Rochester Rotary events are usually polite, cordial affairs. But today the organization hosted the first debate between Democratic State Senator Ted O’Brien and his opponent, Republican Rich Funke.
And both candidates seemed to have the same strategy: go for the throat.
Funke was up first for opening remarks, and he drew on his background as a sports and news anchor. He said he made a career out of asking questions and searching for the truth — skills that would serve him well when he’s bombarded by special-interest requests in Albany, he said. The people in the district know him, he said, and he knows them.
But just before going into his background and qualifications, Funke lashed out at O’Brien and Democrats, saying that they’ve run a slew of negative ads against him that wouldn’t pass Rotary’s Four-Way Test. And he repeatedly painted O’Brien as part of a Democratic conference that doesn’t have Upstate’s best interests in mind.
O’Brien eased into his attacks. He said he’s voted to lower taxes for the middle class and Upstate manufacturers, and touted his support for the state’s property tax cap. He invoked his endorsements from both the labor community and the Rochester Business Alliance, which, he said, is a reflection of his ability to represent the different constituencies in the district. And he’s authored bills that would address unfunded mandates and take away tax incentives for companies that move jobs out of the state.
Then O’Brien took his shots at Funke, who, he said, is too conservative for the district and not specific enough on his positions. He said that Funke would be part of a Republican conference that’s preventing adoption of the full 10-point Women’s Equality Act; Funke opposes the act’s abortion rights provision. And O’Brien equated Funke’s opposition to the SAFE Act with opposition to universal background checks for gun purchases.
In between barbs, the candidates spelled out their positions on key issues, though they largely stuck to points they’ve made previously.
On the SAFE Act: O’Brien said that the state needs to keep moving forward with the law, but Funke said it “made criminals out of law-abiding citizens overnight.”
- On fracking: Funke said it should be a home rule matter, and that fracking is not appropriate for the 55th Senate District, which has substantial fresh water resources. O’Brien said that if the state does move forward with fracking, it needs strong laws to regulate the industry and adequate staff to do it; he backs laws to regulate fracking wastes and said that state regulator agencies don’t have adequate staff. Fresh water is the state’s most precious resource, he said.
- On the Women’s Equality Act: The candidates essentially argued that the other side is holding up the package, which includes anti-sex trafficking laws and a prohibition on wage discrimination. Both support the first nine points, but differ on the 10th, which would rewrite state laws so that they match protections guaranteed under federal law and Roe v. Wade. O’Brien committed to all 10 points, but Funke only backs the first nine.
- On START-UP NY: O’Brien supports the tax-free-zone program, which he said will encourage growth in the local and state “innovation economy.” Funke pushed back on claims that he opposes the program, but said that the state needs to cut taxes for businesses that are already here, and that officials ought to ask those businesses how they feel about other companies getting tax-free status.
This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2014.
Ted O’Brien is an opportunist of the worst order, who showed with his vote on the SAFE act that he is happy to vote in a reactionary fashion on poorly drafted bills. His continuing pride in casting a decisive vote for this unsavory, unenforceable law disqualifies him from further public service. Good luck in your next job Ted, you’re fired.
Because of his vote and support for Cuomo’s detestable SAFE Act Ted O’Brien needs to be defeated. He is an intelligent decent man who will succeed elsewhere but he should not represent the 55th District.
What is the better alternative to the Safe Act?
candidate against hydrofracking.
Think about it. Go you own way.
Astorino vs. Cuomo. O’Brien vs. Funke. All are well known names in Rochester. Both races and all four candidates are fine examples of politics as usual. All have flooded television and radio with the most negative and misleading political ads money can buy. Also, as usual, all candidates can claim an ounce of deniability since some of those negative ads are not directly from the candidates. It is always good to have rich friends ready to play dirtier than the candidates themselves.
Every year around this time, you—yes YOU—the voter claim to be fed up with campaigns, politics and most of all, the negative political ads. But you—yes YOU—do not do anything significant to send a message to the candidates. Instead, you—yes YOU—vote the party line. Again.
When you finally reach your breaking point, you will realize you do have options. Just do not cast a vote in the races you are fed up with. Withhold your vote and see what happens. Tired of O’Brien and Funke but still want to cast a vote? Send a message with a write-in candidate of your choosing.
Tired of Astorino and Cuomo? There are other choices. Did you watch the gubernatorial debate? Did you enjoy the constant negative comments going back and forth between Astorino and Cuomo? Are you at a point where you do not know what is true and who to believe? Withhold your vote from the dysfunctional two-party status quo. Use your vote for the candidate or candidates who remain about the fray.
The Green Party’s Howie Hawkins is the only truly progressive candidate for Governor of NY. Howie Hawkins is also the only candidate against hydrofracking.
Think about it. Go you own way.
The 55th
The 55th Senate District includes Pittsford, Penfield, Bloomfield, the City of Rochester east of the river and a chunk of Lake Ontario. People and their illegal guns travel in and out of the 55th District causing all sorts of mayhem. Gun control needs to be statewide. O’Brien’s vote for the SAFE Act was about doing what was right for New York State. Keeping guns and ammunition out of the wrong hands is what the SAFE Act is doing. It’s working. It’s not perfect, nothing is, but it’s a start.
Shame, shame, shame on Ted O’Brien for his disgusting use of school shootings in his campaign literature delivered to my house today. The ad shows images of Columbine, Sandy Hook and others with the words “12,000 school children have died” and stating “Rich Funke would be a dangerous man to send to Albany”. After Sandy Hook, Cuomo couldn’t let a good crisis go to waste and passed the NY SAFE act, in secrecy, with no public debate and with the support of Ted O’Brien. O’Brien had never acknowledged his support of Cuomo’s law, probably hoping people would forget about it. Now he’s implying, if not insisting, that Rich Funke will cause school children to die. Fifty-two of New York’s sixty-two counties passed resolutions against the NY SAFE act and the New York State Sheriff’s Association opposed it as well. I suppose Ted O’Brien could claim that the majority of NY Counties and sheriffs will also cause more children to die. Sounds a little desperate, Ted.
The Safe Act is about school shootings…why wouldn’t those who supported it talk about school shootings?
Lawmakers should have talked about the SAFE act BEFORE they crammed it through in secrecy. At this point O’Brien is not talking about the law, he’s using tragedies for his selfish political advancement.