NORFOLK -- For Marty Blair, public office is an opportunity to help his community while taking the opportunity to advocate for the less fortunate.
“A lot of people are hurting right now. The cost of goods is going up no matter what you are talking about and it’s only getting worse,” he told North Country This Week.
Blair has served on the Norfolk Town Council for three years.
Prior to his time on the board he served on the Norfolk Planning Board for six-and-a-half years.

Blair said that experience is crucial to his efforts as he seeks a seat on the St. Lawrence County Legislature.
“That has given me an inside look at government, how it works and how we can
more efficient,” he said.
Blair also worked as a maintenance supervisor at the Kraft plant, as well as a cheese plant Chateaugay.
He said he’s no stranger to hard work.
“I ran the whole department at both facilities, so supervisory duties are not new to me. I know how hard work is necessary to complete the job and you don’t go home until the job is finished,” he said.
That work ethic and ethos are part of what he hopes to bring to the board, if elected.
A self-described “true conservative at heart,” Blair said he is also running on the Conservative ticket because it aligns with his personal values.
“I am conservative by nature. I want to bring taxes down, bring our costs down and find ways to support our residents,” he said.
Blair pointed to the thousands of county residents living on fixed incomes as a primary concern for him.
“I’m fortunate in my position, to have a retirement and to be able to afford what I need to afford. Many people aren’t that lucky though and it’s time we do more to help them with programming and services that can help them make ends meet,” he said.
Blair said he supports investing further into those services, supporting local food pantries to ensure families can put food on the table and to support tax breaks for small groups that could use support.
“I’m a supporter of the property tax program for wounded veterans and I supported it on the Norfolk Town Board. That’s something I will support at the county level as well,” he said.
Blair said many times wounded veterans are unable to work and living on small budgets, putting them in a precarious economic position as costs rise.
“Electric rates will be high again this winter and that puts people in a bind. They’re in a tight spot and we need to find ways to help any way possible,” he said.
Blair suggested coupons for farmers markets as well so beef farmers could also take part.
“Finding a program to help get those products to residents would be a great way to help our farmers and also help the people who can’t always afford quality groceries,” he said.
One way Blair hopes to also assist is by removing a county home heating tax that has been on the books for a number of years.
“I think getting rid of that tax is necessary. We are already taxed on our fuel as is and cutting that will help families right now. Fuel prices are way up and I’m sure they will go up again as winter progresses,” he said.
Blair said he would also like to see a ride share program to help residents or possibly an expansion of the county bus system.
“A lot of folks don’t have a way to get to town, to doctor’s appointments and that sort of thing. That means they end up falling behind, getting sick and not getting the care they need. We need to fix that for everyone,” he said.
Blair said he will vote against anything that would raise taxes further, commenting residents cannot afford to foot the bill for out of control spending.
“There are things that we need to spend money on. The highway garage is necessary because the original building is falling apart and a real danger to those workers. It’s a big expense and maybe there are ways to trim that budget. State programs that fall to the county to pay for are a problem but sometimes you have to pay for them. That’s why it’s crucial we trim where we can,” he said.
Blair said he hopes to build on recent efforts by the Republican led legislature to bolster the county fund balance so more work can be done.
“I would like to see increased paving efforts. I think it is possible to pave 40 plus miles per year, to get those numbers up a little bit. There are a lot of roads that need a full repave, not just small repairs at times,” he said.
Though Blair said paving more county highways is a priority, he did say the county has done a great job of bridge and culvert repairs and replacements.
“The county has done a lot of work on our bridges and culverts. That work I would like to see continue. I think we’re in a much better position now after the efforts that they have put in the last six to eight years,” he said.
Blair said he is a proponent of public safety as well, noting he felt Sheriff Rick Engle was doing a good job despite recent criticism.
“He fights for the county and is doing what he can to protect citizens. I’m a fan of Sheriff Engle and his approach,” he said.
Blair said building maintenance and updates are a core issue he hopes to continue as well.
He said the work being done now on county buildings is overdue and will save taxpayers money in the end.
“Planning for those projects, getting grants to help cover costs and having a competitive bid process can save money. If we can plan properly we can do that work without raising taxes,” Blair said.
While the county has been effective in limiting expenses, Blair said he hoped to maximize services for residents.
“We’re going in the right direction and if we can work with our state reps to improve services and provide more for the less fortunate I think we can make a real impact for residents. That’s the work I hope to continue and to provide quality services for the taxes we’re paying,” he said.