3 Dems Encourage Volunteerism

By Bud Lowell

Rochester, NY – Three Democratic Party candidates for congress issued a joint call today for more young people to enter careers in public service -- either in the military, in public safety, as teachers or in health care.

Democrats Jonathan Powers, Dan Maffei and Eric Massa say the federal government should issue incentives for people to enter those careers, the same way veterans' benefits encourage people to enter the armed forces.

Massa says people need to start making a few sacrifices for their country, the way they did when President John Kennedy committed America to landing on the moon.

Maffei says instead of calling for shared sacrifice and civic involvement after Nine-11, the Bush Administration's message for improving America was "go shopping."

The three Democrats support a national service policy that would start with college financial aid for young people who put in 100 or more hours of volunteer community service. They would forgive student loans over time for graduates who take public service jobs in western New York -- essentially a domestic GI Bill. And they say they'd encourage expansion of service organizations like the AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.

Jonathan Powers is seeking the 26th District seat now held by Tom Reynolds, who's retiring. The district runs from the east side of Buffalo into the west side of Rochester. He's in a primary for the Democratic nomination with Jack Davis and Alice Kryzan -- and the winner of that contest will face Republican Chris Lee in November.

Kryzan says she supports making college more affordable through tuition tax credits -- and Davis says adjusting policy to create more good paying traditional-type jobs will help improve the nation.

Dan Maffei is running in the 25th District where Republican Tom Walsh is retiring. The district reaches from the west side of Syracuse to the eastern suburbs of Rochester. His opponent is Republican Dale Sweetland, who says he will work to provide opportunities for all people who pursue a secondary education, and stronger vocational education for those who decide not to go on to college.

Eric Massa is running in the 29th District against Republican Randy Kuhl. The district begins in Corning and runs north to the southern part of Monroe County. Kuhl says he's focused on the goal of making sure every student who wants to attend college, can.