Veteran GOP Sen. Hugh Farley is out with his first TV ad of the campaign, and it’s a negative spot that slams his Democratic opponent, Susan Savage, for voting in favor of tax increases while serving on the Schenectady County Legislature.

Savage’s campaign spokesman Travis Proulx (on loan from the Senate Democrats’ press office) responded by accusing Farley of being “embarrassed to run on his own 34-year Albany record,” adding:

“Who can blame him? Since Farley went to Albany the state budget has grown 1,000 percent, he voted to raise income and local taxes more than 680 times, the banking industry collapsed our economy during his lengthy tenure as Chair of the Banking Committee, and several authorities and entities he created became notorious boondoggles which wasted taxpayer funds with no form of oversight or accountability.”

Proulx also picked apart Farley’s ad, starting with the claim that Schenectady is the 19th highest-taxed county in the nation. Actually, 31 of the 57 counties outside NYC have a higher county tax rate, and the raking in question is based on a compilation of school, city, village, town and special district taxes.

Savage’s campaign then sought to turn the tables on “High Tax Hugh”, accusing him of voting more than 680 times to raise taxes since just 1995 and noting property taxes have also tripled statewide while he has been in office.

UPDATE: Scott Reif (on loan to the SRCC from the Senate GOP press office) informs me the ad is from the campaign committee, not Farley’s campaign, and he sends the following response:

“It’s not an attack ad, it’s simply a reminder that Sue Savage has failed to control taxes and spending in Schenectady County.”

“It’s hard to imagine that the residents of the 44th Senate District would reward the New York City Democrats, who raised taxes by $14 billion and let spending go through the roof, by sending them another reliable vote for higher taxes and more wasteful spending.”

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