25th District: Getting to know the candidates
WSTM TV 3 (NBC)
Lisa Spitz
October 27th, 2008
Video: http://www.wstm.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=213049
SYRACUSE -- Action News sat down with each of the three candidates for United States Congress in the 25th District and asked a variety of questions, both political and personal. Here is what the candidates had to say:
- Name: Dan Maffei
- Party: Democrat
- Age: 40
- Job: Executive Vice President at Pinnacle Capital Management, LLC
- Home: DeWitt
- Family: Married to Abby
- Past Public Office: None
- Name: Dale Sweetland
- Party: Republican
- Age: 59
- Job: Insurance Consultant
- Home: Fabius
- Family: Married to Susan
- Past Public Office: Fabius Town Supervisor, Chairman, Onondaga County Legislature
- Name: Howie Hawkins
- Party: Green
- Age: 55
- Job: Unloads trucks for UPS
- Home: Syracuse
- Family: Single
- Past Public Office: None
Question: What single trait do you have that would make you successful at this job?
Maffei: "I think my resilience, the fact that I just never, ever give up and people have seen that in my political life and I would apply that to everything I would be doing for Central New York, whether it's trying to create new jobs or making sure we have decent health care, I just won't give up."
Sweetland: "I think honesty. I was brought up to believe that you should be honest with people and that you look them in the eye and when you tell them you're going to do something, you better darn sure be able to do it."
Hawkins: "I decide where I stand based on what is right, not on whose giving me campaign funds or what the polls say. So when I tell you I take a position you can count on it, that's my position."
Question: What do you first want to tackle if elected, and how?
Maffei: "Definitely would be the economy. Right now we have a 700 billion bailout for Wall Street, we need to do more for main street. We need to do these provisions I talk about to create jobs and we need to invest in our infrastructure, our roads are crumbling, Rt. 81 is going to fall down soon, in the next 10 years."
Sweetland: "Reducing property taxes in New York State "It's proven property taxes are the main inhibitors to business growth and population growth and Medicare makes up 50 percent of these property taxes, it's a federal program and I believe we should sit down and figure out ways to alleviate that problem."
Hawkins: "Getting priorities straight. We need to cut back on our military spending, world wide empire of over 700 military bases in 100 counties and put that money into the real economy and build a green economy."
Question: If elected, how long would you want to be in office?
Maffei: "I don't think any member of congress should serve more than 10-12 years, not just because it's bad, we need turnover, need new blood but also it would be difficult for the person."
Sweetland: Favors term limits, doesn't believe he'd stay more than 10 years.
Hawkins: He would run on his record and let people decide on his record.
Question: Favorite TV Show?
Maffei: The Rockford Files
Sweetland: Sports
Hawkins: Democracy Now
Question: Favorite Book?
Maffei: Truman
Sweetland: Anything John Grisham
Hawkins: Communitas
Question: Favorite Sports Team?
Maffei: New York Yankees
Sweetland: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Giants
Hawkins: San Francisco Giants
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