Last week, while going door-to-door in Poughkeepsie (my opponent's home town), I spoke with a registered Republican...as I do many times every day. The neighborhood was in the Barnegat/Crown Heights section just west of Route 9. The following is a transcript of our conversation. I am in
italics and the white haired gentleman home owner is in
bold.
I’m Brian Keeler and I live in Hopewell Junction and I’m running for the New York State Senate this fall.
Against Saland?
Yes.
(reaching out his hand)
You got my vote.
Well, that was hard.
Did you see that rebate announcement in the mail?
Yes.
Makes me so mad. I’m getting a couple hundred dollars and my taxes are in the thousands…and then he sends me this notice about it that the taxpayers paid for!
Well, it’s election time. In 2004, he spent over $170,000 of taxpayer money during the election season sending out what are essentially campaign mailings to everybody. And the rebate? It cost the taxpayers over $3,000,000.00 just to cut and send out those rebate checks. Three million dollars could have bought a lot of schoolbooks.
It stinks. FIX the school tax problem; don’t go sending me checks and notices. FIX IT.
Well, that’s exactly what I’m committed to doing. Fix not only that, but the way the state does business.
Like I said, you got my vote. Time for them all to go.
That’s why I’m running…and tell your friends.
I'm gonna do just that. Thanks for coming. Saland has never knocked on my door. I really appreciate you doing this.
My pleasure. This won’t be the last time I’m here.
Good luck. Go get 'em.
