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Audio Feature: This week in news for Rep. John Faso: 20171003

Sep 30, 2017 9:56 am
Here's the week in the news for Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook), the District 19 Congressperson for the WGXC listening area. Faso returned to Washington D.C. this week where Fivethirtyeight.com currently reports Faso votes with Donald Trump's positions 88.9 percent of his votes. This week, much of the news around Faso involved his possible Democratic opponents in 2018. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report (8:55).

Richard Moody reported for Columbia-Greene Media Democratic hopeful Gareth Rhodes from Esopus held a campaign fundraiser in the village of Valatie, Sat., Sep. 23. Rhodes is one of several Democrats hoping to face-off against first-term U.S. Rep. John Faso in November 2018. Moody calls the decision to hold the fundraiser at the home of a supporter in Faso's hometown "a bold political move." “People feel betrayed, sold out,” Rhodes said. “Everywhere we go people tell us that, even people who know him in his hometown feel betrayed.” As of June 30, Rhodes' fledgling campaign had just under $135,000 in the bank, while Faso reported a total of nearly $570,000 in contributions. Rhodes said his campaign will focus on getting high-speed broadband service to upstate New York and work to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency remains funded.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Democrat Sue Sullivan of Plattekill announced Mon., Sep. 25, her withdrawal from the field of candidates hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. John Faso in November 2018. Sullivan said in a letter to supporters the decision was based on her ability, "as a first-time candidate, to raise the resources necessary to win this election." Sullivan, 52, announced her candidacy in May, touting her experience in economic development, health care, environmental protection and small business. Seven Democrat candidates now remain in the race. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Democrat Sue Sullivan of Plattekill announced Mon., Sep. 25, her withdrawal from the field of candidates hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. John Faso in November 2018. Sullivan said in a letter to supporters the decision was based on her ability, "as a first-time candidate, to raise the resources necessary to win this election." Sullivan, 52, announced her candidacy in May, touting her experience in economic development, health care, environmental protection and small business. Seven Democrat candidates now remain in the race. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Ariél Zangla is reporting in the Daily Freeman Steven Brisee, a candidate for the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Faso in the 19th Congressional District race next year, has been charged with grand larceny by Newburgh police. The 27-year-old Walden resident was arrested September 11, and charged for allegedly taking nearly $1,500 worth of men's clothing and household goods from the Kohl's store located off Route 300 in Newburgh. Kohl's security said Brisee was caught on camera and ultimately stopped with the items before leaving the store. “I did not take items from Kohl’s without paying,” Brisee said in a phone conversation with Zangla, Monday. The matter is before Judge Jude Martini in Newburgh, and Brisee is scheduled to appear on November 6. In the meantime, Brisee said he is moving forward with his Congressional campaign. He said the problem the candidates are having is that they are running out of money. Brisee said he will hold town hall style meetings, beginning next year, in every town throughout the 19th Congressional District. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Richard Moody at Columbia-Greene Media can only find two people with opinions locally on the bill proposed from Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) last week that would scrap New York's Scaffold law. Both Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matthew Murell, and Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden agree with changes to the law, which insures workers from being hurt on the job. "As the law stands now, if a worker is injured in a gravity-related accident, such as falling from a scaffold or ladder, the contractor and property owner are deemed liable if proper safety measures weren't in place. The law, around since 1885, is a potent incentive to make sure worksites are safe," a Times Union editorial says. Faso disagrees. “This law doesn’t even promote a safer workplace environment for construction workers, as our state is no safer for workers than the 49 other states, which do not have this liability statute,” Faso said at a press conference Sept. 19. Faso's bill requires a "comparative negligence" standard, allowing courts to consider whether workers are partly responsible. But the legislation would not have any significant direct impact locally as it only applies to federally funded projects such as certain bridges and the county airport.

Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that in an uncommon moment of consensus, U.S. Rep. John Faso and Gov. Andrew Cuomo agree the federal proposal to eliminate deductions on state and local taxes would hurt New Yorkers by doubling their tax burden. The proposal is part of President Donald Trump’s larger tax reform plan, unveiled Wed., Sep. 27. Officials spoke out Thursday, stressing the tax plan would hurt working and middle class New Yorkers. The president's plan includes consolidating certain tax brackets, reducing the corporate tax rate to 20 percent and eliminating federal deductions on state and local property and income taxes from federal taxable income. Cuomo focused his criticism on the part of the plan that proposes eliminating deductions people can file for on their federal taxes for certain state and local taxes. “...I believe it’s unconstitutional. And it is a pure tax increase,” Cuomo said. Faso, a Republican, who has disagreed with the Democrat governor over health care policies, agreed with Cuomo this time, opposing the elimination of the federal tax deductions. “I remain opposed to eliminating the deductions for state and local taxes as this would represent, in effect, double taxation on the taxes paid to state and local governments,” Faso said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

• Local Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) voted with most Republicans Sept. 28 on two bills. Faso voted for the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, which passed 264-155, with only seven Republicans against the bill. The GOP said it would save taxpayers money, while Democrats railed against the further deregulation of national airline policy. Faso was also one of all but three Republicans voting for the Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, which passed 244-171. This bill aims to keep folks with felony warrants or parole violations from receiving Social Security disability or retirement checks.
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