April 10, 2007

SWANTON, ESPOSITO TO SQUARE OFF A THIRD TIME (GATES-CHILI POST)

By CHRISTINE CARRIE FIEN
Messenger Post Staff
Posted: Apr 10, 08:05 AM EDT


Gates Democrats and Republicans have announced their fall slates.

GATES – If you're one of those people who takes comfort in the familiar – a sweet old song, a comfortable pair of shoes – this should make your day.

The Gates Democratic and Republican parties picked their slates on the same night last week, and topping the tickets are two familiar faces, Ralph Esposito and Susan Swanton.

"I always believed that Sue was going to run against me," Esposito said. "She's made it her life's quest to run against me."

The Republican Esposito and Swanton, the Democrat, will face off for Gates supervisor this fall – a replay of the 2003 and 2005 elections. Both political parties picked their slates April 5.

On the Republican side, it's Esposito for supervisor, incumbent Greg Hart for Town Board, and John Pisaturo for town justice. Rounding out the ticket is Chris DiPonzio, of DiPonzio Funeral Home on Spencerport Road, who is running for Town Board. The name should be familiar to Gates residents. DiPonzio's mother, Betty, is a former Gates councilwoman and deputy supervisor. Chris DiPonzio is on the Gates Recreation Commission. This is his first run for public office.

All offices are for a four-year term, except supervisor, which is two years.

Esposito is seeking his 11th term as Gates supervisor. Two major factors played into his decision to seek re-election, he said: his health and the potential sale of Rochester Technology Park. Esposito has myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue. The disease hindered his 2005 reelection bid, he said, and he vowed he would not campaign again unless he could give it 100 percent.

Fortunately, he said, the disease is under control and he's feeling "as good as I have felt in the last 10 to 12 years."

"I'm playing tennis with a great deal of enthusiasm and dealing with my grandchildren – chasing them all over the place," he said. "I really have never felt better."

Esposito also wants to stick around, he said, to see through the sale of Rochester Technology Park. The industrial park's high vacancy rate has been a sore spot for the town. Esposito would not provide much detail on the sale.

"I'm negotiating with people and there's a real possibility that the Tech Park will be sold ... with a considerable infusion of cash ... If all goes well, there could be a new owner at the Tech Park in 60 to 90 days," he said. "I'd like to be around ... so there's a smooth transition."

Swanton is Gates' former library director and chairperson of the Gates Democratic Committee. She earned about 25 percent of the vote during her first bid for supervisor in 2003. But, she points out, that was "with no money and no committee" and with only a third-party endorsement. With the Democratic endorsement in her back pocket in 2005, Swanton gobbled up almost 46 percent of the vote.

There's reason for Swanton to be encouraged: Democratic enrollment continues to climb in Gates and the town elected its first Democrat in 30 years last fall – Mark McIntee.

"When I was walking in 2006 – helping Mark – there were Republicans who thanked me for 'shaking up' the Republicans," Swanton said. "There was no competition for so many years. They felt the Republicans had gotten lax and we were helping to improve the situation. Of course, that's music to my ears."

Swanton said Democrats will continue to pound away at the current administration's lackluster financial stewardship and also its "lack of vision" in areas including technology and the new master plan. A master plan is a sort of blueprint for development, and the vision, for the town.

Also on the Democratic ticket are: incumbent Mark McIntee, councilman; Tom O'Hare, councilman; and Kenisha Wiggins, town justice. O'Hare is a retiree of Eastman Kodak Co., and Wiggins is a Medicare appeals officer for Maximus Federal Services.

The Gates supervisor will earn $85,982 in 2007. Each council person will earn $15,441, The administrative town justice's salary is $30,038 and the town justice earns $29,080.