I thought the big news coming out of last week’s Chamber of Commerce “Meet the Candidates” breakfast might be that link sausages were back on the menu.

In fact, even with Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha ducking the event, we had something to chew on.

Jack Hayes, former Republican county legislator from Gardiner, Democrat Shrestha’s opponent, with only an empty chair to address, missed a golden opportunity to make points with a less-than-engaged audience of about 150 diners.

Taking his turn, Hayes, with a sweep of the arm, dramatically pointed to the place onstage where any state legislator who gives a damn about his/her constituents should have been sitting. Good theater, but Hayes didn’t follow up.

He could have demanded to know why Shrestha wasn’t in attendance. She didn’t claim illness. The Assembly broke session in late June. She wasn’t out of town.

But no. Given a free run, Hayes went into some tired old conservative bromides that running mate Patrick Sheehan tried on Shrestha two years ago when she buried him in the general election. Doing the same thing usually gets the same results.

This is not to pick on Jack Hayes, only to say when opportunity knocks, knock. Hayes, a retired state trooper, is a nice, energetic old fellow who’s given good service to his community.

The junior member of the Jack and Pat tandem, Sheehan at least was able to annoy his Democratic opponent Sen. Michelle Hinchey.

Hinchey, during her turn, had spoken to “disinformation” and “fear-mongering” regarding the vaguely worded ERA Amendment to the state constitution which will appear on the back of ballots on Nov. 5.

Hinchey, rarely challenged on anything, seemed a bit uncomfortable as a target.

Sheehan called the ERA Amendment “very dangerous” in that it “takes away parental rights.”

“We’re going off the rails,” he declared. “It’s about changing the fabric of our society. Illegals will ultimately get the right to vote.”

Alright, Sheehan rambles, sometimes more chaff than wheat, but he got Hinchey’s attention.

“Abortion is not codified in the constitution,” she rebutted, using a word which does not appear in the proposition being offered to voters, but which galvanizes Democrats. “There is nothing in it about taking away parental rights.”

That’s not what Catholic churches have been preaching for the last few weeks.

Hayes said it more succinctly. Laws can be changed, he said during his turn, “The constitution is written in cement.”

These two have seen this movie before. Facing two-to-one Democratic majority against high-profile, well-funded opponents, they can only hope for a miracle.

Give these two challengers credit for at least showing up.

Money Matters

Hinchey’s litany of significant accomplishments during almost four years in office would have been familiar fare for most in attendance. She’s all over the web and featured in local papers at least twice a week, with photos. In addition, her campaign war chest may well reach a million dollars, and she’s being liberally funded by the State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.

Hayes said he hit a deer on his early morning drive from Gardiner the day of the breakfast.

Sheehan doesn’t have much money to spend on his campaign, so he’s resorted to singing commercials on the radio. As a vocalist, he should not quit his day job, but the tunes are catchy.

Next up, Congressional candidates Pat Ryan and Alison Esposito from the 18th district and Marc Molinaro and Josh Riley from the 19th will be Chamber breakfast guests at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 15 at Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston.

Given the heightened interest in national politics this presidential year, the Chamber should expect a better turnout than with three state candidates and an empty chair.

It’s Budget Time

County Executive Jen Metzger will present her third budget in New Paltz Justice Court on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Municipal budgets being the best-kept secrets, I predict a miniscule reduction in property taxes and a generous infusion of surplus to balance the budget in support for a host of progressive projects.

Legislators Joe Maloney, D-Saugerties, and Eric Stewart, D-Accord, will offer colleagues another bite of the revolving-door apple at the legislature’s Oct. 15 regular meeting. They will find few takers, if it even clears committee.

Citing the ongoing debate over the county hiring former legislator Eve Walter as director of the Health Department, the duo is asking for a two-year ban on legislators taking county jobs. Their proposal for a three-year window fell on deaf ears last spring. This is but a variation of a theme.

And yet, some kind of restriction on legislators moving into lucrative jobs at the county trough, mostly for retirement purpose, bears scrutiny. Under the executive system inaugurated in 2009, there are no such rules. Walter, who resigned from the legislature in April of 2023, had to wait more than a year to hop on the gravy train.