Bonacic and Malick debate

Power plant an issue

FRITZ MAYER
Posted 10/21/16

MIDDLETOWN, NY — Republican New York State State Sen. John Bonacic faced off against Democratic challenger Pramilla Malick in a debate that was livestreamed on the Internet on October 13. One …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Bonacic and Malick debate

Power plant an issue

Posted

MIDDLETOWN, NY — Republican New York State State Sen. John Bonacic faced off against Democratic challenger Pramilla Malick in a debate that was livestreamed on the Internet on October 13.

One of the first issues to come up was the controversial Competitive Ventures Power Plant (CVP), which is under construction in Orange County and under investigation by a federal prosecutor on corruption charges.

Bonacic said the corruption charges leveled against a former CVP employee and two former state employees came as a surprise to him. He also said he supported the plant because it would help the country become more energy independent and it would create jobs. He said he had not previously taken a position on the plant.

Malick read from a letter that she said Bonacic signed onto, which praised executives of the company. She also read a quote from federal prosecutor Phreet Bharara that said, “I really do hope there is a trial in this case, so all New Yorkers can see in gory detail what their state government has been up to.”

Malick then brought up the negative health impacts from the power plant and the previously constructed Minisink Compressor Station.

Bonacic said he had not been aware of any ill effects of the compressor station.

Malick said there was a family that “walked away from $250,000” in equity in a home because of the negative health impacts of the compressor station. Malick, who was highly visible in the fight against the compressor station, said to Bonacic, “We reached out and were told it’s a federal project and you can’t get involved.”

Bonacic responded, saying “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

A bit later Malick said regarding the compressor, “We went to every government official, local, state, federal and ran into a wall of corruption.”

Bonacic responded, “You seem to think if a congressman says ‘no’ to you he or she is corrupt.”

Another issue raised was campaign finance reform. On that issue, Bonacic said he believed in “disclosure and transparency,” and he said the Citizens United position was the law of the land, and he follows the law.

Malick said, “Citizens United was catastrophic, billionaires dictating the outcomes; elections should be about ideas, not how much money a candidate can raise.” (See editorial on page 6 for more on this issue.)

Asked if he thought legislators should get a $47,000 raise as has been suggested, Bonacic noted that legislators have not had a raise in 18 years. He also said, “Seventy-five percent of elected members of the legislature have no other income.”

Legislators currently have a base salary of $79,500, but can make significantly more with various perks. Malick noted that Bonacic opposed the raising of the minimum wage to $15 per hour “for many years” before voting for it.

The candidates were asked who they were going to vote for in the presidential race. Malick said while she does not agree with all of Democrat Hillary Clinton’s positions on various issues, she was going to vote for Clinton.

Bonacic said that Republican Donald Trumps’ remarks on the infamous 2005 video were disgusting, but he still planned on voting for the Republican candidate because he had been through the process of being elected by party members across the country.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here