Bill Kinne, picture on Election Night in 2023, is running to represent the Onondaga County Legislature's 15th District. He worked in the legislature for 24 years before running for county executive in 2023. Credit: Eddie Velazquez | Central Current

Bill Kinne worked for 24 years in the Onondaga County Legislature before an unsuccessful run for Onondaga County Executive in 2023. During that race, Kinne said he would retire from politics if he lost. 

But Kinne is back and running in the Democratic primary to represent the legislature’s 15th District. Kinne and Bennett have previously faced each other when Kinne won a 2021 Democratic primary for the same legislature seat.

The 15th District seat will be vacant because Legislator Maurice “Mo” Brown is running to represent the New York State Assembly’s 129th District, a seat long held by incumbent William Magnarelli. Brown and Jo Bennett, Kinne’s primary opponent, are running as part of an “affordability slate.” You can read more about Bennett here.

Editor’s note: Central Current accepted responses to its question-and-answer series in written form. 

Central Current: As a legislator, how do you plan to make housing more affordable in Onondaga County?

Bill Kinne: I believe it is paramount that this be a collaborative process. The county and the state need to be included, and have to come up with a plan that includes the private sector as well as the non-profits, such as Home Headquarters, Jubilee Homes, A Tiny Home for Good, and the Landbank to name a few.

CC: What’s one thing the county could do that it isn’t currently doing to prepare Central New York for Micron’s arrival?

Kinne: We could, while we work out a long range plan, like I mentioned in my first answer, Jump start housing

CC: The Democratic caucus has set transparency as one of its top priorities. In your capacity as a legislator, what is one way you’d like to make the county more transparent?

Kinne: I believe that we need to at least try to get the citizens involved. We could try to have four night meetings a year out in the community.

CC: The Democratic caucus has a majority for the first time in decades. Do you think the majority has done enough with the power it has? Why or why not? 

Kinne: Yes I do, but it has taken longer than I hoped. Part of the problem can be traced directly to the County Executive in its refusal to let the majority in the legislature pick the Legal Counsel they wanted.

CC: In local public hearings, constituents have raised concerns about the environmental impacts of Micron and wastewater treatment. Do you believe the county has done enough to protect our water resources? If not, what’s one specific thing you would change?

Kinne: In all honesty I am not sure, I have heard different things. If I am elected I certainly plan to examine this issue, as I believe it to be critical to our community.

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Leila Adelstein is a newsroom intern reporting on local news and writing features for the Central Current. She will be a junior at Hamilton College in the fall where she studies Public Policy and Studio...