lindberg, who lives in Worcester, said he likes representing District 6.
``I didn't get into this for the money; I do it because I think someone has to speak up for the public,'' he said.
Too often, he said, the county spends more money than it should because representatives don't want to be the bearers of bad tidings.
``Take this year's budget,'' he said. ``Most of the board knew, or should have known, we wouldn't get the sales-tax revenue we did the year before. But they left in $33 million (in revenue) anyway, because otherwise, they would have been forced to make cuts.
``I think we ought to make the cuts at budget time and not spend meeting after meeting during the year looking for ways to cut expenses.'' Lindberg was among the representatives who voted against the current budget.
``If I win again, I'd like to work on all our problems,'' he said. ``I think MOSA should defease its bonds so we can get the tipping fee down, but we'd better think long and hard before we get into the garbage business ourselves.''
Lindberg, a property manager, predicted the 2010 budget cycle will be tough, with health care costs rising and tax revenue in short supply.
``It may be the Manor that helps the general fund this year,'' he said, noting that Otsego Manor has received retroactive payments for being under-reimbursed in recent years.
``That's good news, but we have to keep in mind it's only temporary, as far as helping the general fund,'' he said. ``What we ought to do is look at every county department to make sure that everything is needed and being done as efficiently as possible.''
Imperato, a county dispatcher and president of CSEA Local 8100, said his candidacy has been welcomed by the electorate.
``People are very receptive to a blue-collar working person willing to give 100 percent, 24/7,'' he said in an e-mail to The Daily Star.
``Of the few hundred residents I've met over the course of the summer, the majority appreciate how I work hard to protect the working people. Some have commented on my bringing a high standard of morals and ethics to the county board.''
Although he was moved to run for the board by union issues, he has become aware of many concerns as he has campaigned, said Imperato, who lives in Schenevus.
Imperato said people are wary of MOSA's plans to defease, or guarantee, its bonds. ``Spending millions to defease and remain in the refuse business is questionable without long-term goals,'' he wrote.
People also tell him they wonder how Otsego Manor's budget could suddenly improve so dramatically, he wrote.
``Otsego Manor (is) a great and dignified project, which we hope will be around for decades,'' Imperato stated. ``The employees always knew it was a sound investment. The public again questions the integrity of the board's oversight in regards to a sudden windfall of millions of dollars, after a report of the facility losing money just a few months ago."
Voters have asked him why county roads are ``in such terrible condition, as well as the overgrowth of brush,'' he said. Imperato said the problem is that the county Highway Department has lost ``almost 100 county highway positions in the last few years.'' This void will not be filled by town crews, he said.
Imperato also addressed economic issues, writing: ``For the county to remain viable, it needs to maintain and create jobs in the area.
"With the (federal and state governments) reimbursing the county up to 90 percent for many of its positions, it would make sense to maintain its workforce."
As Republicans in District 6 select a nominee for county board, they also will be asked to choose a nominee for treasurer, either incumbent Treasurer Myrna Thayne, or Edward Keator, the candidate of the county's Republican Committee.
Across the area, other primary races are pending, many between Republicans. And in the city of Oneonta on Tuesday, Democrats will choose between two candidates for mayor, Jason Corrigan and Richard Miller. Both candidates have secondary ballot lines, so regardless of Tuesday's outcome, they will face each other and Republican Erik Miller in the general election Nov. 3.
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