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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Nassau County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Education Finance,
Redistricting
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. Public education is financed through property taxes and state funds. What other means of raising revenue would you support?*
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Answer from Robert D. Barra:
I will not support any new taxes and will continue to deliver record school aid to my district.
Answer from Daniel A. Torres:
I feel that too much funding for education comes from property taxes and that we must rely on too much local funding for schools. This structure prevents us from attaining economy of scale and creates an unfair funding situation where our districts receive less funding while taxpayers in those districts are over burdened with property taxes that are proportionally higher when compared to their incomes. What we need is for the state to assume a larger role in funding education while also providing an environment where school budgets may benefit from economy of scale.
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2. Legislative districts have been determined on a partisan basis. Would you support establishing an independent commission as a more open and ethical way to create the districts? Please explain.*
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Answer from Daniel A. Torres:
Absolutely. Furthermore, I would like to see restrictions on drawing district lines that are
based on geographic features rather than demographics. This would force random demographic mixes in districts where the electorate would be more representative.
Answer from Robert D. Barra:
2. Yes, if the commission is truly independent and not filled with career politicians.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
- Original answers for a published Voters Guide
were limited are presented as submitted. Candidates have since been invited
to supply answers of any length for the Web.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
