Patch has asked your candidates a set of questions. Check back each day for their answers. This week, we're looking at county candidates and next week we'll look at town candidates. Check out this Patch Article for the line up this week. Today's candidates are: Frank Sparaco and Bob Milone running in District 11 which covers eastern New City, all of Congers and northern Valley Cottage.

Party Lines:

Milone:  Democrat

Sparaco: Republican, Conservative, Working Families, Independence

1.     What community do you live in?

Milone: Congers

Sparaco: Valley Cottage 

2.     How long have you lived there?

Milone: Resident of Congers since 2000 but have lived in Clarkstown my entire life.

Sparaco: 33 years

3.     How old are you?

 Milone: I am 52 years old.

Sparaco: 34

4.     Provide family information

Milone: Wife, Lauree, daughter, Maggie, son, Robert A.,

stepdaughter, Danielle Sablich, step-daughter, Gina Sablich

Sparaco: Married with two young daughters, five years old and eight months old 

5.     What is your education background?

Milone: Labor Certificate from Cornell University/Murphy Institute

Sparaco: Attended ASU and College of Staten Island. United States Navy 1994-1998

6.     Why do you think you are qualified for this position?

Milone: a. As a resident of Rockland for over 50 years, I know the local issues that our community is facing.

b. I have been active in our community so I understand what it takes to be an effective leader without having been an elected official.

c. I am a working class individual that has seen how union contract negotiations happen firsthand. In a time where government needs to do its job more efficiently, I can bring government union workers to the table to negotiate fair wages that are also fair to the taxpayers without hurting services. 

Sparaco: I have served on the legislature since 2008.  I am a combat veteran and a small business owner.

7.     Why are you running for this elected office?

Milone: I am running for County Legislator because after years of being active in the political process, I wanted to help my community on a very local level. County Legislators represent small districts but can effect change throughout our community and help people at a grassroots level, which I feel I can help be that voice. 

Sparaco:  I care deeply about my community.  I want my children to enjoy growing up in Rockland.  Tough decisions are going to have to made in the upcoming year and I am committed to making those tough decisions.

8.     What are the three issues that most concern you?

Milone: a. Economic Development for District 11 - Rockland County is facing a multi-million dollar deficit and many services have been proposed to be cut. The main priority of the legislature should be to encourage businesses to locate into Rockland County as a long term solution. Poor planning today will result in Rockland County facing deficits for years to come so we need to generate new revenue. As one of the highest taxed areas in the country, taxpayers should not have to carry this additional burden.

b. Public Benefit Corporation - The Rockland County Executive has proposed the sale of Summit Park Hospital to an entity called a Public Benefit Corporation. From my understanding, PBCs in other areas have not been successful. To try and solve our budget problems by selling our hospital will be a one time fix that is shortsighted. Also, losing control of the Summit Park Hospital may result in job losses and/or reductions in services to our senior residents at a time when it is needed most.

c. County Sales Tax - District 11 is the only one that is wholly within the Town of Clarkstown. Clarkstown has advocated to get a larger percentage of the County Sales Tax because it has large businesses, such as the Palisades Mall, the soon to be redesigned Nanuet Mall, and many others. Since more sales tax generating businesses are located in Clarkstown, as a County Legislator I will advocate to make sure Clarkstown gets more of the revenue for hosting these businesses.

Sparaco:  Taxes, Prioritizing spending and cuts, Pointing the County in the right fiscal direction.

9.     Explain your proposed approach to managing these issues.

Milone: a. Economic Development for District 11 – The Rockland County Legislature needs to do an evaluation of the various properties that are available for businesses to move into and what purposes they are zoned for. The Rockland Economic Development Corporation works on getting larger corporations to move here and does a Small Business training for those who request it. If each Legislator has lists of properties that are awaiting businesses, the Legislators can act as ambassadors to encourage residents to create businesses in their community. We can also be part of discussions to get larger organizations into each of our districts.

b. Public Benefit Corporation – I plan on voting no on any proposal to sell Summit Park Hospital. An audit needs to be done to evaluate the financials for the hospital. After an audit, we need to evaluate the services and look at creating efficiencies. There is a growing senior population in Rockland and there is a definite need for this type of facility.

c. County Sales Tax – I plan on talking with my colleagues to see if we can come up with a fairer formula for distributing the county sales tax. We need to look at where the revenue is being created and reward communities that are contributing to the county sales tax through attracting businesses to our area.

Sparaco: Prioritizing spending, Eliminating duplicate services, Significant cuts to County Services, Eliminating political patronage jobs. 

10. Have you held elected office before?

Milone: I have not held elected office before.

Sparaco: Rockland County Legislator 2008-present

11. What organizations do you belong to?

Milone:

• Secretary-Treasurer for Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1107
• Member of the Steering Committee of the Rockland County Working Families Party, Member of the Clarkstown Democratic Committee (District 42)
• Political Coordinator of CWA 1107 - New City
• Congers Civic Association, Valley Cottage Civic Association, Rockland County Central Labor Council

Sparaco:

• Valley Cottage Civic Association, Congers Civic Association, Nanuet Civic Association
• Board Member BBBS

12. Election website?

Milone: www.miloneforlegislator.com

Sparaco: www.franksparaco.com