Residents of District One, which includes the town of Lysander and portions of the town of Clay, will see a change in representation come Jan.1. Brian May, a current councilor on the Lysander Town Board, has thrown his hat in the ring for the county legislator position representing the first district and is running unopposed.

Current County Legislator Rich Lesniak announced his decision to retire at the end of his term earlier this year. Even though May is not being contested in the election, the Baldwinsville Messenger recently interviewed him to learn more about his qualifications and strategies once elected.

Brian F. May, running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence tickets

What makes you qualified to serve as county legislator?

I have had the privilege of serving my community as a town councilor in Lysander since 2004. Throughout my tenure on the board, I have used business skills and experience developed exclusively in the private sector to be a proven conservative force in creating efficiencies and spending reductions without diminishing services to residents. I’m proud to have had a major role in making Lysander’s per capita spending lower and more efficient than 96 percent of all towns in New York while maintaining its position as one of the area’s most desirable places to live. I look forward to applying the same approach to an expanded role in county government.

What is the major issue facing first district residents? How will you work to resolve this issue?

The most significant issue facing the first district residents in Lysander and Clay, as well as all taxpayers in New York, is the cost of mandated programs. Though Onondaga is better-positioned to face today’s economic challenges than most New York counties thanks to its tradition of conservative fiscal management, the need to cut essential programs may be inevitable without meaningful mandate reform.

Reducing the cost of government is the key to restoring New York’s economic vitality and, more importantly, making Onondaga County a great place to live, work and do business. As the next legislator for District One, I will take-up the fight for mandate relief at every opportunity. And to maximize the 12.2 percent of the overall budget that relies on property taxes, I will work closely with department heads, fellow legislators and the County Executive to make our county government as efficient as possible.