County Executive Candidates Square Off in Debate

MIDDLETOWN – Both candidates in the race for Orange County executive, incumbent Republican Steven Neuhaus and Democratic challenger Patrick Davis, squared off, Wednesday evening, in a public debate outlining their differences in opinion when it comes to running the county.

This debate came down to disagreements in systemic governance, rather than policy. Each candidate shared similar opinions on: sanctuary status, prioritizing the fight against the opioid epidemic, increasing tourism, providing jobs for the 25 to 40 demographic and trying to keep them in the county, making housing more affordable, protecting water supplies and focusing on the needs of the county’s future workforce. However, the differences came by way of how these things could be accomplished.

Davis maintained the current administration is valuing growth by any means necessary.

“The county, so far, has been focused on growth for growth’s sake,” said Davis. “We’ve lost sight of what it means to make progress. When we’re attracting development into the county that creates part-time, not well-paying, jobs, that’s not progress. When we’re bringing in companies, and again development, that’s using water resources that we don’t have, that’s not progress. So, I would argue that these are the types of decisions that are putting our community at risk.”

Davis charged the county has been focusing the Industrial Development Agency on benefiting large enterprises, rather than smaller ones in communities that need the benefits, supporting projects like the CPV power plant that could compromise local water sources and backing a “pay to play” attitude towards governance.

Neuhaus disagreed with the contention that the IDA is playing favorites, as well as that “pay to play” processes are happening in the county government. He said his main focus is to bring jobs into the county, keep the budget balanced and maintain fiscal security.

“At the end of the day, I think he’s a genuine, good person, but I think that he’s being misled and he’s completely inexperienced for this job,” said Neuhaus. “This is not a job where you just show up and try to wing it when you start day one. There’s some serious things and impacts that are going on that comes in with being county executive and that’s one thing I don’t think he has experience on.”

In areas, such as the opioid epidemic, Neuhaus supported the three-prong approach the county has been using: enforcement, treatment and education, championing facets like free public Narcan training, where Davis would like to see an underutilized Camp LaGuardia become a state-of-the-art opiate treatment center.

Neuhaus said he would have liked the debate to include the areas of emergency services and county budget, two of the primary functions of the county executive’s post; however, they were not part of the debate’s provided topics.

This is Davis’ first run for public office. Neuhaus served as Chester town supervisor prior to being elected as county executive.

Polls on election day, November 7, are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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