Madrid dairy farmer to run for Legislature seat

MADRID — Dairy farmer Kevin D. Acres hopes to bring business sense and creative problem solving to the St. Lawrence County Legislature, if voters elect him in November.

Mr. Acres announced Thursday that he is seeking the Republican nomination to run for the District 8 seat held by Legislator Tedra L. Cobb, D-Canton. Ms. Cobb announced last month that she will not seek a third term.

"It's something I've always thought about," he said when asked why he decided to run. "Some leaders in the community encouraged me to run, and I gave it careful consideration."

He said he's worried about the county's finances and the tax burden on property owners, especially in light of the state's dismal financial outlook.

Mr. Acres said, however, that department heads have shown they can come up with creative solutions to bring in more money, pointing to the Department of Motor Vehicles processing registrations for downstate car dealers as a prime example.

"The old expression that 'necessity is the mother of invention' really rings true," he said. "When you need something, you'll figure out a way. There's no reason why that can't be done in the public sector as it has been done in the private sector."

Mr. Acres said he agreed with lawmakers' decision not to raise the county's 3 percent sales tax until they are certain nothing else can be cut from the budget.

"I'm never in favor of raising taxes, but if it comes down to it and we had to, I'd have to go with the sales tax," Mr. Acres said. "We have a huge tax levy here in St. Lawrence County, particularly school taxes. It's a heavy load that is a disadvantage if you're trying to run a business or a farm."

Mr. Acres is a Madrid native who grew up in the Cross Road farmhouse where he lives. He holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport, and has operated a dairy farm since 1983.

He served 22 years on the Madrid-Waddington Central School District Board of Education, six of them as a St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Service member. He and his wife, Phyllis M., have three sons.

Two other candidates have expressed interest in the District 8 seat, which represents the towns of Canton, Madrid and Potsdam. Republican Matthew J. Flynn II, a senior at Hugh C. Williams High School, Canton, and Democrat Anthony A. Cooper, a Madrid town councilman, have said they also are considering runs.