Editorial: Incumbent is on the Ball in 40th State Senate District
State Senator Greg Ball (R/C-Patterson) doesn’t seem to miss a beat when it comes to trying to please every group of constituents in his district. From feeding senior citizens and veterans from his own pocket, to securing thousands of dollars in grants for local municipalities, school districts and civic organizations, Ball has created a well-oiled public relations machine.
Some would view Ball’s approach as pandering for votes, or, in the case of the so-called bullet aid grants, misusing taxpayer funds. Others would argue he is representing the district effectively by bringing home the bacon from Albany.
His opponent, Justin Wagner, certainly sees it differently, having made a “no big check promise,” perhaps because if he were successful in unseating Ball he would not have access to the funding since he would be in the minority.
It’s just one of many differences between Ball and Wagner in what has been an often vicious war of words and mailings. For a legislator who has served for six years in the Senate and Assembly, Ball should be above the sophomoric tactics of only referring to his opponent as “Wacky Wagner.” Wagner has also gotten down and dirty, accusing Ball of being a right-wing extremist.
What Ball has been is an independent lawmaker who has reversed his position on issues at times, such as with the minimum wage, and is savvy enough to realize supporting Governor Andrew Cuomo is popular these days. He has stood on the picket line with Con Edison workers and used an apparent personal experience to push for tougher sex offender legislation.
Wagner believes he can serve the district better and work more closely with Cuomo to get needed legislation passed. He has promised to bring “integrity and maturity” to the Senate, an obvious, and, at times, much deserved, dig at Ball.
However, if trying to solve problems for residents and delivering funding during tough economic times is a large part of being an elected official, then Ball has been “Gettin’ It Done” as he has professed by being a tireless worker and a fighter, a characteristic Wagner has not always shown during the campaign.
There’s no question Wagner has the qualifications to do the job. Ball has already demonstrated it, having served in the Democratic-controlled Assembly and Republican-dominated Senate. With a suggestion to tone down his act a bit, it is recommended that Ball keep on rolling in the 40th State Senate District for another two years.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
