Legislature’s District 3 has contested race, first time since 2005
KINGSTON, N.Y. >> For the first time since 2005 voters in the Ulster County Legislature’s District 3 will find two new names on the ballot.
Democrat Keith Gurgui and Republican Jason Kovacs are facing off in a race for the seat now held by incumbent Legislator Dean Fabiano.
Fabiano, a Republican who is completing his ninth two-year term in office, is not running for re-election.
Kovacs made his first attempt to break into county politics in 2015 when he unsuccessfully challenged Fabiano in a GOP primary election for the party line.
Gurgui is making his first foray into elected politics with a promise to work across the political aisle and represent all the residents of the district.
“I want to engage in a dialogue with county residents across the political spectrum to learn the issues that are important to them; to understand what they are struggling with, and what they want most from their county leaders and lawmakers,” Gurgui wrote in response to a Freeman inquiry.
He said that among his top priorities if elected would be to create more affordable housing in the county and address the root causes of homelessness in the county. He said he would also push for inpatient beds for mental health and addiction-related issues and would expand the scope and scale of the county’s public transit system to ensure access throughout the county.
Gurgui also said he would address environmental concerns within the county, including making sure county officials know what kinds of chemicals are being transported by rail through the county and working to adopt additional policies to protect the county’s air, water and land.
Kovacs said that among his priorities would be to provide responsible representation to the residents and he said he would work to improve the lines of communication and cooperation between county governments.
“If elected, my goal is to have a consistent dialogue with the Town Supervisors of the Towns I represent, to advocate for these Towns at the County level, and to attend Town Board meetings on a regular basis,” he wrote in response to a Freeman inquiry about his candidacy.
He also said he would work to improve oversight of county government and said he would encourage the Legislature to use its powers under the charter to conduct studies and investigations into all county departments, including the County Executive’s Office and would advocate for “openness, transparency and accountability” from county government.
Kovacs said he would also promote economic development in the county and called for an increased emphasis on the needs of first responders.
The town of Ulster attorney, Kovacs is a lifelong county resident. He graduated from Kingston High School in 1996, earned his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Binghamton and his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law.
He is a den leader with Cub Scout Pack 103, a soccer coach with Saugerties AYSO, secretary of the Ulster Public Library board of trustees and a member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 275.
He and his wife Sara live on Deer Run Road in the town of Ulster. They have two children.
Kovacs will hold the GOP and Conservative lines on the ballot.
Gurgui is a part-time systems advocate at the Resource Center for Accessible Living. A lifelong resident of Ulster County, Gurgui grad
uated from Kingston High School. He earned an associate’s degree from Ulster County Community College, and his bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz.
He is a member of the boards of the New York State Independent Living Council and the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Program.
Gurgui lives at Corwin Place in Lake Katrine.
He will hold the Democratic and Working Families lines on the ballot.
District 3 comprises the northeast corner of the town of Ulster and the southeast corner of the town of Saugerties.
Early voting begins on Oct. 28. Election Day is Nov. 7.