Q & A With Republican Candidate for SC Legislature
Volume 49, Issue 10
By David Crohn
This is the second in a two-part series of question-and-answer sessions with the leading candidates for the position of Suffolk County Legislator, Eleventh District, which covers all of Fire Island, as well all or parts of Bay Shore, Brentwood, Brightwaters and West Islip. The office is currently held by Angie Carpenter, whose term ends in January 2006. Two weeks ago we spoke to the Democratic candidate, Fire Island Ferries President George Hafele.
Thomas Barraga represents the 8th District of the New York State Assembly. He has more than 20 years of public office experience. And, as a former Saltaire resident, he’s no stranger to Fire Island. Take a moment to get acquainted. The election is on November 8.
Tell me about your fundraising/campaign efforts thus far…
It looks excellent. There seems to be a wide diversity of support coming from the 11th legislative district. I’ve been in public office for 28 years, and this is my seventeenth campaign and the 11th legislative district is totally enclosed within the 8th assembly district, so the people of the 11th really know me because I’ve been in the assembly for the last 23 years. The response has been really favorable.
Why should people vote for you?
Well, for example, I’m a fiscal conservative. I really think my job is to take a look at the state budget, to make sure it really stays in line with the rate of inflation. In the assembly I’ve voted against about 140 straight tax increases. I have voted against budgets that exceed the rate of inflation two or three times, because I know how difficult it is for people to live out here. Most people in the 11th are middle income to upper-middle-income people and the last thing they need from a legislator is a guy who’s going to go in there and keep spending and spending. In this state you go from January 1 to May 1, almost four months, paying taxes, before you start putting any money in your pocket. My feeling is that my constituents deserve to keep as much money in their wallets as possible.
What would you list as some of your key accomplishments thus far?
My principal asset has been my ability to debate a budget that’s $105 billion, and to point out from our point of view as Republicans why there is just too much spending going on in the state of New York. Federal, state and local taxes in this state rank number one in the nation. It’s my job to get the message across to Democrats that you can’t continue to spend and spend and spend without having an extremely negative effect on the constituency of the state, specifically on people in the 8th Assembly District and the 11th Legislative District. There are a lot of people leaving here because they just can’t afford to stay.
People on Long Island want a lot of service, but they are beginning to realize that they aren’t paid for by the people of New Jersey—they’re paid for by their neighbors.
What do you think are the concerns of your constituents in the 11th District, particularly Fire Island?
I have not represented that area in the assembly, but I lived on Fire Island. I had a house in Saltaire for seven years, so I’m very sensitive to the needs of Fire Island. There’s the question of erosion, of taxation, of getting your fair share from the federal government. It’s been an issue. It isn’t as if I’m not acquainted with the issues that affect people from Kismet all the way through to Ocean Bay Park.
You said the key word, “erosion.” What’s your take on that issue?
That’s been an ongoing program. I’d be committed to some sort of program where there would be reformulation of the beach as far as the buildup of the beach by the federal government, but also I want to speak to the residents to see how they feel about that issue.
Tell us about your experience and what your approach to leadership is.
I’ve been in the state assembly for 23 years. I’m the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, which is one of the top committees in the assembly. I’m second or third in terms of leadership in my conference. I was town clerk of the town of Islip from 1977 to 1982.
I look for a balance. There are times when people come in and I will support them, I say I will do what I can. There are other times when I graciously say, ‘Look, I cannot do this. I cannot get you the money.’ People come to see Tom Barraga and by the time they leave they pretty much know where I stand on the issue they came to see me on.
So if someone could only know one or two things about you, what would you want them to know?
If they didn’t know anything about me, the one thing I’d ask them to do, if in the future they ever come to see me, it’s: Be prepared. Be prepared to not just have elected officials sit there and say ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ and, ‘I can’t wait to do this for you.’ Be prepared to answer a lot of questions and then I’ll make a decision as to whether or not I’m going to support you. And then you’ll know. You will know by the time you leave.
