Walsh, Seeman seek 112th State Assembly seat
CAPITALREGION, N.Y. » New York’s 112th Assembly District seat is on the ballot this year.
Incumbent Mary Beth Walsh, a Republican, has held the seat since winning initially in 2016 and is seeking to be re- elected to her third term. Her challenger is Joe Seeman, a Democrat and retired Civil Servant Software Developer.
The two candidates recently outlined their respective policy positions with the League of Women Voters.
Both Walsh and Seeman listed out their top three priorities starting Jan. 1, 2021.
“Fiscal responsibility,” Walsh stated. “Education; support and funding for special education and alternative pathways,” Walsh continued.
“Restoring the public trust in New York State government and advocating for transparency and ethics in all of its form,”
Walsh added.
Seeman countered with the following: “Pass the NY Health Act, creating guaranteed Health Care for all NYers, which will save money for 98% of New Yorkers by ending wasteful corporate welfare for insurance companies, save lives and families, and make New York a more desirable place to live and easier place for employers to create jobs,” Seeman remarked.
“Budget Justice, closing loopholes and making the very richest New Yorkers pay their fair share, and protecting our schools and basic services from devastating cuts, and keep taxes on the 99% from going up,”
Seeman continued.
“A Green New Deal: build the Clean Energy Economy of the future, as the core of economic recovery. Change from fossil fuels to Renewable Energy, prevent dangerous Climate Change, create hundreds of thousands of jobs that can’t be outsourced, keep our energy money in our communities, and protect our environment, which is Upstate New York’s greatest wealth,” Seeman added.
Candidates were also asked to express their view on election law reforms, including proposals for sameday registration and no- excuse absentee balloting.
“I would support no- excuse absentee balloting should it return to the floor for a vote,” Walsh said.
“I believe that the current situation we have been placed in with absentee ballot expansion to ensure the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers who wish to exercise their right to vote will be a good “test-run” to see how it works and what we could improve for the future,” Walsh noted.
“However, I do feel that same- day registration may put unnecessary stress and strain on the process. While I believe in efforts to enroll more voters throughout New York State with voter registration drives, etc. I do not believe that poll workers should be put in the position to qualify and register voters,” Walsh added.
“I support these,” Seeman said.
“I have been an activist for years, with Citizen Action of NY, Fair Elections NY, Let NY Vote and other groups & coalitions, calling for electoral and campaign finance reform, and support all measures that make it easier for voters, and make voters voices matter more than billionaires money,” Seeman explained.
“I would support full mail-in voting made available to all, ballot drop boxes, substantially reduced contribution limits, and taxing large campaign contributions,” Seeman
added.
Finally, the candidates offered their stances on whether or not they support efforts to replace the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) and Legislative Ethics Commission with a new independent agency.
“Iwould strongly support this. I would like to see the work of theMoreland Commission, which was shut down prematurely, continue in an ongoing agency completely independent of political influence,” Seeman stated.
“Yes. I believe that true independence is difficult to achieve with anything that is created by the political process, and over the past couple of years, the cracks exposed within the commission have shown us there is a need for improvement. We have to keep trying for something better,” Walsh added.
New York voters are able to cast their ballots via absenteemail-in, early voting, or also in-person on Election Day, Nov. 3.