Charles S. Dawson, Jr. is serving in his third term to the Albany County Legislature. His district lies entirely within the Town of Bethlehem and centers in Glenmont and Delmar. Charlie was first elected in 1999, defeating a sixteen year incumbent. He was only the second Democrat elected to the county legislature from Bethlehem and the first to be re-elected.

Charlie serves as chair of the Conservation and Improvement (Economic Development) Committee and has been a member of the Audit and Finance Committee since he began his legislative service. His legislative work has concentrated on economic development, especially high tech development. In his very first year in office, Charlie advocated using the County's multi-million dollar share of the Medicaid tobacco settlement monies for economic development seed money. His advocacy efforts and leadership led to the creation of the Vista Technology Campus in Bethlehem. As a result, good jobs will come to the town and the county and the Bethlehem Central School District stands to benefit by $51 million in tax dollars over 20 years and the town by some $2.5 million.

Charlie was the prime sponsor of the 11 mile county rail trail legislation and author of the measure creating the Bethlehem Landslide Nature Preserve on the Normans Kill. He also has led legislative efforts to promote volunteer firefighter/EMS recruitment and retention, library aid, and against unfunded State mandates imposed on county taxpayers, particularly the costly Medicaid mandate.

For years, Charlie has been outspoken in his criticism of the State's onerous unfunded Medicaid mandate, by far the largest single cost to county taxpayers and the elimination of which could end the need for a county property tax. While the successful effort to cap county Medicaid costs has relieved the growth pressure on the County's tax burden, Charlie is quick to point out that the county property tax could virtually be eliminated were the state to pay for the program as is the law in 48 other states.

An expert in government budgetary and organizational matters, Charlie holds a doctorate in public administration from the Rockefeller College, State University of New York at Albany. He has been a state legislative staffer, professor and consultant, and author. In his current position with the New York State School Boards Association, Charlie works with 5,000 elected school board members from around the state as an advocate for public education.

Active in his community, Charlie served five years as a volunteer firefighter with the Elsmere Fire Company, as a member of the Bethlehem soccer club board, and as a member of the Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District. He is an avid skier, serving as a long-time volunteer with the mountain safety ski patrol at Mount Snow. The rest of the year you'll find him golfing or landscaping when he has the time.