In the Crest with Ken

Canvassing In the Crest

By Nancy Muldoon

           I spent a few hours with Ken Ivin's walking around Geyser Crest today as he was handing out campaign literature and collecting signatures for the petition to stop the discrimination against Saratoga regarding Video Lottery Terminal Money.

            Anyone who knows Ken knows that he has a great speaking voice and I kid him that perhaps he should be in radio, and he tells me that one of his past jobs was doing commercials but the pay wasn't so great.

            Thus far, Commissioner Ivin's has collected over 2100 signatures and he had no trouble collecting signatures in Geyser Crest. The majority of residents who answered their door and spoke to Mr. Ivin's signed the petition and were very vocal about Governor Paterson's decision to forsake Saratoga residents out of money.

            A resident who signed the petition complained to Ivin's about the Governor having no problem giving the VLT money to the city (NYC) but didn't want to give it to the people of Saratoga. He then yells for his wife to come to the door by saying, "He's [Ivin's] got a petition for the Governor to give us our damn money back!" Of course she happily signs the petition.

One resident came bounding to the doorway after his wife had already signed the petition and exclaimed, "I need to sign!"  Some residents were unaware that the Governor had taken VLT money away from Saratoga but most already knew the details and said that had kept themselves informed on this issue and were eager to sign the petition. "Oh, I'll sign that, and "You bet I'll sign that." were the most popular responses that we heard.

Another resident who signed the petition was rightfully concerned about her and her husbands standard of living, she told Ken that she and her husband have already taken a twenty five percent pay cut at their perspective jobs and since she doesn't even drink alcohol or smoke and has since stopped buying cups of coffee she doesn't know what else she can cut back on if property taxes are increased.

Only four individuals chose not to sign the petition, one for medical reasons, one for religious reasons, and two said that didn't know enough about the issue.

            On another note, I never realized that Geyser Crest had so many dogs but since Ivin's has pounded the pavement in the Crest before, he was way ahead of me. He brought along special dog treats for dog owners 'from his own dog named Baili- also known as The First Dog of Finance. Baili's motto is that there should be "a biscuit in every bowl." Baili also has her own website www.ivinsforfinance.com/baili-dog-speaks.asp The biscuits were made by Sloppy Kisses here in Saratoga, I tease Ken by saying if this finance thing doesn't go well, he could always go into advertising.

            Geyser Crest is very important to any one who wishes to obtain public office. It is comprised of three voting districts so one would be politically foolish not to 'heel toe it' in the Crest. Ken and I both agree that in order to win in this town, a politician must court the "elderly vote" as they are the only group of voters that consistently and religiously get to the polls on election night.

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