Saugerties Democratic Committee

Saugerties Town Council Candidates

Greg Helsmoortel Saugerties Town Supervisor

Greg is a lifelong resident of Saugerties and a graduate of Saugerties High School. He earned a degree in Business from SUNY Cobleskill and is the owner of Helsmoortel Insurance. He has served as President of the local Rotary Club, sponsored and ran the Saugerties Dutchman Baseball Club and served on the Mum Festival Committee as well as donating to numerous civic undertakings. Greg was inducted into the Saugerties Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 for his continuing contributions to area sports. He is on the board of the Kingston/Ulster Development Zone, and for the past seven years he has co-hosted a morning radio call-in show on WGHQ during which he is a booster for all things pertaining to Saugerties. Respected for his decency, inherent fairness and long-standing commitment to the community, Greg brings a solid track record of accomplishments to his candidacy for re-election as Supervisor. As a tenacious watchdog over the town's finances, Greg has made it a priority to keep taxes low and to obtain millions of dollars in grant money. He secured county, state and federal funding for the Kings Highway water and sewer infrastructure scheduled to break ground this fall. This will encourage business expansion with the potential for high paying jobs for our residents. He successfully negotiated with the state to relocate a dangerous railroad crossing on Kings Highway for the safety and welfare of residents and employees of area business regularly using this crossing-- at no cost to the town's residents. Under his leadership, the town has secured funding for town/village consolidation studies, a Saugerties skate park and the enhancement of our riverside parks in Glasco and Malden. Greg expanded the Empire Development Zone to include more businesses in Saugerties, and he has made tremendous strides in incorporating green building standards, energy conservation and renewable energy use, not only in town buildings and operations, but also in the town's economic development plans. He has implemented the greening of the town hall expansion and is currently exploring the possibility of adding solar to some town facilities. He expanded the town's Green & Clean roadside trash cleanups and appointed a Green Energy Task Force. Greg has been the driving force behind the work with regional planners and county government to explore the possibility of green high tech economic development and open space preservation on the Winston Farm, an effort that has garnered tremendous support in Saugerties. He was also instrumental in providing a home for our town's library during its construction phase by having the Town Hall warehouse remodeled into a beautiful energy efficient space. This remodeling was paid for by the library, and the work was done by town employees…yet another example of the spirit of community cooperation that is the hallmark of Greg and the board. Greg is seeking his sixth term as our town's supervisor, and during these difficult economic times we need him at the helm more than ever. Greg has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Jamie Fine Saugerties Town Council

Jamie has been a resident of Saugerties for nearly two decades and brings an impressive background in business management and communications to her first run for elected office. Jamie spent her professional career as an executive in Human Resources Management at major companies, including ASME International, a leading international engineering organization with over 500 employees, where she was responsible for a department budget of $1.6 million plus the benefits budget for the entire company of $5.5 million. Jamie received her B.S. in Labor Studies from SUNY, Empire State College Center for Labor Studies in New York City. As a community volunteer, Jamie is a dynamo. She is respected for her integrity and tireless service to so many Saugerties organizations. In 2004, she spearheaded the successful Secret Gardens of Saugerties tours and has served as its organizer and marketer ever since. Not only has this become a highly anticipated annual tourist attraction, but it has raised significant money for the Saugerties Historical Society and the Saugerties Boys & Girls Club. She also serves as coordinator of the Saugerties Farmers' Market's Harvest Home Dinners and as a member of the Girls Community Club and Kiwanis Club. On the town level, Jamie's volunteer service includes: chair of the Saugerties Property Assessment Committee, communications coordinator for the Winston Farm Government/Resident Committee, and a member of the Economic Development Committee. She has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Bruce Leighton Saugerties Town Council

