Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and early voting is underway. The following candidates were asked by Eagle Newspapers what it was that made them want to run for their desired offices,  how their experience will serve them going forward and why they’re an ideal candidate, what they’d consider the biggest challenges in their community at present, what their ideas are for addressing those challenges, and what they appreciate most about their respective communities.

Editor’s note: As of Oct. 29, candidate Chris Ryan had not submitted responses to the questions posed by Eagle Newspapers.

Nick Paro, REP, CON

As Salina Town Supervisor, it has been my honor to work everyday to make the community in which I was born and raised a better place. I have been able to secure funds for parks I once played baseball in and improve sidewalks I once rode my bike along growing up. We are working hard to revitalize dilapidated properties to productive use, grow the local economy, and lower taxes on our residents. While my town board and I are very proud of these accomplishments, more and more state issues are impacting our ability to succeed in Central New York.

Our streets are becoming less safe and our cost of living continues to rise as a direct result of policies being embraced at the state level. Something has to change and I promise to deliver common sense solutions when I get to Albany. Together, we will win!

I have been elected and reelected in a very Democratic-leaning town as a Republican because the people of our community trust me to be a strong advocate for our interests. With a strong record of delivering on my promises at the Town level, you can count on me to fight for my common sense platform at the state level.

We need to grow economic opportunity & lower the cost of living in our community. In Salina, we ended full-value assessments for property taxes, facilitated the continued lowering of property tax rates town wide, and invested in Main Street grants that have brought new life to blighted properties and have led to increased investment in the local economy. We need to restore public safety & defend quality of life. My own wife’s car was broken into in a recent string of robberies across Salina. At the Town level, we have repeatedly called upon state leaders to do something about bail reform and other laws that make it difficult to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.

At the state level, we should take meaningful steps to reduce financial burdens on our residents. I will advocate that we permanently reduce by 2% the tax rates for middle and low income households in New York State, meaning households that earn $300k and less. We should also double the base figure for enhanced and basic STAR benefits, helping our senior citizens facing rising costs to remain in the homes that they have earned. In order to give law enforcement, district attorneys, judges and parole officers the tools they need to succeed, we need to end bail reform in its current state and repeal discovery reform, raise the age, and “less is more” legislation.

The people of Central New York are hard-working, common sense people that expect nothing but the best from those we send to represent us.

As State Senator, I will be your tireless advocate, your fresh face, and your open door into State Government. Together, we will win this race and restore common sense to the halls of Albany.

Nick Paro