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57th State Senate District - Partnership Evaluation

In the 57th SD, incumbent Senator Catharine Young did not respond to the Partnership’s questionnaire. Elected to the Senate in 2005, she is Chair of the Senate Agriculture committee and Co-Chairs the Administrative Regulations Review Commission to reduce regulations and red tape that impede job growth. Senator Young serves on the Health; Higher Education; Insurance; Housing; Construction and Community Development; and Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committees.

Senator Young sponsored legislation to create and provide for a tax increment financing program as a method of reducing the cost of affordable housing in New York State, a priority of the Partnership.

Her opponent, Christopher Schaeffer is employed by Verizon Wireless in retail management. He is running on the Democratic line. He has not previously sought public office. As the top priorities for his first term, he cites lower taxes, a balanced budget, universal health care, and clean energy. If elected, he’d like to serve on the Energy & Telecommunications and Finance Committee.

He believes that employers should support his campaign because he will work to lower all taxes to make NY a more attractive place to live, work and start a business and he will work to ensure all New Yorkers are covered by a single-payer health insurance.

If elected, he states that he will help increase private sector investment and jobs in Buffalo Niagara by improving infrastructure with an emphasis on high speed rail.