42nd Senate seat up for grabs
Rosendale councilwoman, Orange County Clerk vying to replace retiring John Bonacic
KINGSTON, N.Y. >> The race for the 42nd Senate seat features the Orange County Clerk against a Rosendale councilwoman.
Ann G. Rabbitt, who is the Republican Orange County Clerk, is squaring off against Councilwoman Jan Metzger, a Democrat, in the Tuesday, Nov. 6 election.
The 42nd Senate District includes parts of Delaware, Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties. In Ulster county, the district includes the towns of Rosendale, New Paltz, Gardiner, Shawangunk, Wawarsing and Denning.
One of the two candidates will replace retiring Republican Sen. John Bonacic of Mount Hope who has held that Senate seat for 20 years.
Metzger moved to Rosendale 17 years ago. For the past deacde, she has served in various local government positions including chairwoman of the Rosendale Environmental Commission for many years.
She is serving in her second term as a Rosendale Town Board member.
On her campaign webpage, Metzger says her personal ex-
perience has given her special insight.
“I understand the challenges faced by our rural communities, and I understand the hardships faced by many families, because I’ve lived them,” Metzger said. “When I was a child, the rug was pulled out from underneath my family when my father
was laid off.
“We went from living a comfortable, middle-class life, to being poor.”
“But I worked hard in school, took full advantage of a good public education, and went to college with a full financial aid package,” said Metzger, who is cofounder of Citizens for Local Power.
She added that among her state priorities will be fighting for affordable healthcare, fixing the way schools are
funded, fighingt for decent wages, getting big money out of politics, and protecting women’s reproductive rights.
“I’m done waiting around for our state senators to do their jobs,” Metzger said. “People want representatives who will actually represent them, representatives who work to improve our opportunities and quality of life.”
Rabbitt was born in Brooklyn and raised in Greenwood Lake where she chose to make her home and
raise her family. She began her public service as President of the Greenwood Lake Chamber of Commerce from 1997 to 1999.
Rabbitt ran for and won her first public office as a Trustee for the Village of Greenwood Lake, for which she served from 1999 to 2002. She also served on the Warwick Town Board from 2002-05.
She was a member of the state assembly from 2005 to 2013. She was first elected
county clerk in 2013.
According to her webpage, Rabbitt has “always wanted government to run more like a business with the understanding people come first.
“She has often stated, ‘Government should partner with the people or get out of the way,’” her webpage said.
The pages also listed among her priorities are seeking a state takeover of local Medicaid costs, making a property tax cap permeant,
working to create a dedicated school tax fund using new sports gaming revenues, enhancing STAR rebate checks, revenues, and a “freeze then gradually phase out schooltaxes for seniors.”
“My priority has always been our community, our issues and our people,” Rabbit said on her webpage. “Now, more than ever, we need a strong voice representing us in Albany to ensure the Hudson Valley and Catskills are not forgotten.”