By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
Victoria Guite, a Genesee County Democrat running in the 57th Senate District, held her first town hall Thursday at the John Ash Center.
Guite, an Afro-Native living on the Tonawanda Seneca Indigenous Reservation, is running for the seat held by Sen. George Borrello of Sunset Bay in Chautauqua County.
Guite, a medical coder in Buffalo, spoke to a group of about 15 people who attended the town hall. Up until now, her campaign has been low-key. She visited the Cattaraugus County Fair earlier this month.
She told the audience that she developed an interest in politics as an intern to former Rep. Brian Higgins of Buffalo and as a volunteer on Democrat campaigns in Buffalo.
She realizes any Democrat faces an uphill battle in the heavily Republican 57th Senate District where Republicans outnumber Democrats by 90,859 to 52,466. There are also 5,621 registered conservatives and 57,654 independents or unaffiliated voters.
The district includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Wyoming and Genesee counties and the western portion of Allegany County.
Guite has a background in community work, including refugee resettlement and work in a methadone clinic.
She talked about the need for more local hospitals in the district, noting it has been almost 20 years since Olean General Hospital became the only hospital in Cattaraugus County. At one time there were four. She’s also concerned with affordability as costs for groceries, health care, housing and transportation keep going up. She also called to reign in giant data centers which consume vast amounts of electricity and water. A proposed data center in Genesee County spurred her Senate candidacy, she added.
On the affordability issue, Guite said taxes are a major driver of costs for the middle classes. She proposed higher taxes on big business and the wealthy. “I’m not against anybody making any money, but if you make more than $5 million, you should be taxed appropriately. The rest of the population shouldn’t be funding your richness.”
Guite said growing up on the rural reservation and in Buffalo, she understands urban and rural communities. Living in a rural area now, she said, “I understand the need for a shotgun.”
She described herself as “a rural Democrat, and I think that’s different from what goes on Downstate. She said she understands farmers’ unique needs and the need for good roads and transportation. Guiet said she wouldn’t be afraid to reach across the political aisle .
Asked about Albany’s history of ignoring Western New York, Guite said, “Just because we are rural doesn’t make us insignificant, especially when it comes to farming. I think if I was to be able to get to Albany, I would be able to speak with a lot of other representatives to try and get the attention focused back on us. If we’re not valuable in your eyes, then help us be valuable — help us participate in New York’s economy as a whole, and help us, in turn, flourish.”
Asked what she would do about homelessness, Guite said a lot of people who are homeless have mental health issues and don’t know how to help themselves. “They don’t know about services.”
Asked about Flock cameras, Guite said she personally did not like them due to privacy concerns. “I think that privacy is a human right, and I absolutely want to protect it.”
Flock cameras are mounted on highway signs in communities that contract with the company. They can track vehicles and read license plates and are available to participating police agencies.
Asked about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Guite replied, “I don’t support ICE. She said ICE had arrested many farmworkers, who farmers count on to pick crops. The agency should leave enforcement up to local police agencies, she added.
In response to a question on child care from a woman who said she paid $1,200 a month for child care for her children, Guite said guidelines for state contributions “are grossly outdated. People’s bills are higher than ever, and our services need to reflect that.”
Guiet’s Senate campaign website is: victoriaforstatesenate.com
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