Chele Farley

As the Republican opponent running against incumbent U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and a former financier, Chele Farley wants New Yorkers to vote for her this general election, so she can put New York first.

Including her background as someone who has worked for Goldman Sachs, UBS Capital and Mistral Capital International, Farley has distinguished herself by making a mission to return tax dollars to New York state one of her main priorities.

Farley wants people to know New York residents pay $48 billion more in federal taxes each year than the state receives back. The number continues to rise, as it was $40 billion more in 2016, $48 billion more in 2017 and is estimated to be $60 billion more by the end of 2018.

She also only plans to be a two-term senator as she said putting a 12-year limit on her political career will help her get things done. Farley feels that some politicians purposely leave issues unsolved so that they have a platform to run on in future races.

Farley also plans on being an effective senator and criticized Gillibrand for not being the sole sponsor of a bill that has become law in her career in Congress as a representative and junior senator succeeding Hillary Clinton after her move to the office of Secretary of State.

If Farley is able to pass legislation that brings some federal tax dollars back to New York, she aims to lower taxes for residents and fund increased broadband internet structure. She takes issue with how nine of the 10 counties in the U.S. with the highest average property tax are in New York, and she compares expansion of the information highway to when President Dwight D. Eisenhower implemented the Interstate Highway System, which revolutionized transportation.

Farley shared further critiques of Gillibrand for what she said is a campaign for president. It’s Farley’s opinion that Gillibrand focuses on “talking a good game.”

“That doesn’t help New York,” Farley said. “Right now the status quo isn’t working.”

A moderate approach to immigration is another stance that can be attributed to Farley. She cited the shared sentiment of a country is no nation without its borders but that there needs to also be legal, efficient means for residents of other areas of the world to become U.S. citizens.

“You have to try things,” Farley said in response to what she viewed as a lingering North American Free Trade Agreement that she thinks ended up hurting Americans because it was left as it was originally designed for 25 years.

As someone familiar with industrial engineering, and having studied it at her Stanford University alma matter, Farley thinks it’s important to implement new systems of doing things, reevaluating them and tweaking them as they move forward. She said that’s her pragmatic approach to immigration reform, trade and more of the nation’s pressing issues.

Her perspective on Chautauqua County shows this; she has heard about the weed and algae growth in Chautauqua Lake and thinks it’s time to be done with studies and implement practices to treat the lake. If things need changed going forward, they can be, she said.

“We really have to protect (the lake),” said Farley, who noted its importance as an economic driver in the county.

She also intends to lower utility costs in the state by incorporating increased pipeline infrastructure and fracking that is safe, efficient and wanted by the communities that would receive this type of support. Farley cited the utility costs of some homes in New York being 35 to 40 percent higher than the national average, an inconvenience she wants to work on fixing.

Problem-solving, Farley shared, seems to take priority over political maneuvering, and Farley said that she isn’t worried about agreeing or disagreeing with President Donald Trump for example. She shares his affinity with reworking trade deals but doesn’t necessarily agree with him on everything.

As the race’s final month closes in on Election Day, Farley said her biggest hurdle is name recognition over Gillibrand. She calls on her supporters to spread the word of her campaign ideas.