2010 ELECTIONS: QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

With the Sept. 14 primary and the ensuing general election approaching, the Courier will be asking a question each week of local candidates for Congress, State Senate, State Assembly, and County Executive.

19TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

JOHN HALL (D)

“ To effectively address the problem of illegal immigration, Congress must pursue a strong and practical approach that starts with securing our borders in order to stem the flow of illegal immigration. We must also enforce current laws and crack down on businesses that hire illegal workers. For those who are already here, I oppose amnesty for anyone who broke the law while millions of others played by the rules and waited patiently. I will evaluate any immigration reform legislation in Congress by these standards and only support such a bill if it includes these measures. I firmly believe that immigration law is the responsibility of the federal government and that it is unconstitutional for states to develop their own immigration enforcement laws. The federal government must reimburse state and local law enforcement for the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants. I am also committed to ensuring that federal agencies have the resources they need to thoroughly enforce the law. Since my election to Congress, I have consistently supported these measures and will continue to do so. “

NEIL DICARLO (R)

“ I will vote to send back illegal immigrants to their native countries. I want them to go. My opponent wants them to stay. I have lived a life of compassion through my faith. However, you cannot take the oath of office knowing full well that you will vote in favor of illegal immigrants staying who have committed a crime by entering our country illegally. I lived in Mount Kisco before moving to Brewster and I have seen first-hand the effects of Illegals in both communities of the 19th Congressional district. My opponent and I agree to secure the borders. My opponent wants them to register and pay a “substantial financial penalty.” Common sense dictates that they cannot afford such penalty. Illegals arrive here in one of two ways: crossing the border or paying someone. Who do you think they will pay first? The person that got them here or the US government? Why waste time, effort, and money under my opponent’s plan. Follow my plan. Send them back! “

NAN HAYWORTH (R)

“ What we have seen in Arizona is a cry for help from one state to its federal government. The Obama Administration is asleep at the switch on this issue. Unlike a distressingly high number of federal officials, I have actually read Arizona law SB1070. We need our federal government to take the lead on Immigration reform, and it must begin with securing the border. If our borders remain porous, those who seek to enter our country illegally will continue to violate our laws and put our citizens (as well as themselves) at risk.

My own mother came here legally from England after World War II and chose to become a U.S. citizen; I strongly support legal immigration. I do not favor blanket amnesty; we have to respect the rule of law and be fair to the millions already on waiting lists who have undertaken to enter our country in accordance with our laws. And our first job is to devote sufficient resources, as has not yet been done, to border security. “

40TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT

MICHAEL KAPLOWITZ (D)

“ All countries need to enforce their borders or they give up their national integrity. Further, no one likes to feel that people are cutting in line and not following the rules, and receiving benefits for government services they don’t pay for. Finally, combining illegal immigration with criminality makes for a volatile mix.

However, as a New York State Senator I will take a common-sense, practical approach to this problem. We must work with Federal officials as well as local officials to integrate these individuals into society in a legal fashion and make sure they pay back and future taxes to pay their fair share towards societal services used. For public safety purposes, I will provide our local police departments with the resources necessary to not only curb crime among our illegal population, but also crime among our legal citizens.

One of my opponents believes one can simply round-up 11 million people and send them back the way they came. Even more unrealistically and without consulting even the people who live there, he is calling for the abolition of an entire village. “

GREG BALL (R)

“ In 2006 I was all alone amongst politicians willing to even broach the subject. I’m tired of the talk and sick of the excuses; it’s time to get serious and take immediate action to crack down on this black market economy. We must focus like a laser by going after illegal alien slumlords and employers. I also support 287g to deport criminal illegal aliens while enacting policies at the local level to counteract the illegal alien economy. Illegal aliens cost taxpayers in New York over $5 billion per year in incarceration, healthcare, education and welfare. Some Republicans like the cheap labor and some Democrats love the idea of future votes, meanwhile blue collar folks like my family are left paying the bills, waiting in line in emergency rooms, reading horror stories of illegal alien crime and competing for jobs. Cracking down and reversing the currently hospitable environment for illegal aliens and their slumlords and employers will remain one of my top priorities. “

