Smythe's 1st Priorities: Permanent Tax Cap, Women's Health

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Democrat Karen Smythe is challenging incumbent Republican state Sen. Sue Serino to represent the people of the 41st Senate District. According to her campaign website, Smythe was born and raised in Poughkeepsie and is a former marketing executive and ran her family's construction business.

Smythe worked on the board of the Bardavon Theater, the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum and as a trustee of Vassar College.

Patch sent the same questions to all candidates asking them to respond.

Patch: What are the biggest issues facing the Hudson River and Hudson Valley that affect your communities?
Smythe: "There are a number of challenges facing working people, businesses and families in the Hudson Valley. We need leaders in Albany who will actually take action, and not just provide rhetoric, and work to find ways to cut the rising cost of living and doing business here. We must also fairly invest in our public schools, not NYC Charter Schools, to ensure every child receives a good education no matter their ZIP Code. Other important issues facing our community include ensuring those suffering from Lyme disease have quality, affordable health coverage for treatment, protecting a women’s right to choose, implementing voter reforms, addressing the ongoing heroin and opioid epidemic and supporting our Veterans."

Patch: How would you apply the adage ‘think globally, act locally’?
Smythe: "As your State Senator, I will fight to protect our environment. Clean water and clean air must not be taken for granted. For too long, many have ignored and misrepresented our impact on the environment. The Hudson River and our environment are crucial to our way of life and local economy here in the Hudson Valley and it's critical that we proactively fight to protect it and do our part to combat climate change. That is why communities in the Hudson Valley should be serving as a beacon for green technology investments and efforts to reduce our carbon footprint to other parts of the state, country and the world."

Patch: Property taxes are an issue for all our communities. What’s your position on the Shared Services projects? How would you bring school districts into that discussion?
Smythe: "I support any smart efforts that make government more efficient and that reduce the tax burden on residents and businesses. We need to spend more time working with all stakeholders involved to reduce the impact school taxes have on property owners, while making sure we are upholding our responsibility as a state to provide a quality education for all students. By sitting at the table together, I'm confident we can find ways to better achieve both."

Patch: What would your first priorities be if elected?
Smythe: "Making the property tax cap permanent in order to better protect hard-working taxpayers and businesses from devastating tax increases; passing the Reproductive Health Act to ensure that no matter what happens in Washington, that a woman's right to make her own health choices is protected in New York; supporting efforts that safeguard New Yorkers’ ability to access affordable and quality healthcare; implementing real ethics reforms, such as banning outside income, to root out corruption; and bringing more technical trade skills to local schools, because ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ — and students deserve the option to follow different pathways to success."

Patch: It’s a divisive election season — how would you serve all your constituents?
Smythe: "I spent years running my family's union mechanical contracting firm which has employed hundreds of union employees locally. When running a successful business, every single worker and client is crucial to your success. As State Senator, I will work with and listen to everyone, and strive to make each resident's life better. Just like my business, I know that all of my constituents will be equally important in achieving our shared goals."

The 41st Senate District is comprised of Columbia County and western Dutchess County.

Patch has reached out to the Serino campaign, and when it responds, we will publish the answers to the questions sent and will link back to this article.

Photo caption: Karen Smythe is running for state Senate District 41. Photo credit: Submitted.