Marc Molinaro held town hall meeting Monday, Sept. 24 at the Clinton County Government Center in Plattsburgh.
Photo by Elizabeth Izzo
PLATTSBURGH | Marc Molinaro touched down in Plattsburgh last week and met with voters in a town hall-style session.
The candidate had rolled out his tax cut plan earlier that morning, promising to cut property taxes by 30 percent in the next five years through a combination of extending the property tax cap to New York City homeowners, a full state takeover of Medicaid and ongoing mandate relief for local governments.
The Dutchess County executive, a Republican who hopes to unseat Gov. Andrew Cuomo this fall, sailed through key campaign issues of streamlining bureaucracy, slimming down regulations and curbing corruption before taking questions from the crowd, who appeared to relish in probing hot-button issues that have acted as lightning rods for conservatives — including whether sex offenders should legally placed in group homes for people with developmental disabilities.
“It’s criminal,” Molinaro said.
LIGHTNING RODS
Molinaro walked a fine line between throwing red meat to the crowd of about 50, which was heavy on law enforcement officials, and proffering his brand of sunny can-do optimism.
He blasted Cuomo’s referral to ICE as “thugs” during the gubernatorial debate with Cynthia Nixon in August.
“The fact any elected official would refer to them as thugs is disgusting,” said Molinaro, noting the agency does good work, including capturing an actual Nazi in Queens in August.
Molinaro said he doesn’t support establishing New York as a sanctuary state and blasted the MS-13 gang as “hardened and violent criminals preying on people” and said more state and federal coordination of anti-gang efforts is needed.
And as the battle rages over the future of the Supreme Court, Cuomo has been pushing the state legislature to codify Roe v. Wade into the state constitution, and has said he will sue if the Supreme Court acts to roll back the decision.
At one point, a woman who identified herself as “Lydia” asked Molinaro to discuss his stance on reproductive rights.
“Gov. Cuomo has been a fierce advocate for promoting abortions absolutely as far as he possibly can to the point of almost encouraging it onto people,” she said.
“I don’t know that he’s pushing and wants people to,” Molinaro responded, “but certainly his policies have been that he wishes to enable broad access.”
Molinaro expressed confidence Roe v. Wade will remain law regardless of what happens at the Supreme Court.
“It is codified in the state of New York, and it will be my responsibility to uphold the laws of the state,” he said.
But he said he doesn’t embrace the governor’s position on late-term abortions.
Molinaro said these types of “moral and ethical questions” are absent under the Cuomo administration.
“We ought to be having a serious conversation about all of this,” he said, noting many in the state lack access to prenatal services and care.
“I believe women need the tools to make the healthiest choice for them, and despite any personal belief, I’m obligated to uphold the law.”
GUN CONTROL
Molinaro also engaged in a balancing act between assuaging his base on his commitment to the Second Amendment and addressing growing calls by the public for stronger gun control measures.
The candidate, who voted against the SAFE Act as a state assemblyman, said he is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. But he previously acknowledged repealing the legislation outright is unlikely because of a Democratic-controlled Assembly, and has stated chief executives cannot repeal or “ram legislation through” without the proper checks and balances.
The SAFE Act might be taken off the books in stages, he has said.
And he told attendees in Plattsburgh those with severe mental illness or violent tendencies should not have access to a firearm while also ensuring due process safeguards were protected.
“That’s the policy we need to strengthen,” he said.
‘SEPARATE BUT UNEQUAL’
Both he and running mate Julie Killian have children with special needs.
Molinaro spoke passionately about the need to bolster special education funding, and said it was problematic that the state Department of Health has such a broad mandate.
“Dutchess County is responsible for septic tanks and special education,” he said. “We have two separate and unequal systems of education: general education and special education. And in special education, you’re in mortal combat to get the services and the assistance that you need for your entire life.”
His daughter, who required early intervention services, must be treated as patient and advocate at the same time.
And for a governor who enjoys lashing the federal government, he criticized Cuomo for not using his perch to lobby for more federal special education funding.
“The governor often shouts about the federal government about all sorts of things," he said. "Maybe he could pay attention to that the federal government should be more committed to special education.”
CROWD REACTIONS
Democrats control the state Assembly, and are just one seat away from flipping the state Senate.
Molinaro isn’t convinced of a Democratic pickup, and said it could go either way. But he learned that as a minority member in the state Assembly, effective politicians need to cultivate broader skills.
“My goal working with the state legislature regardless of party is to put you in the room and them on the outside,” he said.
The candidate received a warm reception.
Shawna Sutton of Peru said she follows Molinaro on social media.
She liked how Molinaro pledged to serve only two terms if elected.
“He was very informative,” she said. “I’m feeling optimistic. Hopefully he takes the governorship.”
Vice President of the Northern Region for NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association John Roberts said it was “exciting to have someone with his ideas come and visit the North Country.”
“It shows in a smaller city like Plattsburgh that our votes matter as well,” he said.
The GOP hasn’t won a statewide office since 2002.
Clinton County Republican Committee Executive Vice Chair John Zurlo pointed at Molinaro’s “Believe Again” motto.
He noted the visit of another long-shot candidate on a cold and windy day in 1994.
“That fellow defeated the old man and served three terms in a row,” Zurlo said, referring to George Pataki. “We’re going to do it to his son this time.”
NEW POLL
Cuomo is a heavy favorite heading to the election. A Siena College poll released Monday reveals the governor has opened up a 22 point lead over Molinaro.
Molinaro acknowledged he was playing defense, pointing at his Underdog lapel pin ahead of the event.
And he’s at a fundraising disadvantage as he bombs around the state in a donated minivan.
“We will never have enough money, but we will win this race,” he said.
Earlier, he joked that audience members must give them $25 every time their phone rang.
Within an hour, he was interrupted four times.
“I got $100,” he said.