MARY BETH MURPHY (R)

“ I believe we must secure our borders as the first step toward seriously addressing the immigration issue. This must become part of our national security policy. The responsibility of securing our nation’s borders rests with the federal government, which has been unwilling to resolve this issue, forcing states like Arizona to enact their own laws. As State Senator I will lobby the Federal Government to take this necessary step. I oppose amnesty. We have an established procedure for becoming a citizen. I support law enforcement against illegal immigrants and the employers who hire them. We should deport those illegal immigrants who are criminals. “

99TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

JIM BORKOWSKI (R)

“ Illegal immigration is out of control in our community. America has secured the border of South Korea for the past 55 years, yet our government does not protect the borders of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California. There is no question that our borders must be secured. Every other country does it, and we have the right, and duty, as a sovereign nation to secure our borders.

Locally, since the Federal government has failed to act, we must help ourselves. For years, I have been at the forefront of the fight against criminal illegal aliens. As a judge, I was the first elected official in Putnam County to call for the federal 287g program, which empowers local police to begin deportation proceedings against criminal illegal aliens, without waiting for the Federal Government. I also cracked down on housing code violations, making it more difficult to house illegal aliens.

I am also in favor of repealing that portion of the 14th Amendment which makes the children of illegal aliens American citizens if they are born here. “

STEVE KATZ (R)

“ I strongly believe illegal immigration must be directly addressed by enforcing existing laws on immigration. Those who break the law should not be allowed to immigrate here. Those who are here must register, pay taxes, and meet the legal standards or be deported. Employers must be required to check on the legality of workers.

New York needs its borders secured, at the airports and all entry points. State authorities should be allowed to do background checks on recent immigrants. Immigrants who are not law abiding in their former countries should be deported. Immigrants who commit a felony here should also be deported.

We cannot have state security or national security without first securing our borders and knowing who is coming into the country. It is clear that lax border security was a direct cause of the September 11, 2001 attacks that took place in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. This can never be allowed to happen again.“

BRENDAN TULLY (D)

“ Most people agree that our immigration system is broken. We need comprehensive reform that promotes legal immigration, strengthens our communities, protects our borders, and cracks down on employers that break the law, drive down wages and exploit workers. There is a great deal of acrimony surrounding this issue. Despite the strong language and campaign promises, we’ve seen little consensus building from our leaders and virtually no results. We need to move beyond what divides us on hot button issues and focus on the most important question, “what can we do to strengthen our communities.”

We can work together to help small businesses thrive and revitalize our down town areas;

We can stop funding government programs that don’t work and waste money; and we can make sure that no one is ever again forced to choose between the home they love, and taxes they can afford.

We have what we need to build strong communities for our children, we just need to stop focusing on what divides us and start working together.“

PUTNAM COUNTY EXECUTIVE

VINCENT LEIBELL (R)

“ Illegal immigration is out of control in this country and has been for many decades. That this crisis currently exists is the fault of the Federal government for failing to protect our national borders.

The solution that I advocate is to close our borders except to those who can be here legally. I also believe that because of the gravity of the situation, local government should be empowered and encouraged by the national government to actively assist in the control of our borders. “

MARY ELLEN ODELL (R)

“ We all believe we are a nation of immigrants; however our ancestors assimilated into this great country by following the rules of citizenship. We need to manage this situation as we would any other illegal action—as a crime.

The Federal Government is the only entity that has the true authority to prohibit the illegal entry of non-citizens. We, the tax payers, are continually asked to foot the bill and the bear the brunt of the federal government’s inability to secure our borders.

The illegal immigration population has created a tremendous financial burden on the average tax payer. The increased usage of social services, health care and law enforcement expenses are a drain to an already overburdened economy.

We are struggling to provide basic services to our own residents, who pay taxes; never mind residents of foreign countries that don’t contribute to the system. We need to stand together and push the Federal Government to do its job – protect its citizens and secure the borders. “