By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer Monday, March 17, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- City Council member Democrat Mark Blanchfield is interested in challenging Republican George Amedore for Amedore's 105th Assembly seat.
Schenectady City Democratic Committee Chairman Richard Naylor said Blanchfield approached the executive committee for support in this November's race. The executive committee voted unanimously Saturday to recommended Blanchfield's endorsement. "He was asking for support and we did that," Naylor said this afternoon. Blanchfield said he's not ready to announce his candidacy. "The way I like to go into political endeavors is to ask for people's support to make these decisions," he said, adding that he will continue to seek support throughout the district. Blanchfield, 41, an attorney, served for three years as City Council president before Peggy King took over this year. He has been on the Council since 2002. Blanchfield would likely take on Amedore, who won a special election last year to fill the seat vacated by Paul Tonko. Amedore upset Democrat Edward Kosiur after Tonko, a Democrat who held the seat for 24 years, became president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The Schenectady City Democratic Executive Committee also endorsed another person who hasn't announced -- Tonko for the 21st Congressional seat. Speculation abounds that Tonko will be the sixth Democratic candidate to enter that race. Tonko has yet to confirm or deny the rumors. "I don't have any confirmations or specific statements from him," Naylor said about Tonko. However, he said: "my sense is that it's a matter of time. We believe he's going to run and with that in mind he would be the top candidate."
105TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT City Council member eyes Assembly bid Amedore seat up for election BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Mark Blanchfield, a ranking member and former president of the Schenectady City Council, is considering a run against the incumbent assemblyman of the 105th District. Blanchfield, 41, received support from the city’s Democratic Committee Saturday for this bid and is expected to receive similar endorsements from the Democratic committees of both Schenectady and Montgomery counties. The 105th Assembly District comprises all of Montgomery County and most of Schenectady County. Republican incumbent George Amedore Jr. plans to seek re-election this November. He captured the seat, which had been held by a Democrat for 24 years, in a special election last year, defeating Democrat Edward Kosiur by more than 2,500 votes. Blanchfield said he is seeking support from organizations and individuals “As I make my way through this decision.” No other candidate has sought the support of the Schenectady city and county committees, their chairmen said Monday. “I know of no one else interested. I may be the person,” Blanchfield said. “It is an exciting prospective. If people continue to support me, it may become more and more of a reality.” Blanchfield is an attorney with the Albany firm of Hiscock & Barclay. He was elected to the City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. He served for three years as council president and is currently chairman of the council’s finance committee. If elected to the Assembly, Blanchfield would leave the City Council with one year remaining in his four-year term. The council would appoint his successor. “I have been serving the people of Schenectady for seven years; it has been very satisfying,” Blanchfield said. “The extent that this other position presents another opportunity to [serve] the public could be very fulfilling and I am certain if I decide to do it I can bring a lot of skills and hard work to the position.” Blanchfield was not ready to expand on his platform Monday, but said, “I am concerned about the way in which government has been financed. It has been my concern since I have been on City Council.” He said he wants “to make sure government is well-managed and that the source of revenue is progressive, not regressive.” He and his wife, Beatrice, have two children. Brian Quail, chairman of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee, said Blanchfield will make a “fantastic candidate. He has a strong history as a leader and is someone who participated in taking a city on the brink of collapse and turning it around.” Blanchfield is “someone who gets results and makes life better for people,” Quail said. He said Amedore is vulnerable to defeat in the heavily Democratic district. “What has he accomplished?” Quail asked. “All I see is more of the same. He hasn’t passed a single bill and he fell right in line with the Albany culture of lulus and donothing legislation.” Schenectady County Republican Committee Chairman Tom Buchanan said Democrats will find a formidable foe in Amedore. “He is very popular. He won an overwhelming victory, and there is not any reason voters would consider dumping George after one year in office. He is just starting to roll up his sleeves and get to work.” Buchanan said he was surprised Democrats would support Blanchfield. “He is a member of the Democrat team that is part of making Schenectady one of the highest, if not the highest, taxed communities in the Capital Region,” he said. “It is surprising they would not try to appeal to a high-taxed-conscious public.” Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
It looks like the Dems really want to win that seat back in November.