Bruce is a lifelong resident of Saugerties and a graduate of Saugerties High School. He received his A.A.S Degree from SUNY Ulster and his B.S. in Marketing/Economics from SUNY Plattsburgh. He is the owner of Leighton's Water Treatment, in operation for over 25 years, and Hudson Valley Spring Water Company, both of which are successful Saugerties businesses. Bruce served four terms on the Saugerties Village Board as Water and Waste Water Commssioner. During his tenure, the Village completely rebuilt the water treatment plant and added a three million gallon storage tank. As a result, the Village received the Water System of the Year Award from the New York Rural Water Association. Bruce was elected to the Town Board in 2005, and the town has benefited from his professional expertise and his tremendous work ethic. In addition to his responsibilities with the Town's Water & Waste Water Department, Bruce serves as the board's liaison to Diaz Ambulance, the Boys & Girls Club, the Justice Court and the Assessment Review Committee. His ability to work collaboratively in a nonpartisan manner has been instrumental in helping to keep our town taxes among the lowest in Ulster County. As a member of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce and the Saugerties Area Chamber of Commerce, Bruce is a strong proponent of promoting economic development while steadfastly preserving our town's cultural, historic and environment heritage. He has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.

District 4 Ulster County Legislature Candidates

Gary Bischoff County Legislature

Gary Bischoff who is seeking re-election to the Legislature has been fearless in taking on the power brokers who try to manipulate the political system. He is widely respected as an advocate for open government, fiscal responsibility and political accountability. Gary originally served as Legislator from January 1992 through December 1995, and January 2002 to December 2003, including one year as Minority Leader where he led the opposition to the building of a new county jail and forewarned about the exorbitant costs to the taxpayers and the need to be fiscally responsible. Gary is currently chairman of the Efficiency, Reform and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. As chairman, he encouraged input from elected officials, department heads, the county attorney and outside organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, and developed an extensive public information campaign, that led, in no small part, to the approval of the charter by the voters last year. Gary currently chairs the Charter Transition Committee. Gary has a Masters Degree from Columbia University. He also has been endorsed by the Independence and Working Families parties.

Marcy Goulart County Legislature

Marcy Goulart is a seasoned business woman, who has excelled in a variety of business fields. The daughter of a Gloucester fisherman and the youngest of eight, she began her working life as a performer in the Entertainment Industry in New York City. She bought her first building in New York at the age of twenty five and with her husband, successfully owned and operated several Three -Star French restaurants. Marcy was a property manager in both the public & private sectors. As an Ulster County Realtor she sold commercial & residential real estate receiving recognition as the Realtor- Associate of the Year in the mid Eighties. Currently, she is Senior Corporate Sales Manager for the Holiday Inn servicing the Association & Corporate Markets. The New York State Society of Association Executives, an international trade association of two thousand members, gave Marcy their highest honor. She was chosen Member- Associate of the year for 2007, for her outstanding commitment & service to the non-profit industry. A thoughtful and insightful woman, she has been committed to her community for over twenty five years. Loving the rural landscape, she was a member of Shellbark Farm in Accord which was a working 18th century farm. For five years, Marcy chaired the Woodstock Artist's Studio Tour which raised scholarship money for high school art students. The American Heart Association and the Alzheimer's Association are boards that she has served on. For over seven years she has chaired the Silent Auction for the golf outing of the Salvation Army. Marcy is also committed to other women and is Development Chair for the Ulster County Democratic Women; an organization committed to having more women elected to public office. Service to her community has been a way of life and is very important to her. "It is an exciting time and a challenging time for Ulster County. If I am elected to the U.C. Legislature I believe we must prepare for the future. We have a growing senior population and young families that need to be able to stay in their communities with affordable housing, greener jobs and alternative energy options. It is important that we address these issues now. Growth is inevitable, but we must choose wisely how that growth comes about. We need bright, energetic and creative public servants to lead us into the future. I believe with my varied business and professional experience I have much to offer the voters of Ulster County."

