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RateBarber's priorities: 'Economy, economy, economy'
By Billie Dunn
CATSKILL — Caroline Town Supervisor Don Barber has been serving his Tompkins County community since the mid-1980s, and now he wants to serve the seven counties that make up the 51st Senate District.
“There are a number of opportunities for us in Upstate to be an economically strong engine, and we’re overlooking every one of them,” said Barber, who notes that he’s running for the same reason he ran for town council almost 15 years ago.
“I’m running for the children,” said Barber, a father of three. “The economy needs to be strong for them.”
Barber was born and raised on a family dairy farm in Danby, N.Y., and says the demands and joys of being part of a family farm instilled in him the lifelong belief in the power of working hard to meet common goals.
After graduating from Ithaca High School, Barber earned a master’s degree in ceramic engineering from Alfred University. Afterward he worked as an engineering manager for Corning Incorporated, until 1983 when he began his own construction firm, Sunny Brook Builders — a living-wage, energy-star builder.
Before running for town councilman and later becoming supervisor in Caroline, Barber entered the political scene by serving on local advisory boards in the 1980s. Throughout his tenure Barber says he has maintained transparency and inclusion, which are the hallmarks of his public service.
During his time as supervisor, Barber has made the Town of Caroline the second in New York State to buy all of its power from green sources. He also recently supported a drive that delivered energy-efficient bulbs to every Caroline household. More than 100 volunteers participated in the community-wide event, and most of the bulbs were delivered by foot, bicycle, and horseback.
On Nov. 4 he will run against incumbent and 20-year veteran Sen. James Seward for the 51st Senate District seat, and if elected, he has a to-do list a mile long.
First on his agenda? “Economy, economy, economy,” said Barber, who stresses the importance of sustainability.
“New York needs to be leading the way to energy independence, and Upstate is where it is going to happen,” he said.
According to Barber another economy surge in Upstate will be coming up with a health care system that is publicly funded and privately delivered. He says that the current health care system causes students to leave communities in search of jobs that provide health care, and stops many small businesses before they get started.
“We need to break the current cycle, and I believe that if we have publicly funded and privately delivered health care that jobs would come back to this area, people would stay here, and we’d be an economic Mecca in the U.S.” said Barber.
A third issue that Barber says needs to be addressed is property taxes. He says that as a town supervisor he is painfully aware of property taxes, and that at the state level there are a number of things that can be done to keep them under control.
Barber spoke to Greene County residents about all three issues in a town hall-style meeting earlier this month at the Muddy Cup Coffee House on Main Street in Catskill.
“You have to send people to Albany that are committed — in their soul — to working for the working people,” said Barber to more than a dozen people who turned out for the event.
With elections less than two weeks away, Barber says his message of change will resonate with voters.
“I’ll work hard to change the power structure in the Senate, so the rank-and-file gets their power again, and they don’t give it all to the majority leader,” Barber said. “The system is out of control and we need to change it back.”
To reach reporter Billie Dunn, please call 518-943-2100 ext. 3323 or e-mail bdunn@thedailymail.net.
“There are a number of opportunities for us in Upstate to be an economically strong engine, and we’re overlooking every one of them,” said Barber, who notes that he’s running for the same reason he ran for town council almost 15 years ago.
“I’m running for the children,” said Barber, a father of three. “The economy needs to be strong for them.”
Barber was born and raised on a family dairy farm in Danby, N.Y., and says the demands and joys of being part of a family farm instilled in him the lifelong belief in the power of working hard to meet common goals.
After graduating from Ithaca High School, Barber earned a master’s degree in ceramic engineering from Alfred University. Afterward he worked as an engineering manager for Corning Incorporated, until 1983 when he began his own construction firm, Sunny Brook Builders — a living-wage, energy-star builder.
Before running for town councilman and later becoming supervisor in Caroline, Barber entered the political scene by serving on local advisory boards in the 1980s. Throughout his tenure Barber says he has maintained transparency and inclusion, which are the hallmarks of his public service.
During his time as supervisor, Barber has made the Town of Caroline the second in New York State to buy all of its power from green sources. He also recently supported a drive that delivered energy-efficient bulbs to every Caroline household. More than 100 volunteers participated in the community-wide event, and most of the bulbs were delivered by foot, bicycle, and horseback.
On Nov. 4 he will run against incumbent and 20-year veteran Sen. James Seward for the 51st Senate District seat, and if elected, he has a to-do list a mile long.
First on his agenda? “Economy, economy, economy,” said Barber, who stresses the importance of sustainability.
“New York needs to be leading the way to energy independence, and Upstate is where it is going to happen,” he said.
According to Barber another economy surge in Upstate will be coming up with a health care system that is publicly funded and privately delivered. He says that the current health care system causes students to leave communities in search of jobs that provide health care, and stops many small businesses before they get started.
“We need to break the current cycle, and I believe that if we have publicly funded and privately delivered health care that jobs would come back to this area, people would stay here, and we’d be an economic Mecca in the U.S.” said Barber.
A third issue that Barber says needs to be addressed is property taxes. He says that as a town supervisor he is painfully aware of property taxes, and that at the state level there are a number of things that can be done to keep them under control.
Barber spoke to Greene County residents about all three issues in a town hall-style meeting earlier this month at the Muddy Cup Coffee House on Main Street in Catskill.
“You have to send people to Albany that are committed — in their soul — to working for the working people,” said Barber to more than a dozen people who turned out for the event.
With elections less than two weeks away, Barber says his message of change will resonate with voters.
“I’ll work hard to change the power structure in the Senate, so the rank-and-file gets their power again, and they don’t give it all to the majority leader,” Barber said. “The system is out of control and we need to change it back.”
To reach reporter Billie Dunn, please call 518-943-2100 ext. 3323 or e-mail bdunn@thedailymail.net.
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