Matt Nelligan launched his campaign for Guilderland Town Board at a fundraising event at his home, and said he plans to push for eight-year term limits for all town officials if elected.
The Guilderland Republican and former teacher said close to 100 supporters attended the fundraiser, and he laid out some of his plans for his campaign.
I think that the behavior and the lack of action on issues in town that people care about is [unacceptable], Nelligan told The Spotlight on Thursday, April 30. `As a whole we’re not seeing a government that’s accomplishing much.`
He said Democrats are quick to blame Republicans for the town’s problem, and vice-versa. He said the buying of Web sites with other official’s names, and blocking e-mails, is prohibiting progress.
`What? Are we in kindergarten?` Nelligan said. `What we need is some adult supervision.`
He said he will work toward creating a relationship with other board members, and wants to hold a positive campaign.
He said he will push for an eight-year term limit for all town employees if elected. He said he supports the measure at all levels of government, but especially at the town level.
`I think we should start at home,` Nelligan said. `There’s no question we can do it.`
Nelligan said, if elected, he will limit his own tenure to eight years, even if the proposition is not passed by the town.
`We cannot continue to send the same old people back to sit in seats of power in Town Hall and expect a different result,` he said in a written statement.
Guilderland Democratic Chairman Dave Bosworth said he favors a system where the voters have the power to choose who they would like to see in office.
`Generally speaking, I’m in favor of the electoral process,` Bosworth said. `It’s really up to the people to decide. It’s not just tenure, it’s performance.`
Bosworth said the discussion of term limits is a `two-sided issue` that merits debate, but Guilderland should not preempt the county and state governments in imposing the limits, stating doing so would be `disingenuous.`
`I don’t think it’s something that should be handled out-of-hand or casually,` Bosworth said.
Patricia Slavick, one of the two board members up for election, and an eight-year member of the board, said the experience gained from serving is valuable, and the relationships that a person develops are important to serving the town.
`I don’t see why [term limits] should be there,` Slavick said. `To me, experience is a very big thing.`
Nelligan likened the state of current town board meetings to the `Jerry Springer Show,` and said, `petty political posturing has not lowered one family’s tax assessment. It hasn’t built 1 inch of new side walk, and it certainly hasn’t helped us solve our traffic problem.`
He said he plans to run a positive and independent-minded campaign.
`I’m not a cookie cutter Republican in any way, shape or form,` he said.
Nelligan is seeking the endorsement of the Conservative and Independence parties as well, he said.
`I’m a principled person even when it hasn’t always helped me to be,` Nelligan added.
Nelligan was formerly a teacher at Guilderland high school before being involuntarily transferred to the middle school as the result of a `culture climate inquiry.`
He later took a position working for the New York state Senate.
Guilderland Republican chair Ted Danz said Nelligan has the unanimous support of the town’s Republican Party.
“