The position:
The Chemung County Legislature is comprised of 15 elected legislators representing the 15 legislative districts within the County. The legislature is the legislative, appropriating, and policy determining body of the County.
District area: Chemung County Legislature District 9 covers parts of the city of Elmira, village of Elmira Heights and town of Elmira
Term & salary: Four years, term limits
Each candidate was asked to limit answers to 100 to 150 words. WSKG cut answers at the 150 mark. If you would like more details about a candidate’s answer to a question, their contact information is provided in this Voter Guide.
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Candidate: Meg Magnusen
What is the most pressing issue facing Chemung County and Legislative District 9?
“The biggest issues facing the 9th district specifically is poverty. The 9th district is the 2nd most impoverished district in the county.”
Party affiliation: Democratic, Working Families
Campaign contact information: electmegmagnusen@gmail.com; 607-301-0425
District Resident: “I am a resident of the 9th District in Chemung County.”
WSKG Q&A:
How important is the working relationship between the county legislature and the county executive? What will you do to address conflict and keep the county residents informed of progress or challenges in the county and Legislative District 9?
It is extremely vital that the executive and legislature work together for the betterment of the county. While they do not need to agree on everything, they do need to be able to communicate honestly and ultimately put the needs of Chemung County residents ahead of political differences. The current relationship between the executive and legislature is not as productive as it should be. If everyone works together we have more strength in helping the community. I will approach differences by focusing on facts and listening to different perspectives. Residents need to be informed about what is happening. I will help to ensure that residents are informed through regular updates, community meetings, and accessible information.
How important is the working relationship between the county legislature and the county executive? What will you do to address conflict and keep the county residents informed of progress or challenges in the county and Legislative District 9?
The county needs to ensure that funds are program focused and work to eliminate unnecessary waste and frivolous spending. In order to utilize grants effectively to help unset costs, the county should have a grant writing so we can utilize all state and federal resources available. The county should work on reducing unnecessary costs while still protecting the services that help our community. The county should document the cost of the mandates and advocate for appropriate state reimbursement when necessary.
What role, if any, should the county play in appointments to the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) board and public information regarding business opportunities and contracts in the county through the CCIDA? How will you maintain transparency at the CCIDA? What are projects spearheaded by the CCIDA that should be kept from the public?
I believe it would be more effective if the leader of the CCIDA was not also the head of the legislature. They should be able to work closely together but it creates a conflict of interest if it is the same individual. I believe that there needs to be transparency and the public should be made aware of projects by the CCIDA. If there are any projects that could be detrimental for the community to know about before a plan is finalized, the community should be made aware as soon as possible. I support strong transparency requirements; information about projects and agreements readily available [ ]
How will you build and maintain businesses in the county and Legislative District 9?
The legislature needs to have ongoing dialog with business owners to learn their needs and help them leverage resources from the county, state, and federal government that they may not be aware of. Business development is vital to the growth and stability of the county. We need to continue to support programs like Incubator works which has helped many people start small businesses in Chemung County. The county legislature should listen to business owners' concerns and help to address issues they may have.
What role do Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) play in public safety in Chemung County and what is the overlap, if any, with citizen privacy rights? Do you support the county’s current use of Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and ALPRs and any expansion of such devices in the future?
I currently have major privacy concerns with the use of flock cameras. The intended use of trying to stop crime and keep our communities safe is not always how the cameras are being used. The cameras do not just help record crimes, they have searchable records, tracking residents traveling in their vehicles within the community. Residents should not have to give up any of their privacy. There are also concerns about 3rd parties gaining access to the cameras.
What is your tax policy for the county and how will you implement the policy while maintaining services to residents in your district?
The county needs to work on keeping the tax burden as slow as reasonably possible. We need to ensure that taxes are being used properly to actually help constituents of Chemung county while ensuring that constituents are not overtaxed. We need to protect essential services such as infrastructure, public safety, and health and human services.
What is the most pressing public health issue facing Chemung County residents today?
One of the major public health challenges facing Chemung County is lack of access to affordable, comprehensive health care. Oftentimes Chemung County residents are not able to access preventative care for physical health care, dental care, and mental health services. When people wait until emergencies, they put themselves at risk and it ends up costing the county more to care for emergencies than it does it for preventative care. I support expanding services at the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Elmira.
