Utica, NY (WIBX) - Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr., will face a challenger after all in his re-election bid for another 4 year term. Author, Businessman and self described community activist, Conservative candidate Rodger Potocki has entered the race. He says it's harmful to the community when top political jobs are not challenged, and says it's partly why he decided to run against Picente. "It basically leads to the kind of the same people doing the same things with the same results, year after year, without any progressive change, and I feel that I'm the one who could step in and put an end to all of that," Potocki said.

If elected, Potocki says he would institute what he calls, "Rodger's 3 R's" -- Reduce, Reform and Restoration. He said, "And that is to Reduce both the property and the sales tax. To Reform, which means to really get rid of politics in county government, which I think has really been dominating county government for too long and bring in not only modern hiring but modern budgeting, and all the kinds of non-political techniques that would bring a whole new approach to the table of county government. And, I think the first two would then lead to the third, which is Restoration of good jobs in the community."

Potocki also pledged to take a pay cut if elected, and reduce the number of County Executive staff members. "The real problem you get, has to do with having too many unnecessary jobs at the top level in the first place, and I'll be showing in my campaign some examples of what we have now that we don't need," he said. He goes on to say that the first position he would eliminate is the Chief of Staff position. "I don't know him but he makes over 80 grand a year in salary and then the fringe benefits ... you do not need a Chief of Staff as County Executive. I will not have one--Mr. Pincete doesn't need one. I've yet to see a County Executive, and I've known many of them who really needed a Chief of Staff--the job is not demanding enough where you can't do it with a much reduced staff rate in the County Executives department, and I'll be showing that in detail as the campaign goes." When asked to rate Picente on his performance in office so far, Potocki gave him a D.

Potocki, who is still forming his campaign, says he will unveil the details of his platform in the days and weeks to come about how he plans to reduce, reform and restore Oneida County government as County Executive. He recently published a book about his 40 years in government titled, From The Inside. To learn more about the Conservative candidate visit, www.rodgerpotocki.com.

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