Broadband, health care are key topics at Delgado town hall

TANNERSVILLE — Holding his eighth town hall meeting in about eight weeks, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado stopped by the mountaintop Saturday to discuss issues affecting Greene County.

Delgado, D-19, took the opportunity to talk to Greene County residents about his legislative priorities while having a back-and-forth, face-to-face conversation with his constituents.

The room was packed for Delgado’s eighth town hall since taking office.

“This is happening all over the district — every town hall has been incredibly well-attended,” Delgado said to the large crowd gathered at Orpheum Film and Performing Arts Center at 6050 Main St. “It’s politically diverse and reflects our history .... At no town hall, despite the political diversity, has there been any sort of tension or unease.”

Tannersville Mayor Lee McGunnigle introduced Delgado. This was the first congressional town hall held in Tannersville in the 35 years that McGunnigle has lived in Tannersville and first since he became mayor in 1995, McGunnigle said Monday.

“His [Delgado’s] initiatives are well-thought out,” McGunnigle said. “I think he is very impressive and I have been with him for well over a year on his campaign trail. He has been very consistent. He has a lot of energy and integrity.

Delgado assured every individual in attendance, regardless of their political party affiliations, that they will have a voice in government while he is in office, he said.

The first bill Delgado introduced is bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding the benefits of thousands of service-disabled veterans. It was a signal to his Republican counterparts that he is working to reach across the aisle, he said.

“We have a lot of people in the Democratic Party who see this imbalance, and rightfully so, and some in the party I think are trying to turn the car too fast a little bit to course-correct,” Delgado said. “It is important to find the right way to do this.”

Delgado identified himself as a capitalist and a Democrat, saying that, “in order for democracy to thrive, it has to make capitalism just .... Capitalism doesn’t have a conscience.”

Capitalism, Delgado said, is running amok, when 78 percent of people in the U.S. live paycheck to paycheck.

When it comes to health care, Delgado would be in favor of keeping the Affordable Care Act, but giving people a public health care option, or the choice to opt into Medicare, to anybody who wants to choose it. The option would make insurance costs competitive, he said, which in turn could ultimately drive down costs. The option could also take the burden off small business owners who are forced to offer health insurance, he said.

Spurring economic growth in Greene County will come down to expanding rural broadband internet and cell phone service, Delgado said. About as much as half of Greene County does not have adequate broadband or quality cell service, McGunnigle added.

Several options exist to make it a reality, Delgado told the audience.

“This could happen any number of ways,” Delgado said. “You could have a public works program. Or you could have public-private partnerships, where you incentivize private actors.”

McGunnigle was pleased to hear of Delgado’s commitment to increasing broadband and cell service in mostly rural Greene County.

“He knows the situation, and I am going to reach out to his office and his team to join with him to figure out how to get this initiative forward,” McGunnigle said.

To reach reporter Amanda Purcell, call 518-828-1616 ext. 2500, or send an email to apurcell@thedailymail.net, or tweet to @amandajpurcell.