Neighboring Steuben County placed a six-month moratorium on new permits for sewage sludge spreading on farms, crops, and land. It has been shown to contain pollutants like PFAS forever chemicals that are toxic to people and wildlife. How does Chemung County review its biosolids use policy/s and place regulations on public/private permits for the use of municipal sludge on farms, crops and land in the county? Should there be more regulation or deregulation on this topic for the county?
I agree we should have a moratorium to find out if they are detrimental to the wildlife and until proper regulations are in place. It is the county’s responsibility to protect the residence, farm land, drinking water, and environment while relying on the best available scientific information.
Rural hospitals are at risk of discontinuing services and/or closing. Guthrie and Centralus Health are among those with longstanding operations and facilities in the county. These health care providers are some of the largest employers in the county. How will you ensure the county maintains access to health care, senior care and nursing facilities as counties face staggering funding losses due to the OBBBA?
The county should be engaged with the state about these concerns. The county cannot replace federal or state healthcare funding, however, it can be an advocate to ensure that health care providers, local officials, state representatives, and community organizations identify funding threats early and pursue available [ ]grants, and advocate against policies that would destabilize health access in our region.
How would you address housing demand vs. supply in Chemung County and Legislative District 9? What are ways the state and county can serve vulnerable populations affected by homelessness and unscrupulous landlords?
We have a major housing crisis in Chemung County. The county needs to continue working with community partners and local organizations to expand already existing programs such as supportive housing and first time home buyers programs. We don’t just need more housing, we need more of the right kind of housing; affordable rentals, starter homes, accessible housing for those with disabilities, and a variety of supportive housing. We need to make sure that working families are able to stay in their housing and afford the rent or mortgage, along with the growing utility payments. The county needs to hold landlords accountable by doing more inspections, making it easier for tenants to report unsafe conditions, and ensuring the landlords are correcting safety concerns. Hawthorn Court is an affordable housing complex in the 9th district and currently has dozens of unoccupied apartments. The county needs to work with the owners of the…[WSKG Note: Candidate answer exceeded the 150 word limit]
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Candidate: John Burin
Incumbent - First elected in 2018
Party affiliation: Republican, Conservative
Campaign Contact Information: burin1234@yahoo.com
John Burin did not respond to the WSKG Voter Guide questionnaire.
WSKG Q&A:
How important is the working relationship between the county legislature and the county executive? What will you do to address conflict and keep the county residents informed of progress or challenges in the county and Legislative District 9?
How important is the working relationship between the county legislature and the county executive? What will you do to address conflict and keep the county residents informed of progress or challenges in the county and Legislative District 9?
What role, if any, should the county play in appointments to the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) board and public information regarding business opportunities and contracts in the county through the CCIDA? How will you maintain transparency at the CCIDA? What are projects spearheaded by the CCIDA that should be kept from the public?
How will you build and maintain businesses in the county and Legislative District 9?
What role do Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) play in public safety in Chemung County and what is the overlap, if any, with citizen privacy rights? Do you support the county’s current use of Flock-type cameras, AI-powered license plate readers and ALPRs and any expansion of such devices in the future?
What is your tax policy for the county and how will you implement the policy while maintaining services to residents in your district?
What is the most pressing public health issue facing Chemung County residents today?
Neighboring Steuben County placed a six-month moratorium on new permits for sewage sludge spreading on farms, crops, and land. It has been shown to contain pollutants like PFAS forever chemicals that are toxic to people and wildlife. How does Chemung County review its biosolids use policy/s and place regulations on public/private permits for the use of municipal sludge on farms, crops and land in the county? Should there be more regulation or deregulation on this topic for the county?
Rural hospitals are at risk of discontinuing services and/or closing. Guthrie and Centralus Health are among those with longstanding operations and facilities in the county. These health care providers are some of the largest employers in the county. How will you ensure the county maintains access to health care, senior care and nursing facilities as counties face staggering funding losses due to the OBBBA?
How would you address housing demand vs. supply in Chemung County and Legislative District 9? What are ways the state and county can serve vulnerable populations affected by homelessness and unscrupulous landlords?