Hi Friends!

I am writing you to ask you to support Mike Conners in his re-election forCounty Comptroller on Tuesday, September 18, 2007.

Mike is the only progressive candidate in the race. He has not onlyfought to keep county government accountable to the people, he has fought tokeep gas prices down, bring new sources of renewable energy to our county, anddevelop policies that help reduce poverty. His entire campaign has a greenfocus, from driving to campaign events in an ethanol powered vehicle tominimizing the waste of paper.

This is the kind of person we need for a County Comptroller. One who caresabout the issues, takes public stances, and acts to make our county a betterplace to live. One who is more then just a competent auditor, one who is anadvocate for social change in our county.

In contrast is Breslin's candidate for comptroller. She is a professionalauditor who worked her way up through the GE bureaucracy. Yet, she has nosubstantive position on any of the pressing issues facing our county.Undoubtedly, she would be good in civil service doing auditing for our county,but she lacks the leadership experience to serve our people in such criticaltimes.

Recently, Breslin's candidate criticized Conners for failing to warn the countyabout cost over-runs in the reconstruction of the County Courthouse. MikeConners issued three audits critical of construction process. Mike Breslinchose to ignore those warnings, as wealthy contractors donated large sums ofmonies into his campaign war-chest. Do you think Breslin's hand pickedcomptroller will dare criticize such a big Breslin donor? Government policyshould not be dictated by corporate donations.

Indeed, if you at look at the Breslin candidate it comes down to one issue.Mike Conners chose to take Republican money three years ago to challengeSenator Breslin. I felt that Conners made a mistake changing parties andtrying to challenge Neil Breslin. Indeed, in the fall of 2004, I walkedmany weekends and evenings for Senator Breslin's re-election bid. Yet, we allmake mistakes—and we shouldn't linger on them forever.

The Breslins aren't as pure as you might think. Mike Breslin, thisyear, has donated money and lent support to the Republican Town of BerneSupervisor, Kevin Crosier, to primary lifelong Democrat Sandy Gordon in his bidfor re-election. County Executive Breslin also has been known to attendBerne GOP fundraisers at Crosier's house, and he supports the unpopular mergingof town and county highway services—that will eliminate good jobs with statebenefits in an area with limited opportunity.

In contrast, County Legislator Sandy Gordon has been a leader in promotingrenewable energy in our county (such as farmer owned wind and micro-hydropower), along with being a strong advocate for the Hilltowns and the farmers ofour county. His grass-fed beef cattle farm is a model for small farms in thefuture. He also is one of most progressive members of the countylegislature.

I hope you will think carefully about whom you support for comptrollerthis September 18th. If you think our county would be better with aggressivepolicies promoting renewable energy, combating poverty, and challenging bigoil, then Mike Conners is your candidate. I always try to choose the most progressivecandidate, and throughout the years have been proud to support either theJennings or Breslin candidate. I hope you will join me in supporting MikeConners after reviewing the facts.

Finally, regardless of how the primary goes and who wins, let's make sure tojoin all back together and work for the general election. I will work forwhoever wins the primary—be it Mike Conners or Breslin's candidate. It'ssimply not good politics to have bitterness after the primary. Please also joinme at the Albany County Young Democrats Unity Dinner, which will occur in earlyOctober.

Thank you for your time. As always, if I can be of assistance, please let me know.