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Democrat Elane Daly will face Republican Ali Muhsen in the race to represent Legislature District 9 for the next four years. The Nov. 7 election will see the number of legislators decrease from 15 to 11.

Daly, who directed the county's health department before becoming a legislator in 2018, said that decrease makes experience all the more important.

"It does take time to get up to speed — the county is a pretty complex organization. But it's definitely something I've enjoyed," she told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV. "I've really enjoyed it, or I wouldn't be running again."

But Muhsen, a chaplain at Auburn Correctional Facility and Auburn Memorial Hospital who recently retired from the Air Force, told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV he believes being a newcomer comes with advantages.

"I'll be trying my best, if I win this seat, to provide the best opportunities for Cayuga County," he said. "Whatever improves the quality of life the most for our residents."

One issue where the opponents disagree is county leadership. After six years in the Legislature, Daly said she's "more convinced than ever" that it needs professional leadership. The county's day-to-day operations have been overseen by the chair of the Legislature since its last administrator was fired in 2019. But because the chair is a legislator, she noted, the position can change parties.

"We don't have any continuity there," she said. "I envy the city of Auburn having consistent, year-to-year professional management. That's sorely what's missing in county government."

Muhsen, however, believes the county should be led by an elected official like an executive. While Daly isn't convinced winning an election would make someone capable of leading the county, Muhsen said it's important that the position reflect the will of the people. That was the case at most counties where he's lived, he said, though he would evaluate Cayuga more closely before making a decision.

Likewise, Muhsen said he would try to learn more before making a decision about the county's funding of economic development. The Cayuga Economic Development Agency, which receives $375,000 a year from the county, faces an uncertain future after firing two executive directors in the last 18 months. Legislator Robert Shea has proposed shifting that money to the Cayuga County Industrial Development Agency in the county's next budget. Daly said such a shift could prevent what's become "a huge, contentious fight" every time CEDA's funding has come up in the Legislature in recent years.

Buying more land for industrial development, to capitalize on Micron's $100 billion investment in the region, is the kind of thing the county and economic development agencies should be doing, Daly said.

"Instead we spend our time fighting over the funding," she said. "We absolutely have to have an economic development engine in this community."

Daly said some on the Legislature don't believe Cayuga County will see "any real benefit" from the chip manufacturer coming to Clay, but she's not one of them. From housing to supply chain businesses, she believes the investment will bring many opportunities locally. Muhsen agreed, though he stressed the importance of partnering with Onondaga County and making sure local taxes don't increase.

"My thinking is to try to look into these opportunities to increase our funding to the best of our ability," he said, "without causing undue hardship for the average Cayuga County resident."

Asked to share his top three priorities if elected to the Legislature, Muhsen said he's broadly most concerned with improving services to Cayuga County residents. By optimizing itself economically, he continued, the county will be able to provide better services. He mentioned selling vacant "eyesore" buildings to buyers like Micron to generate funds that will ultimately help the average person.

Daly said her top three priorities are the protection of Owasco Lake and the drinking water it provides; emergency housing for the county's homeless population; and meeting the rising need for mental health and aging services locally. She'd like to see mental health response become less reliant on law enforcement, she continued, and aging services balanced with investment in the area's future.

"We're trying to meet the need of that population while also investing in economic development so we can keep the population here and afford the services the public is used to getting," she said.