Cortland residents questioned Congressional candidate Josh Riley about employment and access to mental health services Thursday morning at Bru 64.
Riley, an Endicott native, faces Republican Marc Molinaro of Dutchess County for the 19th District Congressional seat, which stretches from Tompkins County east to the Massachusetts border. He visited Cortland to speak with its citizens, officials and business owners.
“He seems like a great guy,” said Cortland resident Mark Teeter.
“Cortland's has become kind of like a second home to me,” Riley said. “I’m in the area often during my campaign and I always have to stop and see what's going on here.”
“We really are not as divided as our politics are. Sure we may disagree on national issues, but when it comes to communities like Cortland, we all know what’s right,” Mayor Scott Steve said.
“You’re absolutely right I don’t think any of this is Democratic or Republican, we all just want to deal with local issues,” Riley said.
Riley asked about the coming layoffs as a result of Voyant Beauty closing, and new employment opportunities.
“It was hilarious at the same time kind of a sad thing to see at the job fair, employers jumping at every possible new employee,” Steve said. “Everyone here is facing employment problems.”
“When I am elected I’d love to garner grants for education and trade schools so people can learn new skills after being displaced from their jobs,” Riley said. “Nothing makes me as angry as corporations spending taxpayer dollars on companies sending jobs overseas and we need people in Washington securing funding for these industries.”
“We need to make more stuff within the country, and we’re really good at it here in New York,” he added. “I see a huge opportunity to bring manufacturing jobs, important, high-skill jobs to this community and for people to go to a community college, possibly dodge a lot of debt, and to contribute to manufacturing within the country.”
Riley wants to increase access to health-care services to veterans and at-risk students. “One of the things I want to support is legislation giving heroes who serve health care options as incentive to join our heroic communities,” Riley said
Riley also wants to increase access to mental-health professionals in schools and destigmatize getting mental health care at a young age.
“I wish I could have more talks like that, where we just set aside our differences at the forefront and talk about real issues,” Riley said.
After the crowd began to clear at Bru 64, Riley and Steve walked south to Hairy Tony’s on Main Street and asked owner Anthony Caruso about employment problems in Cortland's food service industry.
“I could use about a dozen cooks. They come in to interview and don't come back for their first day. I’ve been talking to other restaurants on main street, same thing,” Caruso said. “We’re still on COVID hours and we’re short on every end. Bartenders, servers, you name it.”
“I did a little work as a bartender a few years ago. You know it’s not easy,” Riley said. “But there's so many great places in town here to catch a game, you’ll see me here after the election supporting these businesses.”
