Hoffman silent on local issues

Douglas L. Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate for the 23rd Congressional District seat, offered no position on a few key local issues during a Thursday meeting with the Watertown Daily Times editorial board.

When asked his position on dredging the St. Lawrence Seaway, the candidate offered nothing. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, lobbied for and received an amendment to a House climate change bill that would establish a federal power-marketing agency in the Great Lakes.

Ms. Kaptur has not explicitly said she wants to expand the system to accommodate bigger vessels, but the proceeds from that agency could be used to fund improvements. The proposal was not included in the Senate version of the bill.

Mr. Hoffman also took no position on allowing winter navigation on the Seaway. Save the River, a Clayton-based environmental advocacy group, has worked against year-round Seaway shipping for more than 30 years, citing the effects of ice breaks on shorelines and wildlife and the potential problems caused by oil spills on ice cover.

The Conservative Party candidate also took no position on Interstate 98, a proposed four-lane rooftop highway that would connect Watertown to Plattsburgh, but said he was "open to reviewing and studying it."

"Right now, who has the money to spend on it?" he asked, in explaining his decision not to take a side.

Following the meeting, Mr. Hoffman amplified his position by saying he'd like to find out the project's "real cost" before deciding whether to support it. He said he'd also like to know its impact on communities, the environment and the economy and its benefits in comparison with other proposals.

Mr. Hoffman also reiterated his promise not to accept earmarks.

The meeting also was attended by former Rep. Dick Armey, the former House majority leader who has endorsed Mr. Hoffman.

The Texan told the board that Dierdre K. Scozzafava, the county Republican Party chairpersons' choice over Mr. Hoffman, would not have won a primary between the two.

"The Republican Party lost this race when they picked that candidate," he said. "She was a misfit for these constituents."

Mr. Armey also told John B. Johnson Jr., the Times's editor and co-publisher, that he respected the newspaper's decision to base its endorsement on which candidate best grasped "parochial" issues. But he said the election would be won or lost over national issues, such as taxes and health care.