Times Herald Record Interview

Position sought: MONTGOMERY TOWN SUPERVISOR
Name:  Susan L. Cockburn
Party: Democratic
Age: 52
Profession:  Environmental Engineer
Personal: Daughter in Montgomery Elementary School, homeowner in the town.
Education:  BE Degree - STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; 4yrs HUNTER COLLEGE NYC Government Studies and Science
Experience in public office:  Town of Montgomery Supervisor, 2 terms in office, 2004 to 2007

Why are you running for office?

1. To pare back perks for town officials and keep taxes in check for ordinary homeowners.
2. To insure that taxes are applied fairly both in and outside the villages and that all State, County and Town laws are followed without exception.
3. To provide professional leadership for the future development of the town and to preserve our environmental and historic heritage and give ordinary citizens as strong a voice as the big developers have.

What are your positions on the following town issues? (Please limit your answers to a few sentences each).

Should the town and village of Walden police departments merge?

Town and Village Officials must put all the verified facts on the table first.

1. What are the costs and savings and how will the taxes of the Town and the Walden Village change?
2. How much coverage will each area have?
3. Will any police personnel be eliminated? Or added?
4. Then the question must be put to a public referendum so every taxpayer can cast their vote.

What kind of economic development does the town need? 

Our Town needs a broad scale of development including: agricultural, commercial and small business. We should encourage development that brings rate-ables to our tax rolls and which does not overwhelm our resources. We need to consider the impact on our roads, our police, our schools and our unique quality of life in Montgomery. 

I will promote agricultural, commercial, business and highway zoning that supports economic diversification for a stable local economy.  I favor agricultural zoning which allows farm worker housing, farm markets/stands onsite to sell produce, allowing for indoor operations as well as outdoor for all 4 seasons to be profitable.  Hamlet designs where applicable, and owner occupied commercial structures (apartment over or behind a store) to foster entrepreneurship in our residents.  Local businesses with resident workers and owners are absolutely necessary to building a sustainable and vibrant economy. 

Does the town need an affordable housing law? The Town absolutely needs an Affordable Housing Law.  What should such a law entail?  The law should encourage residential development wherein a mix of home sizes and amenities results. The character of residential developments would then resemble a traditional community build-out, much the same as in a village.  Any of our villages can be used as an example of what can be accomplished. Small dwellings, next to large homes, situated across from a 2 family home.  The result will be an array of housing choices for families, singles, and seniors all within the same development.  Rather then isolated by dwelling size, the inhabitants age, or income level.  Developers will build a cape cod, saltbox, carriage house, or 2 family attached if the incentives are right and the administration of the law was equitable in all respects. 

If elected, what would be your top two priorities for the town?

1. I will ensure taxation is fairly applied to residents both in and outside the villages, in accordance with the fiduciary duty inherent in the Supervisor’s office.  The substantial perks and benefits, which exceed those the average taxpayer can ever hope to attain, must be scaled back. The annual budget will continue to grow just for the purpose of funding retirement and medical benefit packages of present and former town officials if it is not kept in check. Conversely, by acknowledging and showing respect through support of the important contribution of hardworking volunteer units throughout the community, we can maintain critically important professionally run community services, at a minimal expense to our budget.
2. The Town’s Comprehensive Plan (both residential and commercial components) as well as Town’s Building Code must be brought up to date.  Our Town Code lacks directives that will accommodate current US Department of Energy and the NYState Renewable Energy Portfolio’s approved technologies and recycling processes of the current “green industry revolution”.  Without the code updates, our town will be on the back end of receiving projects with employment opportunities and the ratables that follow.