Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (New York), August 26, 2005, Friday

Copyright 2005 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
All Rights Reserved
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (New York)

August 26, 2005 Friday Region Edition

SECTION: LOCAL STATE; Pg. 3B

HEADLINE: Campaign 2005

BYLINE: James Goodman, JGOODMAN@DemocratandChronicle.com

BODY:
Two party activists facing off in primary
Both running for office for the first time in 21st District contest.
James Goodman
Staff writer
The Democratic primary for the 21st District of the Monroe County Legislature is a contest between two party activists who have sometimes differing visions and priorities.
George H. Moses, community relations director of North East Area Development, won the party's designation for this seat. He focuses on his history of neighborhood involvement and parental advocacy.
Carrie M. Andrews, who is a labor relations specialist for the New York State United Teachers, is a relative newcomer to Rochester. She obtained enough signatures to force a primary and is campaigning as an independent voice responsive to the needs of working people.
The 21st District, on Rochester's east, includes the area between East and just north of Clifford avenues, and between Winton Road and North Goodman Street.
Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than a 3-1 ratio.
Legislator Chris Wilmot currently represents the district but can't run for re-election because of term limits. Elected as a Democrat, Wilmot joined the Republican caucus of the legislature in December.
Both Moses and Andrews, who has the endorsement of the Working Families and Independence parties, are running for office for the first time. The primary is Sept. 13. The winner will face Republican Phil Zuber in the general election, Nov. 8.
Andrews' campaign has been bolstered by her raising $21,266 by mid-August, or more than three times that of Moses. Her funds, she said, come from about 220 individual donors and a smattering from labor unions.
Moses, 36, believes that as a longtime resident of northeast Rochester, he understands the problems that must be addressed, from public safety to family needs.
"I want to be a neighborhood representative. I lead from my service," Moses said.
Moses would place a priority on making subsidized child care more available. He wants the county to raise the maximum that a family can earn and still get a subsidy to 200 percent of the poverty level. That was the cutoff before the financially strapped county reduced it to 140 percent of the poverty level in 2002.
At North East Area Development, Moses has helped start Smart Choices, an anti-drug dealer initiative that uses video of youths talking about making the right choice. And he worked to re-establish Court Watch, which tries to address underlying problems of those who have appeared in court.
Moses has also been president of the Parent Teacher Organization of School 33 and, since October, he has chaired the 21st District Democratic Committee, which he has helped rebuild, partly by increasing minority representation.
Andrews, 29, is a native of Trumansburg, Tompkins County. After earning a bachelor's degree from Cornell University in industrial and labor relations in 2001, she moved to Rochester to work for the Rochester Teachers Association.
She helped start the Dial-A-Teacher program, which offers free tutoring for Rochester schools identified as needing improvement by No Child Left Behind. And she was a co-leader of Rochester Votes, a voter registration drive that Metro Justice started last year.
Andrews said that she is not tied to the party leadership, so she would be "more independent than George may be," and would establish a district office to keep in contact with constituents.
If elected, Andrews would urge an independent audit of tax breaks granted by the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency, seek a renewal of county funding of nurses in city schools, and call for major county contracts to require that the workers employed be paid a livable wage, above the minimum wage.
Andrews stresses her differences with Moses on some social issues, such as faith-based initiatives.
She is concerned about the creation of the county's new Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, and is opposed to public funds used for religious proselytizing.
Moses said that, in the past, public funds that have gone to groups with religious affiliations, such as Catholic Family Center, have not been misused. He doesn't expect anything different under the county's new office.
For voter Barbara Curd, a Democrat who lives in the 21st District, a key question is, "What can they do to have the city and county work better together?"
On this issue, the different backgrounds of the candidates shaped their answers.
Moses said that, as someone who already had close ties to many members of Rochester City Council, working to improve city-county relations would come easy.
Andrews said that her work in labor relations gives her the skills that would fashion a closer city-county relationship.
The job
The 29 Monroe County legislators, each representing about 25,000 people, have responsibility for an annual budget approaching $1 billion, with expenditures on matters ranging from Medicaid to sheriff's patrols. The basic salary for county lawmakers is $18,000. The winner in the general election for the 21st District will serve a four-year term.
George H. Moses
Birth date: Aug. 31, 1968.
Residence: Rochester.
Education: Associate's degree from Monroe Community College, 2002.
Current position: Community relations director of North East Area Development.
Activities: U.S. Navy, rose to rank of petty officer second class, 1986-90; worked in food services and retail management, 1990-98; on the staff of North East Area Development since 1998.
Carrie M. Andrews
Birth date: Dec. 19, 1975.
Residence: Rochester.
Education: Bachelor's in industrial and labor relations, Cornell University, 2001.
Current position: Labor relations specialist for the New York State United Teachers.
Activities: Worked as labor relations and professional issues associate for the Rochester Teachers Association, 2001-03; has been on the NYSUT staff since 2004.
21st District Democrats discuss the issues
George H. Moses and Carrie M. Andrews, Democrats competing in
the 21st Legislative District primary, talk about the county's budget, controlling Medicaid costs and lead paint hazards.
George H. Moses
How would you close Monroe County's budget shortfall, which could reach $21.8 million this year?
I would limit spending for consultant services on issues that many county workers have ideas for addressing. I would ask our Republican county executive to speak with our Republican governor,
who would talk to our Republican president, for additional support for mandated services.
What should be done to control the costs of Medicaid?
A strategy to control the cost of Medicaid would involve negotiating prices for medicine and pharmaceuticals while weeding out provider fraud. This should be done in conjunction with continued advocating for state and federal relief.
What should be the county's role in addressing lead paint hazards?
The county's role in addressing lead paint hazards should be quite simple: mandate lead paint testing of homes that receive county subsidies and work with landlords and property owners to continue to mitigate lead hazards.
Carrie M. Andrews
How would you close Monroe County's budget shortfall, which could reach $21.8 million this year?
We should maintain the current tax rate, but allow the tax levy to fluctuate naturally.We need to prioritize spending that benefits working families and take a regional and cooperative approach to economic development in Monroe County.
What should be done to control the costs of Medicaid?
Medicaid expenses will decrease when families have good jobs and access to health care. Most Medicaid dollars are spent on elder care, so restricting eligibility for able-bodied recipients will not significantly reduce costs.
What should be the county's role in addressing lead paint hazards?
We must stop the poisoning of Rochester's children. We know where lead paint is and how to fix it. The county must expand its pilot program and aggressively assist landlords and families with lead abatement.
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SOURCE: Candidates' answers were edited for clarity and space.
LARRY COLEMAN staff artist