(The Post-Standard)
To Rick Guy, it’s all about the taxes.
“You can’t have more business if you keep spending more money,” said Guy in an interview with The Post-Standard. “Every dollar you spend means another dollar in taxes.”
Guy is the Republican challenger running for the 120th Assembly District seat against six-term incumbent Bill Magnarelli, D-Syracuse. The 120th Assembly District includes the Northside, Westside, Eastwood and Valley areas of the city of Syracuse. It also includes the towns of Geddes and Van Buren.
The election is Nov. 2.
Guy is at a disadvantage in voter enrollment. The 120th District Assembly is heavily Democratic. Democrats have 32,000 registered voters, compared to 18,000 for the Republicans, according to the New York State Board of Elections.
In his campaign, Guy portrays himself as a candidate who cares about the high property taxes in New York state. On to his website, Guy wants to implement “a property tax cap to stop the unsustainable growth of property taxes in Central New York.”
Guy did not keep an appointment for an interview for this story.
Guy grew up in the Strathmore area of Syracuse until his family moved to the town of Geddes when he was in fourth grade. He is one of eight kids. Guy attended Bishop Ludden High School and graduated in 1979. Guy attended Brown University, where he received bachelor’s degree in history in 1983. Guy graduated with his law degree from Syracuse University in 1986.
Guy lives in Syracuse with wife Alycia. The two have been married for 23 years and have eight children. Their oldest son is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Special Forces.
Guy, 49, was on the Syracuse Common Council for 12 years, from 1989 to 2001. He was elected to the 2nd Council District in 1989 when he beat incumbent Democrat Matt Driscoll. Four years later, Guy defeated Driscoll again for an at-large seat in the Common Council. In 1999, then-Mayor Roy Bernardi appointed Guy corporation counsel in 1999. He held that position until Driscoll succeeded Bernardi in 2001.
Among his accomplishments on the Common Council, according to his website:
- A nuisance abatement law to crack down on gambling, drugs and weapons in public buildings.
- A program to subsidize the water bills of residents while their lead pipes are are being replaced.
- An ethics measure prohibiting the awarding city contracts to family members of city officials.
- Restrictions on adult entertainment businesses to keep them at distances from public spaces.
In 1994, Guy worked on the Common Council with Ann Marie Buerkle, the Republican candidate for New York’s 25th Congressional District. She praised him as good colleague and councilor. “Rick Guy was a very capable Common Councilor and a good representative of the people,” said Buerkle in an interview with Democracywise reporter Bianca Graulau.
In his campaign, Guy repeatedly stresses is anti-tax philosophy. According to his website, he never voted for tax increases while in office. Now, his website says, he proposes to give tax credits to businesses; cap property taxes; cutting Medicaid, the tax-supported health insurance for the poor and disabled; shrinking government.
(Crystal Barkley is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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