Candidates invited to share views
The League of Women Voters of Putnam County will host a candidates’ forum at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10 at the Mahopac Library, 686 Route 6.
The organization has invited a number of candidates, including Sue Serino, a Republican who represents Philipstown and Beacon in the state senate, and her Democratic challenger, Terry Gipson; Sandy Galef, a Democrat who represents Philipstown in the state assembly, and her Republican challenger, Greg Purdy; James Reitz and Gina Capone, who are facing off for Putnam County justice, and Faye Thorpe and Camille Linson, who would both like to be the new Philipstown town justice.
I just received information that Sue Serino declined the invitation to this debate event. If this is true it would be a big disappointment and it would be deleterious to our democracy, as the public will have been less than well informed before the vote.
Again if this information is correct I would hope that the other candidate, former senator Terry Gipson, would attend in any case and would be given a short time to make a statement of his case and his vision. He appears, at least, to be ready and willing to make his views known to the electorate.
Is the Current aware of any debate planned between Sean Maloney and Phil Oliva, candidates for U.S. Congress this year? I have heard very little so far from either of these candidates of the critical issues we face locally and nationally. Will the Current perhaps at least be publishing interviews of these two candidates?
We asked Eileen Reilly, president of the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Putnam County, for an update, and she replied:
“Sen. Serino and Judge Reitz have declined our invitation to participate in the Candidates’ Forum. Sen. Serino’s office and Judge Reitz have each advised our League that they have a prior commitment.
“LWV guidelines do not allow an empty chair ‘debate’ which is what we now have with the NYS Senate District 41. Terrence Gipson will prepare a five-minute statement that he will read. Sen. Serino may submit a five-minute statement that will be read to the audience by the LWV Moderataor. We have not yet received the statement from Sen. Serino, which we expect to receive no later than Friday, Oct. 7.
“With regard to the Putnam County Judge, and Philipstown Town Judge offices, judges are not permitted by law to ‘debate’; however, they will each speak for five minutes. Judge Reitz has submitted a five-minute statement which will be read by the LWV Moderator.
“There will be a brief period of time after the conclusion of the forum for all participating candidates and the audience, to ‘network.’ ”
Maloney and Oliva are scheduled to debate Oct. 19 at the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce, Oct. 20 for the Journal News editorial board, Oct. 24 for the Times-Herald Record editorial board and Oct. 25 for the Poughkeepsie Journal editorial board. Oliva has criticized Maloney for not agreeing to any televised debates.