League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc.
Rensselaer, Saratoga County, NY November 2, 2010 Election
	Joanne Yepsen Answers Questions Candidate for State Senator; District 43

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What measures do you support to save existing jobs and create new jobs in New York State?

Focus job development efforts on high-tech, clean-tech, and other high-value industries that will provide jobs for decades to come. Create opportunity through innovation, and drive private investment and job creation in high growth emerging sectors of the state’s economy by stimulating the greatest job generator in the State – the small business community, through programs that assist businesses at the capitalization phase of development or expansion.Continue to support on-going efforts to weatherize homes and small businesses, in order to save energy dollars and create green jobs. Double the small-business revolving loan program. Target support for start-up companies and investors. Provide more funding for community banks and credit unions that provide small business loans. Stimulate job growth through small innovative applied research projects between universities and industry; and through providing micro-loans to businesses that do not qualify for bank loans.

2. How do you think New York can best deal with upcoming unsustainable deficit budgets?

Rationalize the process to address the structural budget imbalance through responsible, efficient budgeting. Implement performance-based agency budgeting as a realistic means of performance measurement and cost-benefit analysis to justify budget allocation. Closely examining current outsourcing/consulting practices, accelerated drastically in the mid-nineties. Address the problem of waste in government agencies, authorities and commissions. I support The Task Force on Government Efficiency, which strives to identify wasteful spending and make recommendations to address the problems. In these ways and other innovative methodologies, we can correct the past budgetary practices that lead to the chronic structural imbalance we face today. Consider examining and addressing the tax rate regressivity. Consolidate local governments to reduce waste and bureaucracy.

3. What reforms would you propose to address inadequate campaign finance rules and enforcement in New York?

The campaign finance law system in NYS needs a complete overhaul. The contribution limits are the highest in the nation, there are loopholes galore and enforcement is non-existent. The first steps must include: lowering all contribution limits, across the board, to the federal level; closing loopholes like unlimited contributions to housekeeping accounts and treatment of LLCs as individuals; defining personal use strictly; and empowering the State Board of Elections to enforce the law though enhancement of the enforcement unit and independence for the enforcement counsel. The second step is to introduce, at the earliest fiscally-possible time, a system of voluntary public campaign financing. I favor a system where a candidate would have to demonstrate viability by raising a certain amount of funds from a district, and continue to demonstrate viability though a “matching” system of campaign funds.

4. What reforms would you support for the redistricting process?

The state’s legislative districts must be compactly drawn without political meddling. I support an independent redistricting commission. Legislators should choose qualified members of a designating panel who would in turn choose a commission. Members of both bodies should be politically and geographically diverse and chosen for their expertise rather than a political commitment. Laws governing redistricting should mandate that new lines be drawn: without an intent to favor a political party or incumbent officeholder; as compactly as possible; with a population deviation of no more than 1%. Counties or their subdivisions should not be divided to create districts, unless a district falls entirely within a subdivision; and without dividing villages. Adherence to these principles would result in a fair, non-partisan result.

5. Would you support a cap on property taxes and, if so, how do you think school districts can deal with the decrease in revenue?

With proper safeguards, a tax cap is one of the “tools” that would help reduce taxes while keeping ultimate control in the hands of local voters. Effects of smaller budgets that would result in many cases can be addressed through a number of mechanisms, depending on the circumstances of the local district. Administrative consolidation and inter-district sharing of services and procurement are among the concepts that must continue to be encouraged. Too many homeowners simply can’t afford NY's crushing tax burden and high taxes drive up the cost of doing business in the state. While we must reduce this burden, we must stay mindful of the residents of school districts to determine a level of spending that is acceptable for them. Plus, there is a way for districts to lower taxes - voters can restrict school spending by voting for lower budgets.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 29, 2010 13:26
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