Tague push poll spreads misinformation about Tweed
Assembly member Chris Tague, facing a tough challenger in Democratic nominee Janet Tweed, is spreading misinformation about his opponent because he has no record to run on.
This week, some voters in the 102nd Assembly district received “push poll” phone calls from a group supporting Tague. A “push poll” is a political tactic in which groups ask voters their opinions – to encourage participation – but only as a cover to “push” a political message. In this case, Tague used this tactic to misrepresent Tweed’s position on the renewable energy buildout happening across New York.
“I can speak for myself, and I don’t need or want Mr. Tague to speak for me, especially not when he misrepresents my positions,” Tweed said. “On the renewable energy infrastructure being built throughout New York, two things are clear: one, climate change is real and is a grave threat to our farms and communities; and two, the renewable buildout must not happen at the expense of losing prime farmland or threatening our food systems.”
Tague has repeatedly denied the scientific reality of climate change, and he has opposed legislation that would take pressure off our upstate lands during the renewable buildout. For example, Tague voted against authorizing an offshore wind project in Long Island, even though that project is projected to produce 924 megawatts of energy downstate. It takes five to seven acres of solar panels to produce one megawatt of energy, meaning the Long Island wind project will protect roughly five thousand upstate acres from solar development.
“One of the reasons I chose to run for this seat is out of concern for how ineffective Chris Tague has been,” Tweed said. “In my roles on the Delhi town and village board, I’ve been able to get things done because I prioritize collaborative relationships with colleagues across the political spectrum, and because I put in the work.”
In the past five years, while collecting a $142,000 yearly salary, Tague has not written or co-sponsored any significant legislation. Citizens can view Tague’s record for themselves on the website Ballotpedia. Tague’s only contributions are a series of “awareness” proclamations for various causes and diseases.
Throughout her seven years of public service on elected boards, Tweed had successfully led collaborative, bipartisan solutions. These include finally completing the decade-long delayed Delhi town pool, establishing Delhi as a climate smart community (a designation that opened Delhi to grant funding that will weatherize municipal buildings and save tax dollars long-term), and facilitating a more cooperative environment for shared services between the town and village.
“I believe there are win-win solutions in the renewable buildout, as well, if we have leaders willing to put in the work, and to put community before politics,” Tweed said. These could include:
- Protecting prime farmland through state and local mechanisms.
- Building new power lines and substations in areas with poor soils where land owners could benefit from renewable leases without jeopardizing farming.
- Prioritizing renewable construction on already developed land, such as above parking lots, along highways, and on brownfield sites.
- Supporting farms interested in co-locating renewable energy and agriculture, as energy leases could provide needed income and preserve farm viability, especially for small operations.
“I look forward to sharing my vision for strengthening our community over the next three months and encourage voters to reach out to me with their concerns and ideas,” Tweed said.