The Working Families Party

The Working Families Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2007

CONTACT:Nicki Weiner (518) 694-2065

Karen Scharff (518) 755-2269

WFP Endorses Candidates for Local Office

Endorsements of Manning for Watervliet Mayor and Zalewski for Troy City Council are party’s top priorities this cycle

The Working Families Party (WFP) has endorsed 123 candidates for local offices in the Capital District.

The WFP ballot line is much-coveted this year. “The WFP endorsement is like a seal of approval that says, ‘this candidate has pledged to fight for the issues that matter most to low-income, working and middle-class New Yorkers – good jobs, good schools and good government,’” said Karen Scharff, co-chair of the Capital District WFP Chapter.

The WFP’s endorsement process is issues-based. “The WFP endorses candidates based on members' evaluations of their record of accomplishment and positions on the issues that matter most to working families,” said Tom Comanzo, co-chair of the Capital District WFP. The Chapter prioritized living wage jobs, green jobs & clean energy initiatives, and workforce development.

The endorsement process involves the WFP’s grassroots members in the candidate screening process. “Over the last two months, nearly 200 candidates completed our issue questionnaire, and more than 75 members conducted the in-person interviews to make 123 endorsements,” said Scharff.

The local Chapter is particularly excited about its two earliest endorsements, of Mike Manning for Mayor of Watervliet and Ken Zalewski for Troy City Council. Manning, who was endorsed by the WFP in his 2005 run for City Council, hasbrought a lot of change to the City of Watervliet as a council member and looks forward to bringing this same level of commitment to the City if elected Mayor.

Ken Zalewski, candidate for Troy City Council,will bring energy and vision to the City of Troy. The WFP, which is running Zalewski's field campaign, is excited about the work Zalewsi has been doing within the community, most recently as a visible proponent of the WFPs local efforts to bring integrity toCitygovernment in Troy.

The WFP did not endorse candidates in every district. “In elections where members were unable to recommend a single candidate as preferable as an advocate for the WFP's issue agenda, no endorsement was made,” said Comanzo.

A list of endorsed candidates for local offices follows below:

