By Joyce Miles
Niagara Gazette
LOCKPORT —
John Ceretto got a little help from a friend Tuesday as he filed petitions to run for New York state Assembly on the Taxpayers Party line.
Ceretto, the Republican candidate for Assembly, 138th District, was joined at the Niagara County Board of Elections service counter by Carl Paladino, ubiquitous candidate for New York State governor.
The independent Taxpayers Party line is a creation of the Paladino campaign, inspired broadly by the so-called Tea Party movement and meant as an alternative for voters who don’t care to pull a lever for a Democrat, a Republican or, for that matter, a Conservative in state and federal elections this year.
For Ceretto, if it sticks, the Taxpayers line is an additional ballot line in the November general election as he tries to unseat veteran Assembly member Francine DelMonte, D-Lewiston.
Ceretto is bidding for the Independence party line in the Sept. 14 primary election, against Michael Barone of Niagara Falls. He’s also attempting a write-in campaign to grab the Working Families line from DelMonte, the minor party’s pick. He is not bidding for the Conservative line, which that party awarded to Democrat John Accardo of Niagara Falls. Accardo is in Democratic primary contest with DelMonte.
The Taxpayers Party also provides a guaranteed ballot line for Paladino in the governor’s race, in the event he doesn’t win the Republican primary contest with state-committee endorsed candidate Rick Lazio.
Not that Paladino considers GOP loss a possibility. At the Board of Elections office, he told said without pause, “I cannot imagine losing the Republican primary; it won’t happen.”
The Taxpayers line is a vehicle for helping Paladino govern once he wins the governor’s office, according to his campaign manager, Michael Caputo. Anyone who’s elected to state office with its help will be regarded as a natural ally in Paladino’s quest to reform state government.
“It’s not just a party to help Carl win, it’s a party to help Carl govern,” Caputo said. “Taxpayers Party candidates (who win offices) will be the people Carl turns to first for support” as he pushes for changes in state laws and practices.
Tuesday was the deadline for candidates to turn in independent nominating petitions. Ceretto needed 1,500 valid signatures and turned in 2,420 before noon; more were to be filed with the county Board of Elections before 5 p.m., he said.
The beauty of the independent petition is members of any, or no, party could sign, Ceretto said. That complements Paladino’s reform-Albany message, which Ceretto said he agrees with fully.
“The message is that it’s not just about one party, it’s for the good of all of New York state,” he said. “I am so proud to run with Carl Paladino; I truly believe in him.”
Ceretto’s mother-in-law, Mary Price, must be proud too. She tagged along Tuesday and at the Board of Elections office, away from the crowd of officials and hovering campaigners, Price called out to Paladino as soon as he was within earshot, “thank you for running.” The gregarious candidate, informed Price is family of a friend, hugged her and kissed her on her cheek.
“Listen to him. Anybody who doesn’t think he’d do great things for this state is out of their mind,” Price said. “We need Carl.”
Statewide, about two dozen candidates for state and federal offices are thought to be pursuing the Taxpayers Party ballot line. The Paladino campaign has offered its help to hopefuls but isn’t coordinating all their efforts, Caputo said.
As of Tuesday, according to the state Board of Elections, hopefuls who’ve filed for the line include U.S. Senate candidates David Malpass and Gary Berntsen, U.S. House/17th District candidate Anthony Mele and state Senate/48th district candidate Patricia A. Ritchie, as well as Paladino’s running mate, Thomas V. Ognibene, former minority leader of the New York City Council.
