by Doug La Rocque
New Lebanon Town Clerk Tistrya Houghtling and Cambridge Environmental Attorney Don Boyajian are both hoping to earn the Democratic nomination to oppose Incumbent Assemblyman Jake Ashby in November. The Eastwick Press asked each candidate identical questions. Here are their answers:
1) Given the fact the Assembly is controlled by downstate lawmakers, and indeed the lack of upstate issues discussed in the recent gubernatorial debate, if elected, how can you help to bring upstate concerns to the forefront? In particular, the needs and concerns of southern Washington, Eastern Rensselaer and Northern Columbia counties?
Tistrya: Born and raised in New Lebanon in Columbia County, I know first hand the issues faced by our communities. From our roads, water and sewer infrastructure to the opioid crisis gripping too many families, currently we are not getting the funding that we deserve. We first need to elect a majority member in the Assembly who can be in a position to bring more funding into our communities. But we also need a strong voice who understands the issues. I come from a working-class background and currently represent the people as a local elected official. I didn’t come from a privileged family and can therefore best represent the needs of my constituents because I know what it’s like to deal with the issues facing our communities. As a wife and mother of three children, I understand the struggles of hard working families.
Don: Our campaign motto is “Upstate First,” and for good reason. For my entire life, we’ve played second fiddle to downstate interests. To overcome this, we need the most qualified, skilled advocates for our region. I’ve spent my life fighting for uniquely Upstate issues: environmental abuses from corporate polluters, keeping young people here, advocating for working men and women by standing up for organized labor, addressing the opioid epidemic, and promoting smart spending in local governments to protect our property taxes. My experience – as a legislative aide in Congress, in the Environmental Bureau of the AG’s office, and as a town attorney – brings a unique and valuable combination of local, state, and federal experience. Get on the right committees – Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, Infrastructure and Capital Investment, and Local Governments come to mind – and I will provide the most effective legislative voice for our region in a long time.
2) No one has been happy with NYS DEC and DOH responses concerning PFOA and PFOS. Besides adding your voice to the concerned masses, if elected, what can you really do to help the situation?
Don: Water contamination has been my top campaign issue since day one. Without clean water, we have nothing. We have a ticking bomb in our region: past industrial abuse combined with old and failing infrastructure. I have dedicated my life to working on water issues in Upstate NY, both in representing people affected by PFOA contamination near my home, and in PCB-related matters. My environmental science background will bring a breath of fresh air to a government that too often devalues science. Our state has failed to adopt appropriate standards on PFOA (or similar compounds). In my opinion, no level is safe. We need new infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable water. This is good for human health and for local jobs. We need testing for a more comprehensive range of pollutants potentially affecting our drinking water. Most importantly, we need to follow the science. I have lived these issues, from my family’s farm on the Hudson, to my environmental work at Colgate University and Cornell Law, to Congress, to fighting corporate polluters as an environmental attorney. That’s why I’m endorsed by the NY League of Conservation Voters. I won’t let these issues continue to be swept under the rug. The health of our community is at stake.
Tistrya: I will fight tirelessly for clean water for all of our residents. I am proposing legislation that New York State fund testing of any and all water sources being used by residents. We need early detection of contaminated water so we can be proactive in our response. We need to ensure that our residents have access to all of the test results so they know what their water may be contaminated with. And it is critical we are using the most current science when we do the testing. We need to ensure the polluters are held accountable and real solutions are found in a timely manner when contamination is found. Clean water is vital to life and must be protected at all costs
3). For a myriad of reasons, we have a divided nation. As an Assembly Member, you alone cannot fix this, but could you put forth some ideas as to how the country might come closer to being whole once again?
Tistrya: We need to work together across party lines and across issues to come up with real solutions that work for all of our constituents. I believe that I have done that as the Town Clerk in New Lebanon. Sadly, the more polarized we become as a nation, the worse off we are. The pendulum keeps swinging from one extreme to the other when we don’t work together. As an elected official I strive to find a middle ground and build consensus. I am elected to represent everyone. I will work with all of my constituents, elected officials and communities to ensure that all of our voices are being heard and represented.
Don: Division is the greatest threat to our democracy. We must all do our part to bridge the gap. Speak with people whom you disagree with. The best advice someone ever gave me: we have two ears and one mouth; we should use them in that ratio. That mantra would be particularly helpful for the opportunistic politicians and incendiary cable outlets that only worsen the perceived divide. We have more in common than we often grasp. For example, nearly everyone agrees that our country badly needs new infrastructure. That would be a win for everyone, and true “leaders” would get it done. Real leaders choose what is morally right over what is politically expedient, and I have always tried to live my life that way. We need to elect people of high character and high competency. Both are currently lacking in government. In the interim, let’s do a better job of listening to one another.
The primary is Thursday, September 13 with polls in the 107th District open between Noon and 9 pm. The date was pushed back by two days this year, because the normal primary Tuesday would have fallen on the 17th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City, Washington and the crash in Pennsylvania.