Alverta Jones County Legislature

Alverta is the eldest of eight children born to Reverend & Mrs. Oscar Palmer in Kingston, NY. She was educated in Kingston Public Schools and SUNY at New Paltz where she majored in Political Science and was blessed to have participated in the Model UN at Harvard University. She is the mother of five wonderful children and the grand-mother of ten awesome grandchildren. Alverta's life of public service began in my Father's house. It was he who taught her how to serve and wait. It wasn't that he ever said do this or do that but it was the life he lived before us. He ministered to all who came to him in one way or another. He was interested in their well being. He was interested in the well being of the community they lived in. Whether they were seeking answers to a problem, or seeking comfort from life, or just needed an ear to hear or a head to nod with understanding my Father was their man, their representative. And so it is with Alverta. She longs to translate the needs of my community into positive actions as an Ulster County Legislator. The interests of our community in economic stability and opportunity are hers. The interests of our community in affordable housing are hers. The interests of our community in veteran's and senior affairs are her interests also. Our interests in renewable energy technologies and education are her interests and concerns also and together she believes we can build a better community not only for ourselves but for the generations coming behind us. Using our corporate intelligence and will we can find our way to a better quality of life while protecting our environment and natural resources. And if we can begin now and do it the right way future generations will be thankful and obligated to insure a quality future for those coming behind them.

Nicole Tucker County Legislature

Countywide Candidates

Gilda Riccardi Ulster County Clerk www.gildaforcountyclerk.com

Deborah Schneer Ulster County Judge

Before being appointed to the Ulster County Court on June 18, Deborah Schneer was a Town Justice for the Town of Rochester, having been elected in November 2005. Deborah is the first woman, and the first attorney, to serve in that position in the 300 years of Rochester’s municipal existence. She was the first Democrat to serve as Rochester Town Justice in the last 15-20 years. As town justice, Deborah presides over a weekly docket of civil and criminal matters. She has full authority over misdemeanor criminal cases, in which she handles arraignments, bail and release determinations, conducts and decides pre-trial hearings, motions and negotiations, conducts bench and jury trials, and makes sentencing decisions. She also presides over pre-trial hearings and proceedings in felony cases. She hears and tries small claims cases, eviction matters and traffic violations. In the last two years, Deborah has periodically served as Acting City Court Judge in the City of Kingston, and presided over full criminal and civil dockets in that court. She is currently treasurer of the Ulster County Magistrates Association. Deborah has been a practicing attorney for 25 years. In her private practice Deborah represents clients in civil rights and discrimination cases in state and federal court. She represents and counsels clients in a broad range of civil matters, from real estate and contracts to employment and administrative law. She also practices immigration law, including deportation defense, and citizenship and asylum claims. Previously, Deborah has worked for Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, a community based public defender office and Prisoners Legal Services. Deborah’s law practice has taken her to many different courts, including town court, state supreme court, and the state appellate courts. She has argued before the New York State Court of Appeals. She also has represented clients in the federal district and federal circuit courts of appeal. Deborah has devoted much of her career to representing people least likely to have access to high quality legal representation, including prisoners, indigent criminal defendants and immigrants. Deborah is a 1984 graduate of New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden Scholar, a three year scholarship awarded to law students who have both excellent academic achievement and a demonstrated interest in public service and public interest law. Deborah was awarded her BA degree from Tufts University where she graduated summa cum laude in 1980. Deborah has been an Ulster County resident for 20 years and lives in High Falls with her family. Her law office is located in Rosendale.

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Elected Officials

Barack Obama Presidential Primary Candidate barackobama.com

Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. He moved to Chicago in 1985, where he became a community organizer seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment. He had some success, but Barack came to realize that in order to improve the lives of people in that community and other communities, it would take change in our laws and in our politics. He went on to earn his law degree in 1991, and became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. In the Illinois State Senate, he helped working families get ahead, creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families who earn moderate wages. In 2004, he became the third African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the U.S. Senate, where his first law passed is a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing Americans to go online and see how every dime of their tax dollars is spent. Amid the partisanship of current public debate, he still believes in the the politics of purpose that puts solving the challenges of everyday Americans ahead of political gain. He has been the lead voice in championing ethics reform. Senator Obama got veterans the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans from the middle east. Recognizing the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, he traveled to Russia to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts. And knowing the threat we face to our economy from reliance on oil, he is working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together to promote the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars. On the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, and the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century.

