Fredonia-Pomfret Democratic Association

CHUCK CORNELL

Chuck Cornell was first elected to the Legislature in 2005 representing the north side of the City of Jamestown.  He has served as Majority Leader, Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Committee, and member of the Audit and Control Committee.  As a fresman legislator, he led the effort to eliminate the county tax on residential energy, cut county spending, reduce property taxes, cut the gasoline tax, improve the county's housing stock, and make government more efficient and less costly.  He also led the effort to enact a county hiring freeze.

In his tenure as a legislator he has supported the reduction in the size of the County Legislature, the elimination of taxpayer funded health insurance for legislators, the elimination of the County Comptroller's Office and funding to clean up Chautauqua Lake.  He opposed a salary increase for the County Executive position.  Cornell also enacted legislation to create the county's first countywide housing task force and housing trust fund.

Devoting his career to public service, Cornell was appointed County Executive Mark Thomas' assistant during Thomas' first term before moving to Washington, DC where he worked for United States Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Paul Kanjorski.  At the time of his legislature election in 2005, he served as the Clerk of the County Legislature, a position he held for two years.

Prior to working in the County Executive's Office, Cornell staffed a New York State Senator while residing in Albany.  This past year Cornell directed the Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance at SUNY Fredonia.  He has served as an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Fredonia and Jamestown Community College.  In addition, Cornell has been a stay-at-home father where he has helped raise his three boys.

He is a past board member of the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Manufacturing Technology Institute, the Greater Jamestown Empire Zone, and the Chautauqua County Parks Commission.  He is currently a member of the Knights of Columbus and a Past member of the Jamestown Kiwanis Club.  He and his family are parishioners of Holy Apostles Roman Catholic Church.

Cornell earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College at SUNY Albany, his Bachelors Degree in Management from SUNY Geneseo and his Associates Degree in Bussiness Administration from Jamestown Community College.

He resides in Jamestown with his wife Lori and his three sons, Benjamin (3), Nathaniel (2) and Zachary (1).  He and his wife are expecting their fourth child in September.

Please feel free to visit his campaign site at www.cornellforcountyexecutive.com