To the Editor:

Most of us want to help family members. It’s natural. But when you’re an elected official, appointing family members to the public payroll before considering equally or better qualified job candidates presents a conflict of interest and is rightly perceived as a potential abuse of power. In a word, it is nepotism.

So it’s natural that voters might ask, “Why did my county legislators vote against the anti-nepotism bill last month?” Voters might wonder, “If their family members want to work in public service, aren’t there many jobs outside of appointed positions on the county payroll?”

The county bill did not apply to Civil Service jobs that are subject to merit tests. And there are many other levels of government and public-interest groups in the capital region that offer job opportunities.

Some county legislators say that opposition to nepotism is “hysterical,” a term loaded with misogynist overtones, especially when their opponents are female.

If you think nepotism by your local elected officials should be banned, thank these county legislators who voted for the anti-nepotism bill: Doug Bullock (D-Albany), Paul Burgdorf (R-Latham), Joanne Cunningham (D- Delmar), Charles Dawson (D-Glenmont), Mark Grimm (R-Guilderland), Chris Higgins (D-Albany), Lynne Lekakis (D-Albany), Frank Mauriello (R-Colonie), David Mayo (D- Latham), Alison McLean Lane (D-Menands), Richard Mendick (R-Selkirk), Joseph O'Brien (D-Loudonville) and William Reinhardt (D-Slingerlands).

Heed the advice of columnist Chris Churchill, who wrote: “If you live in Albany County and your legislator’s name isn’t on the above list, vote for someone else next chance you get.”

Legislators representing New Scotland and Bethlehem who helped defeat that bill against nepotism include Frank Commisso Sr., 11th District, and Darrell Duncan, 38th District.

Duncan is running in a special election this November. His opponent, New Scotland resident Vicky Plotsky, is a reform-minded Democrat who supports a ban on nepotism by elected officials.

As author Daniel Alarcón wrote, “Nepotism is the lowest and least imaginative form of corruption.” Remember that when you vote in November.

Marilyn Valentini

New Scotland

Corrected on July 31, 2017: Marilyn Valentini originally omitted two names of county legislators who voted in favor of the anti-nepotism bill — David Mayo and Mark Grimm.