Fornario to challenge Calhoun for Assembly seat

BLOOMING GROVE — Blooming Grove Town Supervisor Frank Fornario has announced his candidacy for the new 99th New York State Assembly District, which includes Blooming Grove, Chester, Cornwall, Goshen, Hamptonburgh, Highlands, New Windsor, Woodbury and the Town of Stony Point in Rockland County.

He is vying with a fellow Republican, incumbent Nancy Calhoun, for the GOP nomination to run this fall. Calhoun and Fornario are both former Blooming Grove town supervisors and council members.

Fornario has been an elected official for 19 years: as Blooming Grove councilman and supervisor and as Orange County Legislator. He lists among his accomplishments his work fighting the Kiryas Joel pipeline project, sponsoring benefits for veterans, and supporting services that help senior citizens remain in their homes.

Many Republicans blamed Fornario for supporting Roxanne Donnery, a Democrat, in her run against Edward Diana for county executive. But Fornario says his good working partnerships with officials of all party affiliations led to a number of legislative accomplishments.

Fornario, an educator for 36 years, has continued his volunteer work in promoting autism awareness and mental health issues and received the 2010 Silver Bell Award from the Mental Health Association of Orange County for his efforts. He says he is particularly passionate about using the State Assembly role to advocate for improvements in schools while supporting alternative funding methods for public education. Much needed tax reform and mandate relief for municipalities and schools will remain his top priority, he said.

Prior to her election to the Assembly in 1990, Calhoun was Blooming Grove councilwoman and supervisor as well as Washingtonville School District tax collector. She has been honored as a 2003 Woman of Achievement by the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council and the YWCA of Orange County and served as the Assembly Minority representative to the 2006 Budget Conference Committee for Mental Hygiene.

She is an executive committee member of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, secretary to the American-Irish Legislators Society, Assembly Minority Leader Tedisco’s representative on the Hudson River Valley Greenway Council and an executive member of the National Coalition of Insurance Legislators. She serves as the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Standing Committees and has previously held leadership positions as the Assistant Minority Whip and Secretary to the Minority Conference.

Orange Democrats endorse James Skoufis

Meanwhile, the Orange County Democratic Committee on March 18 endorsed Woodbury Councilman James Skoufis in the race for the new 99th Assembly District seat.

“The district cannot afford more of the same ineffective representation,” Skoufis said in a press release. “We need to have real property tax reform and make sure that the district gets its fair share from Albany. I will be that effective and strong voice for the entire district.

“On a personal level, it was an honor and privilege to be nominated at the convention by County Legislator Roxanne Donnery,” added Skoufis. “Roxanne has been a role model — someone who is not afraid to speak her mind and yet is able to forge coalitions across party lines in order to effectively represent the people she represents.”