I agree. And I also think that we do need to hear from Mr. Amedore IF he choses to run again. Although I realize that Mr. Amedore has not been in office for a very long time to really make a difference, we still haven't heard too much from him since the election. If he choses to run, I'm sure he will become more visible and vocal.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
A rival for Tedisco? Saratoga and Schenectady Democratic leaders had come up empty trying to find a November election opponent for Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco. The Assembly minority leader looked like he would get a free ride until last weekend, when Chris Gardner surfaced. "I'm seriously considering running," Gardner said while holding off elaboration. When Democrats ended three-decades of Schenectady County Legislature Republican rule several years ago, Gardner was named county attorney. He landed the job after engineering the takeover in his role of county Democratic chairman. While he stepped down as chairman, political observers still consider him the party capo. Back a dozen or so years ago, Gardner was elected to the County Legislature. He was the first Democrat to win a Niskayuna/Glenville board seat. Tedisco has blown away every opponent he faced in a dozen Assembly elections. In other November races, Mark Blanchfield, a Schenectady City Council Democrat, is expected to announce Sunday a run against incumbent GOP Assemblyman George Amedore. Also Democratic Mayor Brian Stratton has been privately talking about taking on 30-year Republican state Sen. Hugh Farley. However, party insiders said that move is unlikely.
The Assembly minority leader looked like he would get a free ride until last weekend, when Chris Gardner surfaced. "I'm seriously considering running," Gardner said while holding off elaboration.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
In my opinion, Gardner will get his handed to him. But, his arrogance will lead him to a run.
Yea, well this time around Tedesco can boast his support on how he was actually in favor of the Metroplex and it's bond increase. That will secure him some votes. I mean isn't that what politicians do best? Just get out there and do or say or pass legislation, whatever will get them the votes, even if it is at the taxpayers expense.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Blanchfield to announce bid for Assembly Saturday, May 31, 2008 By Michael Lamendola (Contact) Gazette Reporter
105TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT — Democrat Mark Blanchfield will officially announce his candidacy today for the 105th Assembly District during four appearances in Schenectady and Montgomery counties. He plans to focus on controlling taxes and creating jobs. Blanchfield, 41, is a city of Schenectady councilman first elected in 2001. He will challenge Republican incumbent George Amedore, 39, who won a special election last summer to fill the seat vacated by longtime Assemblyman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam. Amedore said he will seek re-election to a full two-year term in the Assembly. An attorney with Hiscock and Barclay in Albany, Blanchfield said he wants to make sure that each community in the district receives individualized attention, “so that we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all policy toward economic growth.” Blanchfield has scheduled announcements at City Hall in Schenectady at 1 p.m.; at the Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction at 2 p.m.; at Amsterdam City Hall at 3:30 p.m.; and at Riverfront Park in Canajoharie at 5 p.m. He is expected to receive the endorsement today of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee. He already has the endorsements of the city of Schenectady Democratic Committee and the Montgomery County Democratic Committee.
