Published: November 03, 2006 07:31 pm            

VIDEO: No toll future?

Sam Hoyt and Rus Thompson talk about a Grand Island without tolls

For islander and veteran conservative challenger Rus Thompson, the Nov. 7 state assembly election is about nothing less than saving New York’s soul.

"Albany is broken," he said. "Politics in New York state is absolutely broken, rotten-to-the-core corruption."

Thompson continues as dinner sizzles from across the kitchen in his Tracy Lane home.

"We’ve got to get the money out of politics and lobbying that goes on in Albany that influences the people who represent us there."

Thompson says we need to break down the "power structure" that prevents our assembly representatives from "voting their conscience" and bending to the indomitable will of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

"Same Hoyt cannot vote his conscience," Thompson said.

It’s not just politics, though.

Social issues rate highly with Thompson, including conservative favorites like the right to bear arms as well as the legality of gay marriage.

So where does this leave incumbent and 14-year Assemblyman Sam Hoyt?

Not particularly worried it would seem by his lack campaign activity. Well, for him anyway.

Hoyt has been campaigning heavily for Eliot Spitzer, but hasn’t bothered to engage Thompson in a public forum.

Two different men: one getting his start and name from his politician father, the other a self-employed contractor with a rusty van.

Ultimately, Grand Island must ask if it wants a conservative reformer or a more left-leaning Democratic insider that may not even serve out his term, says Thompson, helping to keep that Hoyt rumor going.

"I’m just getting started," said Hoyt at his office in downtown Buffalo.

While he acknowledged a position in the Spitzer administration would be enticing enough to relocate to Albany, with young sons and a wife at home, now is not the time.

Meeting Hoyt in Buffalo — though by no means a foreign place to islanders — did highlight the "uniqueness" of the district Thompson would like to wrest from him.

"North Buffalo, the West Side and Grand Island," Thompson said. "It’s a three to one gerrymandered Democratic district."

"We have no Republican representation in this district in Albany," Thomson said.

"And Grand Island is conservative."

How conservative?

Well, certainly more so than the remainder of Hoyt’s district — as evidenced by one photo of Hoyt posing with a blue-haired female impersonator amidst his "Thanks Sam" correspondence.

"Hoyt is for gay marriage," said Thompson, who seems to faithfully include it at the top of his talking points.

And that’s correct, Hoyt says.

"It’s absolutely meaningless in the bigger picture," Hoyt said. "It’s a hot-button issue that gets certain people fired up.”

But did you know Rus Thompson is for gay civil unions?

"He’d be for it if the debt was under control first," said wife Julianne.

"She explains this one very well," Rus said, letting dinner pop and sizzle while taking over for a line or two.

This political couple is not a little unlike a parallel universe Bill and Hillary, a two-for-one package.

"It doesn’t make sense to add a whole new group of beneficiaries to an already bankrupt state," she said.

Thompson’s appeal to some islanders will be obvious. A more conservative candidate — from the island — who’ll be looking out after it, he says.

But will he be able to bring home the pork from Albany?

"I have more of what it takes to get things done for the area," Hoyt said.

"Given that Paul Tokaz is retiring, and a result my stature and importance in the delegation is going to rise considerably, and so will my ability to get things done for the area."

In an apparent display of the advantage incumbents possess, Hoyt announced last week a $2.7 million grant to redesign the intersection of Staley and Grand Island Boulevard.

Or is it simply a display of being politically connected and close to New York’s likely next governor?

        

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