Town of Vestal supervisor election: What the candidates say are the biggest local issues

This Election Day, voters in Vestal will decide who will be their town supervisor.

This year's candidates are incumbent John Schaffer, who is running on the Conservative line, Democrat Maria Sexton and Republican Ted Wolf.

Sexton, who defeated Schaffer in the Democratic primary in June, is running under the "Real Democracy 4 Vestal" banner with Vestal Town Council member candidates Robert Greene and Glenn R. Miller.

Republican Patrick S. McPherson is also running for one of the two open council member seats.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Press & Sun-Bulletin reached out to the three candidates during their campaign and asked them the same questions. Their responses are listed in alphabetical order and have been edited for clarity and length. Republican candidate Ted Wolf did not return a request to be interviewed.

More: Election 2023: What to know about voting in Broome, Tioga, Delaware and Chenango counties

John Schaffer

Why are you running for Vestal town supervisor?

Schaffer said Vestal is in a great place and he intends to keep it that way if elected again.

"I love my town, I love my community," Schaffer said. "I have a great relationship with 99.9 percent of the people in our area."

What are the biggest issues Vestal faces and how do you plan to address them?

According to Schaffer, making Vestal a place where businesses want to come and expand is crucial to keeping the town alive and lowering taxes.

Schaffer said he has a great relationship with Binghamton University and other local schools, and plans to maintain those relationships. He referenced the school resource officer program, and said he was proud of the work the police were doing in Vestal.

"I don't want to give anybody a chance to drop what we're doing in Vestal or slow it down at all," Schaffer said. "We're the place to come live in the county."

Schaffer also said he would like to use his relationships in state government to bring in state and federal funds to help keep Vestal a great place to live in Broome County and wants to make sure the town's roads and parks remain well maintained.

"We're number one around here, I'm gonna keep it number one," said Schaffer. "I'm not going to look back. I just want to keep it an awesome place to live."

Maria Sexton

Why are you running for Vestal town supervisor?

Sexton said the current administration is not open to criticism, and suggestions have often been shut down before being considered. Town hall meetings have sometimes become hostile, she said, and are not conducive to discussion.

"There was no avenue for anybody in Vestal to be heard, much less be listened to," Sexton said, "so something needs to change."

What are the biggest issues Vestal faces and how do you plan to address them?

Sexton argued for an increase in transparency, and plans to use technology to make sure residents know what is happening in government. Sexton plans to implement video recordings of town board meetings and an electronic survey system if elected.

"We're going to actually actively ask for people's opinions," said Sexton. "We're going to make sure that the website and the town personnel are all geared to answer people's questions, listen to them and trying to solve problems as they come."

Sexton also mentioned wanting to improve the lives of people who work for the town, saying they are not heard or treated fairly by the current administration.

Sexton said increases in budget by the current administration have led to a tax increase, which is causing residents to get priced out of their homes. If elected, Sexton plans to downsize the budget and lower taxes by cutting unnecessary programs, while getting input from the community and protecting town workers.

"We're going to tackle the budget, but we're going to do it transparently," Sexton said. "In a full forum, with maximum public input."

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Town of Vestal supervisor election 2023: Who's running