SCHENECTADY & MONTGOMERY COUNTIES Blanchfield ready to challenge Amedore BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Democrat Mark Blanchfield, a seven-year city councilman, will officially announce his candidacy today for the 105th Assembly District seat held since last summer by GOP incumbent George Amedore during four appearances in Schenectady and Montgomery counties. Blanchfield, 41, plans to focus his campaign on controlling taxes and creating jobs. Amedore, 39, is seeking re-election to a full two-year term of the seat last spring by longtime Assemblyman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam. An attorney with Hiscock and Barclay in Albany, Blanchfield said he wants to ensure each community in the 105th District receives individualized attention, “so that we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all policy toward economic growth.” He called the district one of the most economically challenged in the state and one with the highest number of senior citizens, requiring additional resources from Albany. The district consists of all of Montgomery County and Rotterdam, Duanesburg, Princetown and portions of the city of Schenectady in Schenectady County, He said as a city councilman, “we made a lot of forward progress and I would like to make sure we continue our forward progress and continue our program to think outside of the box.” Blanchfield has scheduled announcements at City Hall in Schenectady at 1 p.m.; at the Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction at 2 p.m.; at Amsterdam City Hall at 3:30 p.m.; and at Riverfront Park in Canajoharie at 5 p.m. He is expected to receive the endorsement today of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee. He already has the endorsements of the city of Schenectady Democratic Committee and the Montgomery County Democratic Committee. Meanwhile, Amedore is scheduled to join state Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco and several area municipal leaders and a law enforcement representative on the steps of Schenectady City Hall today to promote legislation that would increase penalties in the criminal deaths and injuries of children. This follows last week’s shooting death of a 10-year-old in Albany. Blanchfield was re-elected to the Common Council in 2005, the top vote-getter among 10 candidates seeking three open seats. He served three one-year terms as council president between 2005 and 2007. He and his wife, Beatrice Tsao, have a 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. FOCUS ON BILLS Amedore said he will formally announce for re-election when the current legislative session in Albany ends this month. He and his wife, Joelle, have three children, ages 17, 15 and 12. “We have important legislation we have been debating on,” Amedore said. Amedore said he is seeking office again to work toward changes in how state government works. “I have been helping to make some progress. As I said before, change is coming to Albany and that change isn’t going to take place overnight. I need to continue to focus on what I believe in and what the 105th needs desperately.” The district needs lower taxes and more jobs, Amedore said. And “we need to get people in Albany who are outside the political spectrum. We do not need more politicians in Albany, which I am not, because of the waste there. It’s dysfunction and it’s out-of-control spending.” Amedore, who is vice president of Amedore Homes, ran as an Albany outsider in his first bid for elected office. He faced Democrat Ed Kosiur, a former Schenectady County legislator and former Schenectady councilman. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district, and party offi - cials believed Kosiur would handily win the seat. However, he stumbled almost immediately by supporting legislation that placed residency restrictions on sex offenders. Many people believed the legislation, sponsored by majority Democrats in the Schenectady County Legislature, would force sex offenders out of the Democrat-controlled city of Schenectady and into outlying communities. NAME RECOGNITION Although Kosiur campaigned vigorously, he lost by nearly 3,000 votes. Amedore campaigned aggressively as well, and he also benefitted from strong name recognition in Montgomery County, where he has built homes and has family, and from a strong backlash against the sex offender legislation. Kosiur had little name recognition outside of the city of Schenectady. This time around, Democrats picked a candidate with a base in Montgomery County. Blanchfield said he has family in Amsterdam and friends and relatives scattered throughout the county. His father grew up in Amsterdam and his grandfather, James Blanchfield, was circulation manager of the Amsterdam Evening Recorder newspaper for 40 years. Blanchfield said he also has support of Amsterdam Mayor Ann Thane and Montgomery County Treasurer Shawn Bowerman, both Democrats. Blanchfield plans to knock on doors and meet people in Montgomery County, to further increase his name recognition. Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail said Blanchfield will make an outstanding assemblyman. “He understands the pressures local governments and people face and that is an important perspective to have because of the trickle down mandates from Albany, which George Amedore has done nothing to stop.” TAX ISSUE Quail said Blanchfield “understands the importance of high taxes, of growing the economy, of creating job, of protecting health care and of controlling crime.” Blanchfield’s campaign will compare how Schenectady has “gotten better under Mark and how Albany has not gotten better under Amedore,” Quail said. “Amedore has been a creature of the status quo since his leather shoes have hit the tiles of the Capitol,” Quail said. Tom Buchanan, chairman of the Schenectady County Republican Committee, cast Blanchfield’s record on the Common Council in a different light. “I am surprised they are going with a liberal Democrat who has done nothing but raise taxes during his entire tenure in office,” Buchanan said. “The city of Schenectady is one of the highest-taxed municipalities in the Capital Region and Mark Blanchfield is part of the reason,” Buchanan said. Republicans will “hammer Blanchfield on quality-of-life issues: Crime and taxes are higher since Blanchfield took office,” Buchanan said. With Amedore, “we get a fresh face with new ideas. He is an individual from a private sector background with a unique perspective.”
