Sorensen will make assembly run

Resigns county position to make race for state assembly

By DAVID HULSE

	TRR file photo Alan Sorensen (Click for larger image)

MONTICELLO, NY — On Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m., former Sullivan County Commissioner for Planning and Community Development, Alan J. Sorensen was scheduled to make a formal announcement of his candidacy for the vacant 98th Assembly District seat.

Sorensen, 38, said he planned to follow the government center announcement with subsequent afternoon appearances in Middletown and Port Jervis.

The federal Hatch Act prohibited his remaining in the county position as a candidate or while he was viewed as a candidate. Sorensen resigned his $93,000-a-year county position last Thursday, but has been working as a volunteer through the weekend. He said he will be available to work through a two week notice period.

“As long as I’m not paid, there is nothing to preclude that,” he said.

“I’m really so committed to making a difference and I’m willing to forgo what has probably been the most rewarding job of my career. I loved and enjoyed every minute I worked as commissioner of planning,” he said.

“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to County Manager Dan Briggs, the members of the county legislature and to the residents of Sullivan County for giving me opportunity to serve here for six-and-a-half years,” he said.

Sorensen admits that leaving a rewarding position for the assembly race is big gamble, but so too have most of the programs he’s undertaken in recent years.

“It’s going to happen in the same way, through hard work and perseverance,” he said.

“When I set out with the Main Street Redevelopment Center idea, people told me it would never work. Well, we made it happen and did work. When I first announced the idea for the Emerald Corporate Center, I heard the same things. They said ‘it won’t work,’ but I articulated why it was important and convinced the people who had to be on board to make it work,” he said.

Still, the decision was not an easy one. He spent last weekend at his parents’ farm in Otsego County, with his wife Jane and children, Chris, 11, Jaclynn, 6, and Sara, 3.

“We wanted to make it a family decision,” he said.

With the decision made, Sorensen said, “I want to make a difference for the people of the 98th district. I want to continue with the smart growth platform we’ve begun, create jobs and balance protection of the environment. I think we can work with state assembly to further these policies and programs for the benefit of small business and agriculture. I feel I can make a difference.”

He said reactions to his decision have been twofold.

“They’ve been very disappointed at my leaving the county position, but also saying that I’d make a very effective assemblyman, and that’s encouraging,” he said.

Sorensen will run as a Republican, with the endorsement of Sullivan and Orange county Republican chairs Greg Goldstein and John Hicks.

He is also seeking a Conservative Party endorsement.

Sorensen is opposed by Democrat Aileen Gunther, the widow of incumbent Assemblyman Jacob Gunther. Both are seeking to serve the remaining year in Mr. Gunther’s current term.

Sorensen said his campaign effort will not be impacted by his opponent.

“I will campaign on the issues. People have a right to hear another view and make a choice. I will be solely focused on issues and what I hope to do,” he said.