Marcus Molinaro

HUDSON VALLEY — Republican Marcus Molinaro has been making a name in political circles around Dutchess County since the age of 18, when he first joined the Tivoli Village Board. He made national news a year later at the age of 19 as the “Youngest Mayor in America,” taking lead of that same small village.

Now, 30 years later, Molinaro is still in public office, serving his fifth two-year term as Dutchess County executive. The state’s Republican nominee for governor in 2018, a race he lost to former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Molinaro will face his Ulster County counterpart in a Special Election on Tuesday, Aug. 23, for the House of Representatives.

The charismatic politician is hoping to complete the unexpired term of former Democratic U.S. Rep. and current Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado for the 19th Congressional District (CD). The term expires at year’s end, when district lines will be reset.

Sticking with CD 19

Come November, Molinaro plans to remain in CD 19.

“I don’t want to confuse voters,” he told The Millerton News in an interview on Wednesday, Aug. 10. “I live in that district. In November, members of that district have to decide if I’m best person to represent them; 85% of that district will remain the same.

“I have four kids, settled in different grades [in Dutchess],” said Molinaro, who lives in Red Hook with his wife and children. “I will meet the residency issues and plan to have property and reside in [the new CD 19], but with all due respect I’d like to know if I will represent that district first.”

Noting that in “the simplest form,” voters are merely filling the vacancy left by Delgado, he said the important thing is it’s done quickly.

“Right now we don’t have a vote in Washington and we don’t have a voice to represent us,” said Molinaro.

Regarding his record…

Molinaro said he’s done much during his three decades in public service, which include not only being mayor of Tivoli, but serving as a county legislator and state assemblyman before being elected county executive.

He highlighted his work to save the Hudson Valley Greenway from the chopping block, ensuring the state continues to preserve its scenic, natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources while encouraging economic development.

He also spoke of his work in protecting agricultural land and natural resources, including upward of 8,500 acres of county farmland.

“We now have more active acres of farmland than we did in 1970,” he said, adding he’s responsible for several community preservation acts and supported the Right to Farm Law. “[I’ve] protected open space and active farmland. I cosponsored the property tax cap and the largest middle-class income cut in 58 years.”

Molinaro also spoke of his re-establishing the county’s fiscal strength.

“We had no fund balance, and are still seeing significant increases in our mental health and social service case load from the Great Recession that just passed,” he said. “Over the past decade, Dutchess County’s relationship with towns and cities is stronger than any county in the state.”

A special point of pride is his work in expanding mental health services.

“Our infrastructure investment… in services for those with disabilities is the largest, most comprehensive of community-based mental health services in America,” said Molinaro. “We’re the model that others now replicate.”

He listed New York City and Ulster County among those mirroring his program.

“Cuomo put in the state budget a replication of Dutchess County’s Stabilization Center,” he added.

His hallmark initiative is his ThinkDifferently campaign, created in 2014 and nationally recognized for providing services and leveling the playing field for those with disabilities. Molinaro said he was inspired by his daughter, Abigail, who was born on the autism spectrum and lives with a cognitive disability and seizure disorder.

“We have created far too many obstacles… for those with disabilities in this country,” he said. “That has to change.

“Down syndrome, autism, everything in-between, all falls into it effectively,” he said, listing some of the challenges those with disabilities face: lack of education, lack of housing, lack of services. “The disabilities community has functioned in this particular way and ThinkDifferently has broken through and is powerful in that way.”

He also spoke of the  24/7 mobile intervention team that provided “law enforcement mental health crisis intervention before anyone was talking about it.”

That was back in 2012.

On abortion…

Regarding abortion, Molinaro said his powers would be limited in Congress, adding New Yorkers would continue to have access to their reproductive rights.

“The Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs decision that the federal government’s role in abortion matters is greatly limited and the states have the authority to weigh these matters now,” he said. “I do not believe Congress has the authority to implement a nationwide abortion ban and would not support such legislation. Here in New York abortion access is far-reaching and is not changing.”