By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, voters in Onondaga County will have the opportunity to select their choice of candidate for the Onondaga County Legislator depending on the district they live in.

There are 17 legislative district in Onondaga County, and the Eagle Bulletin covers several districts but we chose to focus on the 7th and 10th districts because they cover larger areas and are contested races. (To view the 7th district candidate questionnaire, click here.)

In the 10th district, which covers a majority of the town of Manlius, Republican incumbent Kevin Holmquist and Democrat Mark Matt seek to be elected to that seat.

The terms for both of these seats are two years. To learn what district you live it, go to ongov.net/elections/index.html. 

The Eagle Bulletin distributed uniform candidate questionnaires for candidates for the 5th and 10th districts of the Onondaga County Legislator elections. Following are their responses organized by alphabetical order of last names:

Onondaga County Legislator 10th District

Kevin Holmquist

Political Affiliation: Republican endorsed by the Republican, Conservative, Independence, Veterans, Taxpayer’s First Parties. Also endorsed by Onondaga County Government’s largest union, the CSEA.

Educational background and professional history: Syracuse University, Bachelors Degree; Onondaga Community College; Associates Degree; Branch Manager, Key Bank in Manlius; employed at Key Bank for 25 years.

Community service and previous political office history: Manlius Village Trustee 1991 to 2000; Manlius Town Councilor 2000 to 2005; Onondaga County Legislator 2005 to present; chairman of the Town of Manlius Inter-Municipal Committee on consolidation, cooperation and collaboration; chairman of the Onondaga County Legislative Committee to review the Consensus report.

Why are you running for a seat on the Onondaga County Legislature?

I am running for Onondaga County Legislator because I love our community and I want to make it the best that it can be. I have lived in Manlius for 41 years and Onondaga County for 51 years. We have made so much progress and there is so much more to do. I am uniquely qualified for this position, having years of experience in local government and longtime relationships with other community leaders. I am committed to doing the right thing.

What are your thoughts on consolidation/shared services within the county?

Local government has been the leader in consolidation/shared services for decades. All of the best ideas come from local government; not edicts from Albany or the county executive. We need to foster solutions from the community up; not the top down. I am opposed to the Consensus version of metropolitan government.

What do you see as the biggest issue Onondaga County faces, and if elected, how would you address this?

Onondaga County faces many big issues including taxes, economic development, public safety, infrastructure investment in roads and bridges, education, environmental issues, consolidation and cooperation, poverty and a litany of quality of life issues; just to name a few. Overall, I would say the biggest issue we face in county government is the current lack of positive relationships that our county leadership has with other municipalities and community partners. This adversely affects all of the above listed issues. I am proud of the relationships that I have built with our community leaders in Minoa, Fayetteville, Manlius and other leaders across the county. We need more leaders in county government who enjoy the same great relationships that I have helped to foster over the years to ensure that we can have more shared success on all of these issues going forward.

What distinguishes you from the other candidate?

I am an independent voice with an established track record of being responsive and doing the right thing. I report to our citizens in our town of Manlius; no one else. I represent our town not downtown. I support the best ideas regardless of party.

Mark Matt

Political Affiliation: Democrat, endorsed by Working Families Party and Women’s Equality Party.

Educational background and professional history: BS in economics. MS Ed in Higher Education Administration. Post-graduate courses in accounting. I started my career as Assistant Dean of Students at SUNY Brockport, moved through various sales and management positions with national firms such as Hammermill Paper and Eaton Financial, and spent the last 17 years of my career as the sales manager of a small software company. I retired five years ago to serve my community as a volunteer.

Community service and previous political office history: After decades of community service, I felt passionate enough to run for office against a long-time incumbent. I’ve lived in the village of Fayetteville for over 25 years and have been a committed volunteer for decades. I coached boys and girls teams with the FM Soccer League. I’ve also been a dedicated Rotarian for 15 years. I am currently in Dewitt Rotary and the Foundation Chair of Rotary District 7150 which covers 43 Rotary Clubs. I volunteer with the Samaritan Center, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Christmas Bureau, and other groups, working with countless service projects and grants in the CNY area. I have also been a member of the CNY Chapter of the Izaak Walton League for over 30 years, a conservation group that promotes clean air, water and soil. I’ve held office in every organization I’ve joined. I don’t sit on the sidelines; I act. I have worked with groups of people for years and have experience and skill in team building.

This is my first run for political office.

Why are you running for a seat on the Onondaga County Legislature?

In the current political climate, I worry about the future for my seven grandchildren. New candidates can create a dialog of fresh ideas for the voters. Re-electing the same people repetitively, especially those who only say “No” without offering viable options, just creates stagnation. We need to be nimble in addressing issues. It’s no time for business as usual. We need to govern in a transparent, inclusive, and efficient manner. My constituents deserve that, no matter what their political affiliation. I plan to enhance our community, take care of your taxpayer dollars, and keep the focus on progress.

What are your thoughts on consolidation/shared services within the county?

The terms “consolidation” and “shared services” are no longer linked. Shared services are opportunities where different government levels and locales can offer positive solutions while saving money and providing more efficiency. My background in economics and my business experience will be assets in this area. Consolidation of government has currently taken a back seat because our towns and villages want to remain as distinct entities.

What do you see as the biggest issue Onondaga County faces, and if elected, how would you address this?

Economic Development. We need to attract opportunities in technology and service, not minimum wage jobs. With a continued, unabated 40 year economic slide, Onondaga County needs a different approach. Without letting political one-upmanship get in the way of progress, county and city residents must collaborate with educational institutions, labor unions and businesses to change the direction of the economy. A once-in-a-lifetime surge of over $ 1.3 billion will come from the I-81 project. The county and city IDA’s must stop competing with each other. They should develop many small companies, not just a few large projects. Old attitudes stifle growth. We need to bring back transparency, ethics and accountability to county government and encourage participation from all stakeholders.

What distinguishes you from the other candidate?

My opponent is a career politician. I understand the importance of embracing the future. As a community volunteer, I’ve worked closely with CEO’s as well as those barely making ends meet. My ethics, my ability to listen, my background in economics, and my support from labor, all give me an edge.