baby fingers will vote each and every time to raise taxes, with Sheldon Silver, to keep the criminals safe, against Jimmy Tedisco's chronic offender law, against the death penalty, against the right to keep and bear arms. Just what we DON'T need! Blanchfield is head of the Democratic city council and helped to make the taxes and crimes some of the worst in the nation, Fuggedaboudit!
Quail said Blanchfield “understands the importance of high taxes
Of course he understands....he helped create them. However, I am still waiting for Mr. Amedore to get out from under Tedisco's wings and fly on his own.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Assembly contest is taking shape Democrat Mark Blanchfield, a Schenectady councilor, to run for 105th district seat held by Republican George Amedore
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Monday, June 2, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- Democrat Mark Blanchfield on Sunday officially announced his candidacy for Republican George Amedore's 105th district Assembly seat in November. Blanchfield talked about the city's improving financial position and ongoing local revitalization efforts that occurred during his tenure on the City Council. His interest in the congressional seat first became apparent when he asked for the Schenectady City Democratic Executive Committee's endorsement in March.
Flanked at City Hall by about 50 supporters, including other City Council members, Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton and 21st Congressional district candidate Democrat Paul Tonko, Blanchfield said he wants to bring his experience with Schenectady's successes to the state. Blanchfield, an attorney who has served on the Schenectady City Council since 2002, compared the city's no-nonsense solutions to when he was 8 years old and ran through a glass door in his house. Blanchfield said his father, an Army veteran, helped stop him from bleeding to death by using a dirty T-shirt. Not the way a doctor would solve the problem, but it worked, said Blanchfield, who was City Council president from 2005 to 2007. Schenectady climbed out of a possible $10 million debt in 2004 by consolidating services with the county and instituting the controversial trash fee citywide. "The people of the 105th district deserve someone who has a track record of finding common ground for the common good," said Blanchfield, 41. Amedore, who won in a special election for the seat July 31, said the state still needs people like himself who came from a non-political background. Before he ran for Assembly, Amedore became known to Capital Region residents when his home building company helped construct a Colonie woman's home on the TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." While Amedore has not formally announced his candidacy, he said Sunday he will run again this year for the seat. The 105th district includes Schenectady and Montgomery counties. Tonko served for 24 years until Amedore's election last year. Blanchfield, who handles legal cases for and against insurance companies, said he's not sure yet how his campaigning will affect his job. Stanforth can be reached at 454-5697 or by e-mail at lstanforth@timesunion.com.
Mark Blanchfield’s entry into the race for the 105th Assembly District (June 1 Gazette) couldn’t have come at a better time. As longtime observers of Schenectady City Hall, we were both impressed and relieved when Blanchfield came in as a city council member and — for a while, anyway — almost single-handedly turned things around financially. Sure, he had to make some difficult and unpopular decisions, but that’s what real leaders do. Now, with the council and the Stratton administration working smartly together, Schenectady is on the rebound. For the other side to try to label Mark Blanchfield as just another tax-andspend liberal is unjustified and shows a lack of understanding of the critical situation Schenectady was in. Councilman Blanchfield has distinguished himself as a thoughtful, progressive representative, and we are confident that the success he’s helped foster in the city can be replicated in Schenectady and Montgomery counties through his service in the Assembly. MICHAEL AND CAROL DICERBO
Logged
