Sava challenges Skelos for state Senate seat

George Sava, a Republican who switched to the Democratic Party in 2007, is mounting a vigorous campaign against Republican Minority Leader Dean Skelos in the 9th Senate District.

Skelos said he would work to end the dysfunction in Albany. Approving an on-time budget — the one legally mandated responsibility of the state Legislature — would be at the top of his list. He spoke of the need for transparency and the use of joint public conference committees to encourage cooperation to get legislation passed.

Skelos’s legislative priority would be to cut taxes and create economic development initiatives that would result in jobs. He cited the state’s Power for Jobs program, which helps businesses reduce energy costs, as one of those initiatives.

Sava describes himself as a fiscal conservative, and says that his No. 1 priority if he were elected would be tax reduction to foster an environment for business growth. Among the ways Sava said he would reduce spending and bring the tax burden down would be to target and consolidate numerous local taxing entities and school services such as busing, reduce waste, establish better fiscal oversight, enforce whistleblower laws and reduce unfunded educational mandates. He said he would also fight to get Long Island’s fair share of state school funding.

“I simply can’t afford to live in Nassau County anymore,” said Sava when asked why he is running. “There are things we can do to bring our tax burden down. I want to have a voice.”

Both candidates are opposed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payroll tax, and said that the agency should rethink its overtime policies and work rules, but they had different takes on area “mega-projects.” Skelos said that the East Side Long Island Rail Road access tunnel should be completed, while suggesting that the Second Avenue subway project and others should be reviewed. Sava said that the MTA should “pull back” from its large projects, and that Long Island commuters would be “crippled” by the demise of the Long Island Bus system.