Maurice Hinchey NY's 22nd District - United States Representative hincheyforcongress.com

Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey is a progressive Democrat, serving in his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 22nd Congressional District. Hinchey is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which allocates funds in the federal budget. On that panel, he serves on the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies; and the Subcommittee on Financial Services. Hinchey is also a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. Additionally, the congressman is one of only 20 members on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee. Prior to coming to Congress in 1993, Hinchey served 18 years in the New York State Assembly, including 14 years as Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Conservation. He introduced and saw enacted legislation to create the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, the first federal action formally recognizing the significant role the people of the Hudson Valley played in the development of America and its institutions. On the Appropriations Committee, Hinchey has been a strong advocate American agriculture, focusing on protecting the family farm and the safety of the food supply. He was one of the first and most outspoken opponents of the 2003 war in Iraq.He successfully led the fight to force the cleanup of PCBs from the Hudson River. During his tenure in Albany, he was responsible for the development of the statewide system of Heritage Areas, including that in Kingston. Hinchey is the author of the act that created the Hudson River Valley Greenway.Hinchey enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating from Saugerties H.S., serving on the destroyer U.S.S. Marshall. After his honorable discharge, he worked for two years as a laborer before enrolling in SUNY at New Paltz, and went on to earn a master's degree. He did advanced graduate work in public administration and economics at SUNY at Albany. Hinchey is the father of three children. He and his wife, Allison Lee, make their home in Hurley.

Mike Hein Ulster County Executive heinforexec.com

Mike Hein is uniquely qualified for the new position of Ulster County Executive because he fully understands how: 1/Finances work, inside and out; 2/Effective government should perform – and why it often does not; 3/To run a 325 million dollar operation, with 2000 employees; 4/To motivate and inspire people to work together, innovate – and reach higher!; 5/To build on Ulster County’s considerable strengths and assets to create a future that we can all be proud of. Mike Hein wants to be your first Ulster County Executive because he believes that Ulster County can – and must- do better! While others waste time and energy focusing on our shortcomings, Mike reminds us that Ulster County has so much to offer – and that with the right combination of accountability, leadership, innovation and hard work, we will prevail! Mike Hein is a husband, father and successful business person with deep roots in the community. He was born and raised in Ulster County and he understands, first hand, the challenges that we face and why we must take advantage of this exciting new opportunity to move Ulster County forward. As our County Administrator, he has already worked with legislators to produce significant results, while saving us millions of dollars, however, much more needs to be done - and Mike is ready to lead the way!

Elliott Auerbach Ulster County Comptroller auerbachforcomptroller.com

Elliott Auerbach brings the strength of his private and public sector background to the newly established office of Ulster County Comptroller. The former three-term Ellenville Mayor and Executive Director of the Rural Economic Area Partnership managed a closely-held family company for twenty years and enjoyed a series of successes in corporate America and private industry before returning to public administration as Ellenville's Village Manager and chief operating officer in 2002. In addition, Auerbach has been serving the people of Ulster County as Assistant Chairman and Assistant Secretary of the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency and as Secretary of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. Auerbach clearly understands the “business of government” and will advocate on behalf of the people of Ulster County as their independent fiscal watch dog. He will insist on “best practices” to ensure an efficient government that is responsive to the needs of its citizens and will take on the tough issues of fraud and abuse of taxpayers' dollars. Auerbach will vigorously examine the operations of the county's departments, offices and functions and report wrong doing, questionable practices and waste. He is a graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in Economics-Business, has pursued graduate studies at Long Island University and SUNY New Paltz. Auerbach is the father of three adult children and resides in Ellenville with his wife Judi.

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