Michael / Breslin / Albany County Executive
Patricia / Slavick / Albany County Comptroller
George / Infante / Albany County Legislature / District 1
Lucille / McKnight / Albany County Legislature / District 2
Norma / Chapman / Albany County Legislature / District 5
Christopher / Burke / Albany County Legislature / District 6
Doug / Bullock / Albany County Legislature / District 8
Daniel / McCoy / Albany County Legislature / District 10
Gary / Domalewicz / Albany County Legislature / District 11
Bill / Clay / Albany County Legislature / District 13
Raymond / Joyce / Albany County Legislature / District 14
Phillip / Steck / Albany County Legislature / District 15
Sean / Ward / Albany County Legislature / District 17
Shawn / Morse / Albany County Legislature / District 18
Timothy / Nichols / Albany County Legislature / District 20
Ryan / Horstmyer / Albany County Legislature / District 25
Richard / Gross / Albany County Legislature / District 26
Richard / Jacobson / Albany County Legislature / District 27
Allen / Maikels / Albany County Legislature / District 30
William / Aylward / Albany County Legislature / District 31
Howard / Shafer / Albany County Legislature / District 36
Kevin / Crosier / Albany County Legislature / District 39
Victor / LaPlante / Rensselaerville Town Justice
Jeffry / Pine / Town of Rensselaerville Assessor
Marie / Dermody / Town of Rensselaerville Board Member
Gary / Chase / Town of Rensselaerville Board Member
Michael / Manning / City of Watervliet Mayor
Charlie / Diamond / City of Watervliet Council Member
Paula / Mahan / Town of Colonie Supervisor
Robert / Becker / Town of Colonie Board Member
Eugene / Keeler / County of Columbia District Attorney
Carol / Sacks / County of Columbia Treasurer
Staley / Keith / Columbia County Supervisor / Hudson
George / Davis / County of Columbia Coroner
Linda / Gabaccia / Town of Copake Supervisor
Carl / Ritchie / Town of Copake Council Member
Doug / McGivney / Town of Kinderhook Supervisor
Kimberly / Pinkowski / Town of Kinderhook Clerk
Peter / Bujanow / Town of Kinderhook Board Member
Francis / McKearin / Town of Kinderhook Board Member
Lee / Jamison / Town of Stuyvesant Supervisor
Rosalind / Gumaer / Town of Stuyvesant Board Member
Marilyn / Burch / Town of Stuyvesant Board Member
Darcy / Poppey / New Lebanon Town Justice
Cheryl / Roberts / Austerlitz Town Justice
Russ / Immarigeon / Hillsdale Town Justice
Lyle / Shook / Hudson City Alderperson / District 1
Ronald / Vanselow / Town of Johnsburg Council Member
Richard / McNally / County of Rensselaer District Attorney
James / Conroy / City of Troy Mayor
John / Brown / City of Troy Council Member / At-large
Clemente / Campana / City of Troy Council Member / At-large
Marge / Der Gurahian / City of Troy Council Member / At-large
Victor / DeBonis / City of Troy Council Member / District 1
Mary / Sweeney / City of Troy Council Member / District 2
Peter / Ryan / City of Troy Council Member / District 3
William / Dunne / City of Troy Council Member / District 4
Ken / Zalewski / City of Troy Council Member / District 5
Gary / Galuski / City of Troy Council Member / District 6
Jean / Howard / Town of Brunswick Town Clerk
Vito / Grasso / Town of Brunswick Supervisor
Susan / Haynes / Town of Brunswick Council Member
James / Brearton / Town of Brunswick Council Member
Marilyn / Douglas / Town of Hoosick Supervisor
Robert / Ryan / Town of Hoosick Council Member
Michael / Roland / Town of Nassau Supervisor
Susan / Hains / Town of Nassau Council Member
Fred / Nuffer / Town of Nassau Council Member
Mark / Premo / Town of North Greenbush Highway Superintendent
Josephine / Ashworth / Town of North Greenbush Council Member
Brian / Dwyer / Town of North Greenbush Council Member
Christine / Kronau / Town of Sand Lake Clerk
William / Reinhardt / Town of Sand Lake Supervisor
Burton / Rounds / Town of Sand Lake Council Member
Raymond / Turner / Town of Sand Lake Council Member
Barbara / Bittig / Town of Sand Lake Receiver of Taxes
Paul / Mac Naughton / Pittstown Town Justice
Matt / Sousa / Saratoga County Coroner
Thomas / Richardson / City of Mechanicville Supervisor
Salvatore / Izzo / City of Mechanicville Commissioner of Finance
Stacie / Salvi / City of Mechanicville Commissioner of Accounts
John / Franck / City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Accounts
Jane / Weihe / City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Finance
Ronald / Kim / City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Safety
Cheryl / Keyrouze / City of Saratoga Springs Supervisor
Joanne / Yepsen / City of Saratoga Springs Supervisor
Arthur / Vandervoort / Town of Clifton Park Supervisor
Theresa / Izzo / Town of Clifton Park Clerk
Robert / Rybak / Town of Clifton Park Justice
Nancy / Bellamy / Town of Clifton Park Council Member
Margaret / Catellier / Town of Clifton Park Council Member
Preston / Jenkins / Town of Moreau Supervisor
Gina / LeClair / Town of Moreau Board Member
Gregory / Connors / Town of Stillwater Supervisor
Patti / Southworth / Town of Ballston Supervisor
George / Seymour / Town of Ballston Council Member
Cynthia / Young / Town of Malta
Lisa / Kosek / Town of Greenfield Board Member
Margaret / Stevens / Town of Milton Board Member
Jeffrey / Hartnett / Town of Halfmoon Justice
Brian / Stratton / City of Schenectady Mayor
Michael / Petta / Schenectady County Legislature / District 1
Vincent / Dicerbo / Schenectady County Legislature / District 1
Gary / Hughes / Schenectady County Legislature / District 2
William / Chapman / Schenectady County Legislature / District 3
Paul / Webster / Schenectady County Legislature / District 3
Robert / Godlewski / Schenectady County Legislature / District 4
Anthony / Jasenski / Schenectady County Legislature / District 4
Joseph / Allen / City of Schenectady Common Council
Margaret / King / City of Schenectady Common Council
Thomas / Della Sala / City of Schenectady Common Council
Denise / Brucker / City of Schenectady Common Council
Helen / Kopke / Town of Niskayuna Clerk
Stephen / Swinton / Town of Niskayuna Justice
Liz / Kasper / Town of Niskayuna Council Member
Julie / McDonnell / Town of Niskayuna Council Member
William / Cooke / Town of Rotterdam Supervisor
Richard / Leet / Town of Rotterdam Council Member
John / Silva / Town of Rotterdam Council Member
Rose / Norkus / Town of Princetown Council Member
Carol / Dillon / Glenville Town Justice
Camille / Siano Enders / Schoharie Town Justice