Race for the 106th New York State Assembly District

Didi Barrett
 
New York State — Didi Barrett (D-106) is seeking re-election to her seat in the New York State Assembly on Tuesday Nov. 4.
Barrett was elected to the 103rd Assembly District in March 2012 to finish the unexpired term left by Marc Molinaro, when he was elected Dutchess County executive.
As a result of the 2012 census, the district shifted to the 106th and Barrett won re-election to serve her first full term, taking office in 2013.
The full term is for two years.
Of her tenure so far, Barrett said she’s accomplished “a remarkable amount.”
“We were able to bring back the resources in the state budget to have the energy tax repealed,” she said, referring to $3.5 million the assembly secured to counter the county’s energy tax exemption repeal last winter. 
“We were able to bring that money back to Dutchess County to cover costs for mental health programs which freed up money in the budget which had 
 

Michael Kelsey

 

New York State — Dutchess County Legislator Michael Kelsey (R-25) is running for the 106th District in the New York State Assembly, challenging incumbent Democrat Didi Barrett on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Kelsey is in his third term and as a county legislator, taking office first in 2010 and again in 2012 and 2014.

If elected, Kelsey will serve a two-year term in the assembly.

The candidate cited mental health reform as his top priority if elected.

“It’s always been the issue that’s motivated me to run for public office,” he said.

“There’s not an appropriate level of care in the community. The way we’re waiting for crises to happen and then jailing people. I think we need to spend more money on prevention — we need more hospital beds. Eventually it will save us tax dollars,” he added.

“That’s an area I have experience in and I’m passionate about and can set our state in the right direction on mental health,” the candidate said.

As a professor at Marist College, Kelsey said education is another area of interest.

“I don’t think Common Core is working, I’d like to take a look at that,” he said. “I also think we need to look at how we fund education — our property taxes are way out of control.”

The candidate said he’d explore new methods of financing schools and suggested there is not enough theory in Albany.

“Somebody needs to remind them that we serve the people, and we’re not just up there to grow government,” he said.

Kelsey is running on Republican and Conservative party lines.

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